Study of Adipsin Hormone Variations During the Transition Period in Holstein Dairy Cows and Its Association with Negative Energy Balance Indicators

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Seyedeh Ommolbanin Ghasemian 1
Bardia Mohammadi 2
, Leila Derakhshan 2
1 Department of Veterinary, Behbahan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Behbahan, Iran
2 1. Department of Veterinary medicine, Sho.C., Islamic Azad University, Shoushtar, Iran.
10.22034/ijvcs.2026.14817.1085
Abstract
The health status during the transition period is a critical determinant of subsequent production and reproductive performance in dairy animals. Adipsin, an adipokine, plays a significant role in lipid metabolism and energy homeostasis. This study aimed to evaluate changes in adipsin hormone levels during the transition period in Holstein dairy cows and examine its relationship with indicators of negative energy balance. A total of 50 Holstein dairy cows from industrial farms in Shiraz and Behbahan were selected, all receiving identical diets in terms of composition and nutritional components. Blood samples were collected two weeks before calving and during the first four weeks of lactation. The samples were analyzed for levels of urea, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, protein, chloride, adipsin, and body condition score.
The findings revealed that urea levels significantly increased in the fourth week of lactation compared to two weeks before calving (P<0.05), while levels of phosphorus, magnesium, chloride, adipsin, and body condition score significantly decreased (P<0.05). Adipsin hormone was found to influence the transition period and several indicators of negative energy balance. It showed significant correlations with urea, chloride, phosphorus, and body condition score (P<0.05).
Adipsin hormone affects the transition period and is associated with key indicators of negative energy balance in Holstein dairy cows.
Keywords
Adipsin hormone
Transition period
Holstein dairy cows
Negative energy balance indicators
Subjects
1.     Aaron N, Kraakman MJ, Zhou Q, Liu Q, Costa S, Yang J, Liu L, Yu L, Wang L, He Y, Fan L, Hirakawa H, Ding L, Lo J, Wang W, Zhao B, Guo E, Sun L, Rosen CJ, Qiang L. Adipsin promotes bone marrow adiposity by priming mesenchymal stem cells. eLife. 2021;10: e69209.
2.     Asl AN, Nazifi S, Ghasrodashti AR, Olyaee A. Prevalence of subclinical ketosis in dairy cattle in the southwestern Iran and detection of cutoff point for NEFA and glucose concentrations for diagnosis of subclinical ketosis. Prev Vet Med. 2011; 100: 38–43.
3.     Ata M, Obeidat BS. The inclusion of sweet lupin grain (Lupinus angustifolius) improves nursing performance of lactation in Awassi ewes. Small Rumin Res. 2020;190: 106150.
4.     Atashi H, Hostens M. Genetic parameters for milk urea and its relationship with milk yield and compositions in Holstein dairy cows. PLoS One. 2021;16: e0253191.
5.     Barletta RV, Maturana Filho M, Carvalho P, Del Valle TA, Netto A, Rennó FP, Mingoti RD, Gandra JR, Mourão GB, Fricke PJ. Association of changes among body condition score during the transition period with NEFA and BHBA concentrations, milk production, fertility, and health of Holstein cows. J Dairy Sci. 2017; 104:30‑36.
6.     Baumgard L, Collier RJ, Bauman D. A 100‑Year review: regulation of nutrient partitioning to support lactation. J Dairy Sci. 2017;100: 10353‑10366.
7.     Broderick GA, Clayton MK. A statistical evaluation of animal and nutritional factors influencing concentrations of milk urea nitrogen. J Dairy Sci. 1997;80: 2964‑2971.
8.     Buryakov N, Aleshin D, Buryakova M, Zaikina A, Nasr M, Nassan M, Fathala M. Productive performance and blood biochemical parameters of dairy cows fed different levels of high‑protein concentrate. Front Vet Sci. 2022;9: 852240.
9.     Ferris CP, Purcell PJ, Gordon AW, Larsen T, Vestergaard M. Performance of Holstein and Swedish‑Red × Jersey/Holstein crossbred dairy cows within low‑ and medium‑concentrate grassland‑based systems. J Dairy Sci. 2018;101: 7258‑7273.
10.  Fu Y, Colazo MG, De Buck J. Development of a blood calcium test for hypocalcemia diagnosis in dairy cows. Res Vet Sci. 2022; 147:60‑67.
11.  Gómez‑Banoy N, Guseh JS, Li G, Rubio‑Navarro A, Chen T, Poirier B, Putzel G, Rosselot C, Pabón MA, Camporez JP. Adipsin preserves beta cells in diabetic mice and associates with protection from type 2 diabetes in humans. Nat Med. 2019; 25: 1739‑1747.
12.  Jonker J, Kohn R, Erdman R. Using milk urea nitrogen to predict nitrogen excretion and utilization efficiency in lactating dairy cows. J Dairy Sci. 1998; 81:2681‑2692.
13.  Knob DA, Thaler Neto A, Schweizer H, Weigand AC, Kappes R, Scholz AM. Energy balance indicators during the transition period and early lactation of purebred Holstein and Simmental cows and their crosses. Animals. 2021; 11:309.
14.  Lean IJ, Sheedy DB, LeBlanc SJ, Duffield T, Santos JEP, Golder HM. Holstein dairy cows lose body condition score and gain body weight with increasing parity in both pasture‑based and total mixed ration herds. JDS Commun. 2022;3: 431‑435.
15.  Li Y, Zou W, Brestoff JR, Rohatgi N, Wu X, Atkinson JP, Harris CA, Teitelbaum SL. Fat‑produced adipsin regulates inflammatory arthritis. Cell Rep. 2019; 27:2809‑2816.e3.
16.  Llonch L, Verdú M, Martí S, Medinya C, Riera J, Cucurull J, Devant M. Drinking water chlorination in dairy beef fattening bulls: water quality, potential hazards, apparent total tract digestibility, and growth performance. Animal. 2023;17: 100685.
17.  Lo J, Ljubicic S, Leibiger B, Kern M, Leibiger I, Moede T, Kelly M, Chatterjee Bhowmick D, Murano I, Cohen P, Banks A, Khandekar M, Dietrich A, Flier J, Cinti S, Bluher M, Danial N, Berggren PO, Spiegelman B. Adipsin is an adipokine that improves β‑cell function in diabetes. Cell. 2014;158: 41‑53.
18.  Mellouk N, Rame C, Touze JL, Briant E, Ma L, Guillaume D, Lomet D, Caraty A, Ntallaris T, Humblot P, Dupont J. Involvement of plasma adipokines in metabolic and reproductive parameters in Holstein dairy cows fed with diets with differing energy levels. J Dairy Sci. 2017;100: 8518‑8533.
19.  Mikula R, Pruszyńska‑Oszmałek E, Kołodziejski PA. Propylene glycol and maize grain supplementation improve fertility parameters in dairy cows. Animals. 2020; 10(11) :2147.
20.  Milek M, Moulla Y, Kern M, Stroh C, Dietrich A, Schön MR, Gärtner D, Lohmann T, Dressler M, Kovacs P. Adipsin serum concentrations and adipose tissue expression in people with obesity and type 2 diabetes. Int J Mol Sci. 2022;23(4):2222.
21.  Mitchell R, Rogers G, Dechow C, Vallimont J, Cooper J, Sander‑Nielsen U, Clay J. Milk urea nitrogen concentration: heritability and genetic correlations with reproductive performance and disease. J Dairy Sci. 2005; 88:4434‑4440.
22.  Mousavi S, Fatahnia F, Taasoli G, Mohammadi Y. Effect of some injectable trace minerals and vitamins on blood antioxidant status and metabolic disorders in transition dairy cows. Anim Sci J. 2019;31(121):173–192.
23.  Noori Sabzikar Z, Mohri M, Seifi HA. Variations of some adipokines, pro‑inflammatory cytokines, oxidative stress biomarkers, and energy characteristics during the transition period in dairy cows. Vet Res Forum. 2023;14: 87‑95.
24.  Pelizza A, Hauser A, Mendes TC, Mattiello CA, Knob D, Cardozo LL, Filho R, Gomes IPO, Alessio D, Camera M, Neto A. Perfil metabólico de vacas Holandês e mestiças Holandês × Jersey no periparto. Arq Bras Med Vet Zootec. 2019; 71:741‑751.
25.  Pinotti L, Manoni M, Ferrari L, Tretola M, Cazzola R, Givens I. The contribution of dietary magnesium in farm animals and human nutrition. Nutrients. 2021; 13(2):509.
26.  Putri EM, Zain M, Warly L, Hermon H. Effects of rumen degradable to undegradable protein ratio in ruminant diet on in vitro digestibility, rumen fermentation, and microbial protein synthesis. Vet World. 2021; 14:640.
27.  Rathbun FM, Pralle RS, Bertics SJ, Armentano LE, Cho K, Do C, Weigel KA, White HM. Relationships between body condition score change, prior mid‑lactation phenotypic residual feed intake, and hyperketonemia onset in transition dairy cows. J Dairy Sci. 2017;100: 3685‑3696.
28.  Roche JR, Friggens NC, Kay JK, Fisher MW, Stafford KJ, Berry DP. Body condition score and its association with dairy cow productivity, health, and welfare. J Dairy Sci. 2009; 92: 5769‑ 5801.
29.  Schonewille JT, Everts H, Jittakhot S, Beynen AC. Quantitative prediction of magnesium absorption in dairy cows. J Dairy Sci. 2008;91: 271‑278.
30.  Sharma N, Kundu S, Tariq H, Mani V, Malhotra R. Effect of fat and protein along with polyherbal preparation on reproductive health of periparturient Karan Fries cows. Indian J Anim Res. 2021;55: 657‑662.
31.  Shock DA, Roche SM, Genore R, Olson ME. A pilot study to evaluate the effect of a novel calcium and vitamin D‑containing oral bolus on serum calcium levels in Holstein dairy cows following parturition. Vet Med (Auckl). 2019;10: 151‑158.
32.  Silva A, Detmann E, Dijkstra J, Pedroso A, Silva L, Machado A, Sousa F, Dos Santos G, Marcondes M. Effects of rumen‑undegradable protein on intake, performance, and mammary gland development in prepubertal and pubertal dairy heifers. J Dairy Sci. 2018;101: 5991‑6001.
33.  Spek J, Dijkstra J, Van Duinkerken G, Bannink A. A review of factors influencing milk urea concentration and its relationship with urinary urea excretion in lactating dairy cattle. J Agric Sci. 2013;151: 407‑423.
34.  Sundrum A. Metabolic disorders in the transition period indicate that the dairy cows’ ability to adapt is overstressed. Animals. 2015;5: 978‑1020.
35.  Tafere GG, Wondafrash DZ, Zewdie KA, Assefa BT, Ayza MA. Plasma adipsin as a biomarker and its implication in type 2 diabetes mellitus. Diabetes Metab Syndr Obes. 2020; 13: 1855‑1861.
36.  Wang C, Liu Z, Wang D, Liu J, Liu H, Wu Z. Effect of dietary phosphorus content on milk production and phosphorus excretion in dairy cows. J Anim Sci Biotechnol. 2014; 5: 23.
37.  Wærp HK, Waters SM, McCabe MS, Cormican P, Salte R. Long‑term effects of prior diets, dietary transition and pregnancy on adipose gene expression in dairy heifers. PLoS One. 2019;14: e0218723.
Wildman EE, Jones GM, Wagner PE, Boman RL, Troutt HF Jr, Lesch TN. A dairy cow body condition scoring system and its relationship to selected production characteristics. J Dairy Sci. 1982; 65: 495‑501.
Iranian Journal of Veterinary Clinical Sciences
Volume 19, Issue 2 - Serial Number 33
Fall and Winter 2025/2026
March 2026
Pages 95-106