Inflammatory biomarkers are associated with ketosis in periparturient Holstein cows

Ketosis is a prevalent periparturient metabolic disorder and we hypothesize that lipopolysaccharide (LPS) infiltration may play a key role in its etiology. Study objectives were to characterize biomarkers of inflammation during the transition period in healthy and clinically diagnosed ketotic cows. Cows were retrospectively categorized into one of two groups: healthy and clinically diagnosed ketotic. Two data sets were utilized; the first dataset (Study A) was obtained as a subset of cows (n = 16) enrolled in a larger experiment conducted at the Iowa State University Dairy utilizing Holstein cows (8 healthy; 8 ketotic), and the second dataset (Study B; 22 healthy; 22 ketotic) was obtained from a commercial farm. For both experiments, blood samples were collected prior to and following calving. Ketotic cows in both studies had reduced milk production compared to healthy cows (P < 0.01). Post-calving, ketotic cows had increased serum amyloid A (4.2 and 1.8 fold in studies A and B, respectively; P = 0.03 and P = 0.04), haptoglobin (> 6 fold and ~ 4 fold; P = 0.04 and P = 0.03), and lipopolysaccharide binding protein (66 and 45%; P < 0.01 and P = 0.02) compared with their healthy counterparts. Antepartum circulating LPS in ketotic cows was increased (2.3 fold; P = 0.01) compared to healthy cows in Study B. In summary, increased biomarkers of inflammation appear to be closely associated with ketosis in transition dairy cows.