Johan Osorio

INTRODUCTION An adequate supply of macro and micronutrients, such as trace minerals (e.g., Zn, Mn, Cu, Co), is important for ensuring an optimal transition from pregnancy to lactation (Andrieu, 2008). For instance, trace minerals have critical roles in a variety of physiological process, particularly antioxidant defense, and a deficiency may depress immunity especially in peripartal or transition ...

BackgroundCows around calving time experience a depression on immune function partially due to the marked negative energy balance (NEB), which results when cows cannot ingest enough nutrients to support dietary requirements for milk production. During this time, methionine (Met) as one of the first limiting AA in dairy cows may be in limited supply. Research has demonstrated that Met plays a key r ...

INTRODUCTIONTrace mineral elements such as Cu, Cr, and Zn have important roles in the health and immunity of peripartal dairy cows (Spears and Weiss, 2008). Minerals have been commonly supplemented to cattle in the form of inorganic salts, preferably as sulfates; however, the development of organic forms of trace minerals, such as minerals complexed with AA, minimize the risk of mineral antagonism ...

Introduction Lameness is one of the most important welfare issues of high-producing dairy cows in North America [1]. The latter has been attributed to management and environmental factors [2] as well as physiologic adaptations such as postpartal negative energy balance, which can lead cows to excessive loss of body condition (BCS) [3]. Postpartal negative energy balance can be exacerbated by prepa ...

Introduction The transition period is the most-critical phase in the productive life of high-producing dairy cows and it is characterized by decreased liver function and increased inflammation and oxidative stress [1, 2]. Although inflammatory pathways play important roles in normal immune function helping the body adjust to and overcome infection with the purpose of restoring homeostasis, uncontr ...