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Volume 15
Issue 8
10.3390/life15081204
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Article

In-Line Monitoring of Milk Lactose for Evaluating Metabolic and Physiological Status in Early-Lactation Dairy Cows

by
Akvilė Girdauskaitė
1,*,
Samanta Arlauskaitė
1,
Arūnas Rutkauskas
1,
Karina Džermeikaitė
1,
Justina Krištolaitytė
1,
Mindaugas Televičius
1,
Dovilė Malašauskienė
1,
Lina Anskienė
2,
Sigitas Japertas
3 and
Ramūnas Antanaitis
1
1
Large Animal Clinic, Veterinary Academy, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Tilžės Str. 18; LT-47181 Kaunas, Lithuania
2
Department of Animal Breeding, Faculty of Animal Sciences, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Tilžės 18, LT-47181 Kaunas, Lithuania
3
Practical Training and Research Center, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Topolių g. 6, LT-54310 Kaunas, Lithuania
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Life 2025, 15(8), 1204; https://doi.org/10.3390/life15081204
Submission received: 2 July 2025 / Accepted: 26 July 2025 / Published: 28 July 2025
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovations in Dairy Cattle Health and Nutrition Management)
Versions Notes

Abstract

Milk lactose concentration has been proposed as a noninvasive indicator of metabolic health in dairy cows, particularly during early lactation when metabolic demands are elevated. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between milk lactose levels and physiological, biochemical, and behavioral parameters in early-lactation Holstein cows. Twenty-eight clinically healthy cows were divided into two groups: Group 1 (milk lactose < 4.70%, n = 14) and Group 2 (milk lactose ≥ 4.70%, n = 14). Both groups were monitored over a 21-day period using the Brolis HerdLine in-line milk analyzer (Brolis Sensor Technology, Vilnius, Lithuania) and SmaXtec intraruminal boluses (SmaXtec Animal Care Technology®, Graz, Austria). Parameters including milk yield, milk composition (lactose, fat, protein, and fat-to-protein ratio), blood biomarkers, and behavior were recorded. Cows with higher milk lactose concentrations (≥4.70%) produced significantly more milk (+12.76%) and showed increased water intake (+15.44%), as well as elevated levels of urea (+21.63%), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (+22.96%), glucose (+4.75%), magnesium (+8.25%), and iron (+13.41%) compared to cows with lower lactose concentrations (<4.70%). A moderate positive correlation was found between milk lactose and urea levels (r = 0.429, p < 0.01), and low but significant correlations were observed with other indicators. These findings support the use of milk lactose concentration as a practical biomarker for assessing metabolic and physiological status in dairy cows, and highlight the value of integrating real-time monitoring technologies in precision livestock management.
Keywords: milk lactose; dairy cows; innovative technologies; precision dairy farming milk lactose; dairy cows; innovative technologies; precision dairy farming

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MDPI and ACS Style

Girdauskaitė, A.; Arlauskaitė, S.; Rutkauskas, A.; Džermeikaitė, K.; Krištolaitytė, J.; Televičius, M.; Malašauskienė, D.; Anskienė, L.; Japertas, S.; Antanaitis, R. In-Line Monitoring of Milk Lactose for Evaluating Metabolic and Physiological Status in Early-Lactation Dairy Cows. Life 2025, 15, 1204. https://doi.org/10.3390/life15081204

AMA Style

Girdauskaitė A, Arlauskaitė S, Rutkauskas A, Džermeikaitė K, Krištolaitytė J, Televičius M, Malašauskienė D, Anskienė L, Japertas S, Antanaitis R. In-Line Monitoring of Milk Lactose for Evaluating Metabolic and Physiological Status in Early-Lactation Dairy Cows. Life. 2025; 15(8):1204. https://doi.org/10.3390/life15081204

Chicago/Turabian Style

Girdauskaitė, Akvilė, Samanta Arlauskaitė, Arūnas Rutkauskas, Karina Džermeikaitė, Justina Krištolaitytė, Mindaugas Televičius, Dovilė Malašauskienė, Lina Anskienė, Sigitas Japertas, and Ramūnas Antanaitis. 2025. "In-Line Monitoring of Milk Lactose for Evaluating Metabolic and Physiological Status in Early-Lactation Dairy Cows" Life 15, no. 8: 1204. https://doi.org/10.3390/life15081204

APA Style

Girdauskaitė, A., Arlauskaitė, S., Rutkauskas, A., Džermeikaitė, K., Krištolaitytė, J., Televičius, M., Malašauskienė, D., Anskienė, L., Japertas, S., & Antanaitis, R. (2025). In-Line Monitoring of Milk Lactose for Evaluating Metabolic and Physiological Status in Early-Lactation Dairy Cows. Life, 15(8), 1204. https://doi.org/10.3390/life15081204

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