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Effects of Boron Supplementation on Peripartum Dairy Cows’ Health

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Abstract

Although many different dietary studies on the prevention of negative energy balance related diseases are often encountered, this is the first study investigating the effects of boron supplementation on peripartum dairy cows’ health in the light of an omics approach. Twenty-eight healthy cows (1 control and 3 experimental groups) were enrolled from 2 months before predicted calving until 2 months after calving. Experimental groups were assigned to receive boron at increasing doses as an oral bolus. Production parameters, biochemical profile, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance based metabolomics profile, and mRNA abundance of gluconeogenic enzymes and lipid oxidation genes were determined. Pivotal knowledge was obtained on boron distribution in the body. Production parameters and mRNA abundance of the genes were not affected by the treatments. Postpartum nonesterified fatty acids, β-hydroxybutyrate, and triglyceride concentrations were significantly decreased in experimentals. The primary differences among groups were in lipid-soluble metabolites. There were significant differences in metabolites including postpartum valine, β-hydroxybutyrate, polyunsaturated fatty acid and citrate, propionate, isobutyrate, choline metabolites (betaine, phosphatidylcholine, and sphingomyelin), and some types of fatty acids and cholesterol in experimentals. Boron appears to be effective in minimizing negative energy balance and improving health of postpartum dairy cows.

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Acknowledgements

This work was financially supported by the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK, Project no: 213O181). CERM/CIRMMP center of the ESFRI Instruct is gratefully acknowledged for the NMR access provision financially supported by the EC Contract İNEXT No 653706.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Selcuk University, Aleaddin Keykubat Campus, 42250, Selcuklu, Konya, Turkey

    Abdullah Basoglu & Erdem Gulersoy

  2. Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Selcuk University, Aleaddin Keykubat Campus, 42250, Selcuklu, Konya, Turkey

    Nuri Baspinar

  3. Consorzio Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, Largo Brambilla 3, 50134, Florence, Italy

    Leonardo Tenori

  4. Magnetic Resonance Center (CERM), University of Florence, Via Luigi Sacconi 6, 50019, Sesto Fiorentino (FI), Italy

    Alessia Vignoli

Authors
  1. Abdullah Basoglu
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  2. Nuri Baspinar
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  3. Leonardo Tenori
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  4. Alessia Vignoli
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  5. Erdem Gulersoy
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Abdullah Basoglu.

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Ethical Approval

The experimental design was approved by the Committee on Use of Animals in Research of the Selcuk University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (Protocol No. 45/2015).

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Basoglu, A., Baspinar, N., Tenori, L. et al. Effects of Boron Supplementation on Peripartum Dairy Cows’ Health. Biol Trace Elem Res 179, 218–225 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-017-0971-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-017-0971-9

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