Defining Fatty Acid Changes Linked to Rumen Development, Weaning and Growth in Holstein-Friesian Heifers

Taylor, Emma N.; Han, Jiwan; Fan, Congying; Beckmann, Manfred; Hewinson, Glyn; Rooke, David; Koets, Ad P.; Mur, Luis A. J.

doi:10.3390/metabo12050374

Open AccessArticle

Defining Fatty Acid Changes Linked to Rumen Development, Weaning and Growth in Holstein-Friesian Heifers

by

Emma N. Taylor

¹

,

Jiwan Han

²,

Congying Fan

²,

Manfred Beckmann

¹,

Glyn Hewinson

^1,3,

David Rooke

⁴,

Ad P. Koets

^5,6,*

and

Luis A. J. Mur

^1,2,*

¹

Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS), Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth SY23 3DA, UK

²

College of Software, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu District, Jinzhong 030810, China

³

Centre of Excellence for Bovine Tuberculosis, Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth SY23 3DA, UK

⁴

ProTEM Services Ltd., Horsham RH12 4BD, UK

⁵

Wageningen Bioveterinary Research, 8221 RA Lelystad, The Netherlands

⁶

Population Health Systems, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, 3584 CS Utrecht, The Netherlands

^*

Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Metabolites 2022, 12(5), 374; https://doi.org/10.3390/metabo12050374

Submission received: 16 March 2022 / Revised: 13 April 2022 / Accepted: 18 April 2022 / Published: 20 April 2022

(This article belongs to the Section Animal Metabolism)

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Abstract

After birth, as effectively monogastric animals, calves undergo substantial physiological changes to become ruminants by 3 months of age and reach sexual maturity at approximately 15 months of age. Herein, we assess longitudinal metabolomic changes in Holstein-Friesian (HF) heifers from birth until sexual maturity during this developmental process. Sera from 20 healthy, HF heifers were sampled biweekly from 2 weeks of age until 13 months of age and then monthly until 19 months of age. Sera were assessed using flow infusion electrospray high-resolution mass spectrometry (FIE-HRMS) on a Q Exactive hybrid quadrupole-Orbitrap mass spectrometer for high-throughput, sensitive, non-targeted metabolite fingerprinting. Partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) and unsupervised hierarchical clustering analysis (HCA) of the derived metabolomes indicated changes detectable in heifers’ sera over time. Time series analyses identified 30 metabolites that could be related to rumen development and weaning at ~3 months of age. Further time series analysis identified 40 metabolites that could be correlated with growth. These findings highlight the role of acetic acid and 3-phenylpropionate (3-PP) in rumen development and growth, suggest that weaning induces elevated levels of fatty acyls in response to a post-weaning stress-induced innate immune response and demonstrate the utilization of fatty acyls in growth. The identified metabolites offer serum metabolites which could inform the nutrition and healthy development of heifers.

Keywords: metabolomics; fatty acids; eicosanoids; rumen development; weaning; growth

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MDPI and ACS Style

Taylor, E.N.; Han, J.; Fan, C.; Beckmann, M.; Hewinson, G.; Rooke, D.; Koets, A.P.; Mur, L.A.J. Defining Fatty Acid Changes Linked to Rumen Development, Weaning and Growth in Holstein-Friesian Heifers. Metabolites 2022, 12, 374. https://doi.org/10.3390/metabo12050374

AMA Style

Taylor EN, Han J, Fan C, Beckmann M, Hewinson G, Rooke D, Koets AP, Mur LAJ. Defining Fatty Acid Changes Linked to Rumen Development, Weaning and Growth in Holstein-Friesian Heifers. Metabolites. 2022; 12(5):374. https://doi.org/10.3390/metabo12050374

Chicago/Turabian Style

Taylor, Emma N., Jiwan Han, Congying Fan, Manfred Beckmann, Glyn Hewinson, David Rooke, Ad P. Koets, and Luis A. J. Mur. 2022. "Defining Fatty Acid Changes Linked to Rumen Development, Weaning and Growth in Holstein-Friesian Heifers" Metabolites 12, no. 5: 374. https://doi.org/10.3390/metabo12050374

APA Style

Taylor, E. N., Han, J., Fan, C., Beckmann, M., Hewinson, G., Rooke, D., Koets, A. P., & Mur, L. A. J. (2022). Defining Fatty Acid Changes Linked to Rumen Development, Weaning and Growth in Holstein-Friesian Heifers. Metabolites, 12(5), 374. https://doi.org/10.3390/metabo12050374

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Defining Fatty Acid Changes Linked to Rumen Development, Weaning and Growth in Holstein-Friesian Heifers

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