Effects of supplemental energy on metabolic and immune measurements in periparturient dairy cows with Johne's disease

The present study was designed to evaluate whether feeding supplemental energy would improve the metabolic profile and alleviate some of the immunosuppression typically noted during the periparturient period in dairy cows with Johne's disease. Twelve dairy cows naturally infected with Mycobacterium paratuberculosis were fitted with rumen cannulas in late gestation and assigned to treatment groups: control, n = 6; or stuffed, n = 6. Cows in the control group were allowed to consume feed ad libitum. Cows assigned to the stuffed treatment group were also fed ad libitum but received additional total mixed rations by manually stuffing their rumens with refused feed to maintain dry matter intake of 2% body weight per day before calving and 2.5% body weight per day after calving. Serum nonesterified fatty acid levels were significantly decreased in stuffed cows compared with control cows, indicating that stuffing to maintain dry matter intake improved the energy balance in the cows. In addition, periparturient serum calcium and magnesium concentrations were significantly higher in stuffed cows. Stuffing modulated cell-mediated immunity by reducing lymphocyte proliferative responses to T-cell mitogens during early lactation. Stuffing resulted in an increase in the secretion of in vitro immunoglobulin by peripheral blood mononuclear cells after parturition when compared to control cows. These data demonstrate that energy balance is improved by providing additional energy in this manner and suggest energy supplementation can improve some aspects of immune function during the periparturient period.