Production & Reproduction
Responses of Dairy Cows to
Supplemental Beta-Carotene
Mary Beth de Ondarza, Ph.D.
Paradox Nutrition, LLC
West Chazy, New York
Beta-Carotene Background
Natural Carotenoid in Fresh Forage
Major Vitamin A Precursor (1 mg of
Beta-carotene = 400 IU of Vitamin A)
Vitamin A is needed for:




Eyesight
Growth
Reproduction
Maintenance of Epithelial Tissues
110 IU of Vitamin A per kg Body Weight (NRC, 2001)
700 kg cow (1540 lbs) needs 77,000 IU per day
Vitamin A Sources
Signs of Vitamin A Deficiency
Beta-carotene

Converted to retinol in intestinal cells
Pre-formed Vitamin A Supplements
(Esterified forms of retinol)



Retinyl Palmitate
Retinyl Propionate
Retinyl Acetate
Abortions
Retained Placenta
Reduced Immune Function
Calf Morbidity and Mortality
NRC, 2001
Herdt & Stowe, 1991
Natural Sources of BetaCarotene
Vegetative Plants
Concentrations
Decrease with Plant
Maturity
Sunlight Breaks Down Beta-Carotene
After Cutting
Grains & Fermented Feeds Contain
Minimal Beta-Carotene due to Heat
Damage and Breakdown During Storage
NRC Beta-Carotene
Recommendations
NRC (2001) – Concluded Data Not
Sufficient for Beta-carotene
Requirement
BUT: Added Vitamin A Recommended with
low forage diets, high corn silage diets,
high pathogen loads and reduced
immunocompetance
1
Recommended Serum BetaCarotene Level
Is it enough to simply meet
Vitamin A requirements with
either Beta-carotene
Beta carotene or
Preformed Vitamin A?
Should we be concerned about actual
beta-carotene status of our dairy cows?
3.0 µg/ml
Frye et al., 1991
Mean serum beta-carotene of 1828 samples from
peripartum(+/- 1 wk) Holstein cows
from 20 Canadian herds
= 1.12 µg/ml (SD=0.78)
(LeBlanc et al., 2004)
Distribution of Herd Serum β-carotene (μg/ml) Means
from 1996 NAHMS study of US Dairy Herds
(Herdt and Seymour, 2002)
Wide Variation in BetaCarotene Status
µg/ml
MW
NE
SE
West
Mean
1.24
2.14
2.15
2.67
SD
0 99
0.99
1 35
1.35
2 31
2.31
2 27
2.27
µg/ml
Pastured
Not
Pastured
Mean
SD
2.41
2.0
1.68
1.64
Herdt & Seymour, 2002
Beta-Carotene Functions
Separately from Vitamin A
Enhances Immunity by
Improving the Killing Ability of
Neutrophils with Possible
Reproductive and Mammary
Benefits
Anti-oxidant
Chew, 1993
Oxidative Stress
Free radicals or Reactive Oxygen Metabolites
are normally made by cells especially during
inflammatory response
Wh th
When
the amountt off “R
“Reactive
ti O
Oxygen
Metabolites” exceed the ability of the
antioxidant system to take care of them,
there is Oxidative Stress & Cell Damage
Retained placentas, Udder Edema, and
Mastitis are related to Oxidative Stress
Weiss, 2005
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Immunity Responses to
Supplemental Beta-Carotene
Antioxidants
Supplemental antioxidants can reduce
oxidative stress if the animal is deficient
Cu, Zn, Mn, Se, Fe, Vitamin C, Vitamin
E, and Beta-carotene are all involved
in anti-oxidant systems
Rumen Responses to
Supplemental Beta-Carotene
Improved
Fiber Digestion
Antioxidant
Role?
Production Responses to
Supplemental Beta-Carotene
Variable Results
Heat-stressed cows + 400 mg
g Betacarotene  11% more cumulative milk
(Arechiga et al., 1998)
No response to 300 mg (Rakes, 1985;
Wang, 1988) or 600 mg (Bindas, 1984)
Cows with lower total Vitamin A equivalent
 Higher CMT Score (Chew et al., 1982)
300 mg Supplemental Beta-Carotene
 Lower SCC (Rakes et al., 1985)
 Fewer clinical mastitis (Wang et al., 1988)
 No change in SCC or Mastitis (Oldham,
1991)
600 mg – No change in SCC (Bindas, 1984)
Rumen Responses to
Supplemental Beta-Carotene
Added beta-carotene in presence of
safflower oil  Greater in vitro growth
of rumen bacteria and fiber digestion
(Hino et al., 1993)
Reduce free radical burden from fats
with antioxidants  improve fiber
digestion (Vazquez-Anon and Jenkins,
2007)
Evaluation of Beta-carotene
Status
Actual beta-carotene status often
unknown in previous research
Beta-carotene status may have been
adequate
d
before
b f
supplementation
l
i
Blood is a major storage pool of betacarotene so blood concentrations can
accurately describe status
iCheck® system now available on farm
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Reproductive Responses to
Supplemental Beta-Carotene
Higher concentrations of beta-carotene
in the ovary, particularly the corpus
luteum (Chew et al., 1984)
Benefits of supplemental beta-carotene
may be related to conversion of
circulating beta-carotene to Vitamin A
specifically in the uterus and ovaries
(Schweigert, 2003)
Beta-Carotene &
Reproduction
Beta-carotene may be needed to provide
vitamin A activity to the granulosa cells of the
follicle. Preformed Vitamin A in the blood may
not reach these cells.
Beta-carotene deficiency has been associated
with follicular dysfunction, including cystic
ovarian degeneration and delayed ovulation.
Recommended 300 mg/head/day
supplemental beta-carotene or blood
concentrations >3.0 µg/ml
Herdt and Stowe, 1991
Beta-carotene & Reproduction
Pregnancy Rate at 120 d postpartum in
heat-stressed cows supplemented with
400 mg beta-carotene for more than 90
days was increased (35.4% vs. 21.1%)
(Arechiga et al., 1998)
Cows with ovarian cysts had lower
plasma beta-carotene concentrations
(11 vs. 33 µg/dl) (Inaba et al., 1986)
Beta-carotene & Reproduction
First Follicular Wave
Ovulated (n=13)
Plasma Beta-carotene
during the 3 weeks
prepartum
2.97 +/- 0.24 µg/ml
Didn’t Ovulate (n=9)
1.53 +/- 0.14 µg/ml
Kawashima et al., 2009
Controlled Study on a
Commercial Dairy Farm
425 mg/d/cow
Side-by-side
pen study
120 days
Daily Milk Wts
Milk Sampled
During Weeks
11,13,15,17
Objective
To determine if supplementing beta-carotene to cows
with normally low serum beta-carotene (< 3 µg/ml) but
adequate Vitamin A supplementation (8400 IU/kg)
would affect milk components, milk yield, & reproduction
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Diet Ingredient
Composition (%DM)
Cow Characteristics
Control
Beta-carotene
Total Cows
249
266
T t l Obs.
Total
Ob
16952
16996
Mean Lact. No.
3.02 +/- 1.29 3.21 +/- 1.35
Mean DIM
149 +/- 83
143 +/- 78
Prev ME305, kg
12879 +/2811
13233+/2808
Diet Nutrient Analysis
CP, %DM
RUP, %CP
NEl, Mcal/kg
ADF, %DM
NDF, %DM
Forage NDF, %DM
Sugar, %DM
Starch, %DM
Ether Extract, %DM
17.9
36
1.78
17
30
21.7
5.8
25.3
5.47
Production Results
Control
Milk, kg/d
3.5% FCM, kg/d
Fat, %
Fat, kg/d
Protein, %
Protein, kg/d
MUN, mg/dl
SCC x 1000
43.65
42.24
3.18
1.41
2.99
1.32
15.7
170
BetaPCarotene value
43.83
NS
43.23
NS
3.28
<0.05
1.46
0.12
2.99
NS
1.34
NS
16.1
<0.05
141
NS
Corn Silage
33.2
Mi d H
Mixed
Haylage
l
20 3
20.3
HM Shelled Corn
13.7
Concentrate
32.8
Beta-carotene Status
Control
2.09 +/- 0.87 µg/ml
Beta-carotene
Supplemented
3.30 +/- 1.64 µg/ml
** Assessed on 10 random cows per pen (DIM=110+/- 34)
at Day 60 and 120 of the study
Why a Milk Fat Response?
Beta-carotene deficiency related to
Lower Milk fat % (Lotthammer,1979)
Positive effect on rumen cellulolytics?
(Hi et al.,
(Hino
l 1993)
Altered rumen biohydrogenation and
reduced formation of trans-10 isomers
as Vitamin E has been shown to do?
(Bell et al., 2006, Pottier et al., 2006)
5
3.5% Fat-Corrected Milk
by Parity and DIM
Control
BetaP-value
Carotene
43.84
NS
Parity 2
43.88
Parity 3+
40.60
42.62
0.05
0-100 DIM
48.33
50.39
0.08
101-200 DIM
43.58
43.49
NS
201+ DIM
34.84
35.80
NS
Pregnancy Rates
Days on TRT
0
21
42
63
84
105
126
Average
Date
1/18
2/8
2/29
3/21
4/11
5/2
5/23
Why were Early Lactation and
Mature Cows More Responsive?
Were these cows under more stress
similar to the heat-stressed cows that
responded well to beta-carotene?
(Arechiga et al., 1998)
Were these cows experiencing a
greater degree of rumen acidosis and
therefore more positively impacted by
additional anti-oxidant?
Reproduction Analysis
Control
22
21
20
27
25
12
9
20
Beta-Carotene
17
20
18
25
24
23
20
21
Pedometer Activity Analysis
An extended period or a “strategic
window” of beta-carotene
supplementation during the
reproductive cycle may be needed for
the greatest reproductive effect.
Cows supplemented for >90 d had
higher Preg Rates at 120 DIM (35.4%
vs. 21.1%) (Arechiga et al., 1998)
Peak Activity (Steps/Day) by DIM Category
500
P=0.21
Peak Activity
P
450
400
350
300
250
1
Rodenburg and Murray, 2007
DIM Categories:
< 30 DIM = 1
30-60 DIM = 2
61-90 DIM = 3
91-150 DIM = 4
151-249 DIM = 5
2
3
4
5
DIM Category
Beta-Carotene
Control
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Effect of parturition on the concentration of vitamin A, E
Reproduction Analysis
Herdsman later commented on a high
number of ovarian cysts occurring in
the control cows at the end of the trial
(No real data)
Cows with ovarian cysts had lower
plasma beta-carotene concentrations
(11 vs. 33 µg/dl) (Inaba et al., 1986)
Concentratio
on in plasma
and ß-Carotene in the plasma of cows
ß-Carotene
Vitamin A
Vitamin E
4
3
2
1
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
weeks ap/pp
(Schweigert 1990)
Graded supplementation level of ß-Carotene
prevents sharp drop in ß-Carotene levels in
blood (µg/ml) prepartum
2.00
300 mg/hd/d
1.50
300 mg/hd/d 60-40 d
2000 mg/hd/d
/hd/d 30-0
30 0 d
Control
Effect of β-carotene supply during close-up
dry period on ovulation at the first follicular
wave postpartum in dairy cows.
Expt I: BC fed at 500 mg/hd/d for
24 days before calving
 BC: 4/5 ovulated
 Controls: 1/5 ovulated
1.00
0.50
0.00
-90
-60
-30
0
30
60
90
Days to partrition
Expt II: BC fed at 2000 mg/hd/d 24 days before calving
 BC: 9/12 ovulated
 Controls: 5/10 ovulated
Kawashima et al., 2009
(Kawashima, 2008)
Program Recommendations:
Beta-carotene
Dry + Fresh: 400 mg/100 d
 The most research
 Potential FCM responses
Close-ups: 500-800 mg/21 d
 Some research
Production & Reproduction
Responses of Dairy Cows to
Supplemental Beta-Carotene
Still Lots of Questions to be
Answered……
The Trickle: 200 mg/year-round
Any Questions for Me?
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