Effects of diet energy density and milking frequency in early lactation on tumor necrosis factor-alpha responsiveness in dairy cows

A whole blood stimulation assay (WBA) with Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were established to measure the production of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) in bovine plasma. The assays were used to study the effect of time around parturition, and diet energy density, and milking frequency on TNF-α responsiveness of dairy cows in early lactation. Forty cows were included in a 2×2 factorial block design. One factor was high (H) versus low (L) diet energy density and the other factor was two versus three daily milkings. Blood samples were collected in weeks −3, −1, 2, 3, 5, 9, and 13 around parturition, and investigated for the TNF-α production ex vivo and CD14+ monocytes. The TNF-α response, CD14+ monocyte number, and CD14 expression level on monocytes were significantly increased in the weeks close to parturition. However, dips of varying sizes were observed for the measured parameters in week 3 after calving. Diet and milking frequency had no effect on the TNF-α response ex vivo or CD14 expression level on monocytes, but cows fed diet H had significantly higher numbers of CD14+ monocytes than cows fed diet L. The WBA with LPS was a fast reliable method for repeated measurements of TNF-α responsiveness in cattle. Previous findings of increased TNF-α responses in periparturient cows were confirmed, whereas diet energy concentration and milking frequency had no effect on the TNF-α responsiveness in early lactation.