Plasma metabolic differences in cows affected by inactive ovaries or normal ovarian function post partum

Abstract

Anestrus is essential to an unsuccessful pregnancy in dairy cows. One of the many factors that influences anestrus is the inactive ovary. To characterize in detail the plasma metabolic profile, anestrus cows suffering from inactive ovaries were compared with those with natural estrus. The Holstein cows 60 to 90 day postpartum in an intensive dairy farm were assigned into inactive ovaries groups (IO, n=20) and natural estrus group (CON, n=22) according to estrus signs and rectal palpation of ovaries. Plasma samples from two groups of cows were collected from the tail vein to screen differential metabolites using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) techniques and multivariate statistical analysis and pathways. The results showed that 106 compounds were screened by GC/MS and 14 compounds in the IO group were decreased by analyzing important variables in the projection values and p values of MSA.Through pathway analysis, 14 compounds, mainly associated with carbohydrate metabolism and amino acid metabolism, were identified to results in IO, which may seriously affect follicular growth. Metabolomics profiling, together with MSA and pathway analysis, showed that follicular growth and development in dairy cows is related to carbohydrate and amino acid metabolism by a single or multiple pathway(s).