Animals (Sep 2022)

Prediction of Liver Triglyceride Content in Early Lactation Multiparous Holstein Cows Using Blood Metabolite, Mineral, and Protein Biomarker Concentrations

  • Ryan S. Pralle,
  • Henry T. Holdorf,
  • Rafael Caputo Oliveira,
  • Claira R. Seely,
  • Sophia J. Kendall,
  • Heather M. White

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12192556
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 12, no. 19
p. 2556

Abstract

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Bovine fatty liver syndrome (bFLS) is difficult to diagnose because a liver tissue biopsy is required to assess liver triglyceride (TG) content. We hypothesized that a blood biomarker panel could be a convenient alternative method of liver TG content assessment and bFLS diagnosis. Our objectives were to predict liver TG using blood biomarker concentrations across days in milk (DIM; longitudinal, LT) or at a single timepoint (ST; 3, 7, or 14 DIM), as well as different biomarker combination based on their perceived accessibility. Data from two separate experiments (n = 65 cows) was used for model training and validation. Response variables were based on the maximum liver TG observed in 1 and 14 DIM liver biopsies: Max TG (continuous), Low TG (TG > 13.3% dry matter; DM), Median TG (TG > 17.1% DM), and High TG (TG > 22.0% DM). Model performance varied but High TG was well predicted by sparse partial least squares—discriminate analysis models using LT and ST data, achieving balanced error rates ≤ 15.4% for several model variations during cross-validation. In conclusion, blood biomarker panels using 7 DIM, 14 DIM, or LT data may be a useful diagnostic tool for bFLS in research and field settings.

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