1. Role of nutrition and metabolism on fertility in dairy cows
Matt Lucy
F21C Animal Reproductive Biology
Division of Animal Sciences
University of Missouri, Columbia, USA

2. Lactose (milk sugar) A disaccharide composed of galactose and glucose

3. Lactose (milk sugar) Two molecules of glucose are used in the production of one molecule of lactose

4. Ever-Green-View My 1326-ET Waldo, Wisconsin USA February 2010
32,805 kg of milk*
1,267 kg fat
974 kg protein
365 d lactation
*3-times average US cow in 2010

5. How much glucose per day?
72 g of glucose to produce 1 kg milk
100 kg milk per day
7.2 kg glucose per day

6. Glucose synthesis Healthy later lactation or dry cow
Drackley (1999) J. Dairy Sci. 82:

7. Glucose supply and demand: Prepartum and early lactation
Overton (2001)
Proceedings of the Western Canadian Dairy Seminar

8. Glucose synthesis Cow in negative energy balance
Drackley (1999) J. Dairy Sci. 82:

9. Bovine embryonic and fetal development depends on glucose
Photo courtesy of
The Drost Project (University of Florida)

10. The Warburg Effect Metabolic Requirements for Cell Growth
Vander Heiden et al. (2009) Science 324:

11. Plasma GH concentrations in postpartum dairy cows
Kobayashi et al. (1999)
Endocrinology 140:

12. GH, GHR, IGF1, and insulin in Postpartum Cows
Hypothalamus
Pituitary GH
GHR
Liver
Insulin
Nutrient Partitioning
Milk Production
Stimulatory action
Inhibitory action

13. Journal of General Physiology (1931)

14. GH/Insulin Antagonism
IGF-I
Hypothalamus
Pituitary GH
GHR
GHR
Liver
Adipose
Insulin IR IR
Pancreas
Glucose
Glucose
Mammary
NEFA
Stimulatory action
Inhibitory action
Lucy 2004 (NZSAP Proceedings)

15. 75th Annual Hoard’s Dairyman Cow Judging Contest

16. GH/Insulin antagonism during lactation
IGF-I
Glucose
supply
Glucose
supply

17. Dexcel Strain Trial Hamilton, New Zealand 2001-2003
Three strains
NA90
NZ90
NZ70
Two different feeding levels
Low
High

18. Milk energy production and body condition score
2003 Strain Trial Cows
Lucy et al. (2009) J. Dairy Sci. 92:

19. Dexcel Strain Trial Hamilton, New Zealand 2001-2003
Lucy et al. (2009) J. Dairy Sci. 92:

20. Theoretical model of milk production, energy balance, and body condition score
Lucy (2009) Proceedings of the 44th Annual Pacific
Northwest Animal Nutrition Conference

21. GH
Uterus
Ovary
Insulin
Adipose
Glucose
NEFA
Liver
IGF1

22. Embryonic loss for heifers and cows
Santos et al. (2004)

23. Methods
Pregnant Holstein dairy heifers (n = 43) were randomly assigned to one of two groups.
After calving:
One group was dried off immediately (not milked; nonlactating).
The other group was milked normally (twice daily; lactating).
Slaughter at 28, 35, or 42 d of pregnancy.
Green et al. (2012) Reproduction (in press)
Lucy et al. (2012) J. Dairy Sci. (submitted)

24. Postpartum Glucose Trt P < 0.001 Status P < 0.090 Trt*Status NS
DPP P < 0.070
Trt*DPP NS
Status*DPP P < 0.007
T*S*DPP NS
Green et al. (2012) Reproduction (in press)

25. Postpartum insulin Trt P < 0.001 Status NS Trt*Status NS DPP NS
Trt*DPP NS
Status*DPP NS
T*S*DPP NS
Green et al. (2012) Reproduction (in press)

26. Postpartum IGF1 Trt P < 0.001 Status P < 0.019 Trt*Status NS
DPP P < 0.001
Trt*DPP P < 0.001
Status*DPP NS
T*S*DPP NS
Green et al. (2012) Reproduction (in press)

27. Postpartum NEFA Trt P < 0.001 Status NS Trt*Status NS
DPP P < 0.001
Trt*DPP P < 0.001
Status*DPP NS
T*S*DPP NS
Green et al. (2012) Reproduction (in press)

28. Day 28 bovine fetuses 7 mm Cow 15 Cow 34 Cow 39
Green et al. (2012) Reproduction (in press)

29. Effect of lactation on fetal wt (g)
Nonlact
Day 28 fetus
Day 35 fetus
Day 42 fetus
Treatment P < 0.06
Day P < 0.001
Status P < 0.005
Green et al. (2012) Reproduction (in press)

30. Effect of lactation on placental wt (g)
Nonlact
Day 28 placenta
Day 35 placenta
Day 42 placenta
Treatment P < 0.01
Day P < 0.001
Green et al. (2012) Reproduction (in press)

31. Fetal tissues and cavities
Drawing from:
University of Guelph
Department of Animal and Poultry Science

32. Maternal and fetal glucose
Maternal plasma
Fetal fluids
Treatment P < 0.001
Slaughter NS
T*S NS
Treatment P < 0.002
Slaughter P < 0.001
T*S NS
Lucy et al. (2012) J. Dairy Sci. (submitted)

33. Effect of status on fetal wt (g)
Pregnant to
1st AI
Pregnant to 2nd or 3rd AI
Day 28 fetus
Day 35 fetus
Day 42 fetus
Day P < 0.001
Status P < 0.005
Green et al. (2012) Reproduction (in press)

34. Day 35 bovine fetuses Lactating; Pregnant at 2nd AI Not lactating;
Cow 15
Cow 34
Cow 39
Lactating;
Pregnant at
2nd AI
Not lactating;
Pregnant at
1st AI
Green et al. (2012) Reproduction (in press)

35. Waldron study cows Postpartum uterine weight
Lucy and Waldron (unpublished)

36. Day 3

37. Day 25

38. Day 25

39. Luminal Epithelium of the bovine uterus at 25 dpp
Lucy and Waldron (unpublished)

40. Glucose infusion 0.695 g/min (1 kg/d)
Lucy (unpublished)

41. Hypothalamus and Pituitary
“Life on the Knife”
IGF1
Hypothalamus and Pituitary
Liver
Growth hormone
Uterus
Ovary
NEFA
Immune cells
Adipose AA
Glucose
Muscle
Insulin
Mammary
Gland

42. Hypothalamus and Pituitary
“Life on the Knife”
IGF1
Hypothalamus and Pituitary
Liver
Growth hormone
Uterus
Cytokines
Ovary
Inflammation
NEFA
Inflammation
Immune cells
Adipose AA
Glucose
Muscle
Insulin
Mammary
Gland

43. Hypothalamus and Pituitary
“Life on the Knife”
IGF1
Hypothalamus and Pituitary
Liver
Growth hormone
Uterus
Cytokines
Unhealthy liver
Ovary
Inflammation
NEFA
Inflammation
Immune cells
Adipose AA
Glucose
Muscle
Insulin
Mammary
Gland

44. Hypothalamus and Pituitary
“Life on the Knife”
IGF1
Hypothalamus and Pituitary
Liver
Growth hormone
Uterus
Cytokines
Ovary
Inflammation
NEFA
Inflammation
Immune cells
Adipose AA
Glucose
Muscle
Insulin
Mammary
Gland

45. Hypothalamus and Pituitary
“Life on the Knife”
IGF1
Hypothalamus and Pituitary
Liver
Growth hormone
Uterus
Cytokines
Ovary
Inflammation
NEFA
Inflammation
Immune cells
Adipose AA
Glucose
Muscle
Insulin
Mammary
Gland

46. Hypothalamus and Pituitary
“Life on the Knife”
IGF1
Hypothalamus and Pituitary
Liver
Growth hormone
Uterus
Cytokines
Ovary
Inflammation
NEFA
Inflammation
Immune cells
Adipose AA
Glucose
Muscle
Insulin
Mammary
Gland

47. Hypothalamus and Pituitary
“Life on the Knife”
IGF1
Hypothalamus and Pituitary
Liver
Growth hormone
Uterus
Ovary
Immune cells
Adipose
Glucose
Muscle
Insulin
Mammary
Gland

48. Solutions: GH
Uterus
Ovary
Insulin
Adipose
Glucose
NEFA
Liver
IGF1