Sodium propionate supplementation improves the negative energy balance in postpartum dairy cattle through regulation of glycolipid metabolism

doi:10.1016/j.jia.2025.07.019

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Maocheng Jiang^{1, 2}, Zitong Meng¹, Dejin Tan¹, Zhiqiang Cheng¹, Zhenwu Wei¹, Miao Lin^{1, 3, 4}, Guoqi Zhao^{1, 3, 4}, Kang Zhan^{1, 3,4}^#

¹Institute of Animal Culture Collection and Application, College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China

² College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China

³ Institutes of Agricultural Science and Technology Development, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China

⁴ Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety of Ministry of Education, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China

Highlights

1. The milk proportions of 4:0, 8:0, 10:0, 13:0, 16:0, total odd-chain FA, and de novo FA increased in cows fed NaPr.

2. Supplementing with NaPr in the diet significantly increased the concentrations of triglycerides (TG), glucose, and insulin in the plasma of postpartum dairy cattle.

3. Supplementing with NaPr in the diet alleviates NEB in postpartum dairy cattle by increasing plasma glucose levels and promoting lipid deposition in adipose tissue.

Abstract
References

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摘要

本研究旨在确定日粮中补充丙酸钠（NaPr）对围产后期奶牛泌乳性能、乳脂肪酸谱、血浆糖脂代谢物和脂肪组织脂质沉积的影响。本研究选取了24头产次相同（3胎）、预产期相似、产后身体状况良好的奶牛，随机分为两组。两组处理分别是：（1）对照组为基础日粮（Control）；（2）NaPr组为基础日粮+246 g d^-1 NaPr（NaPr）。本研究表明，日粮中补充NaPr对围产后期奶牛干物质摄入量（DMI）和乳成分组成没有显著影响。与对照组相比，日粮补充NaPr对围产后期奶牛乳中短链脂肪酸（C4:0）、中链脂肪酸（C8:0和C10:0）、长链脂肪酸（C13:0、C16:0、15:1、顺-13、顺-16 和C22:2）、总奇链脂肪酸和从头合成脂肪酸的比例显著增加，其余饱和脂肪酸的比例显著降低。研究发现，日粮补充NaPr显著增加了围产后期奶牛血浆中甘油三酯（TG）、葡萄糖和胰岛素的浓度。这表明产后补充NaPr可以为奶牛提供能量，有利于身体的葡萄糖和脂质平衡。与对照组相比，补充NaPr奶牛的脂肪组织（AT）中TG、Perilipin-1（PLIN1）蛋白表达和脂滴沉积显著增加。同时，NaPr显著上调了脂肪组织中ACCα和ACSS2的mRNA表达，CPT1A和CPT2基因的mRNA表达下调。这表明在日粮中补充NaPr可以促进围产后期奶牛乙酰辅酶A的产生，从而上调脂肪酸合成途径并减少脂肪酸氧化。综上所述，日粮中补充NaPr通过改善奶牛机体糖脂代谢，乳中脂肪酸含量和促进脂肪组织脂质沉积，从而缓解围产后期奶牛的能量负平衡（NEB）。本研究为NaPr作为饲料添加剂缓解围产后期奶牛能量负平衡提供理论基础。

Abstract

The study goal was to determine the effects of sodium propionate (NaPr) during the postpartum on lactation performance, milk fatty acid (FA) profile, blood metabolites, and fat mobilization. This study selected twenty-four cows with the same parity (3 parity), similar due date, and physical condition in the postpartum and randomly allocated into two groups. The constituents of the two treatments were (1) a normal diet for the Control group, and (2) a normal diet containing 246 g d^-1 of NaPr for the NaPr group. This study has demonstrated that the supplementation of NaPr to dairy cows in postpartum had no significant impact on dry matter intake (DMI) and milk compositions. The milk proportions of 4:0, 8:0, 10:0, 13:0, 16:0, cis-10 15:1, cis-13, cis-16 22:2, total odd-chain FA, and de novo FA increased, and those of all remaining individual SFA, and preformed FA decreased in cows fed NaPr versus the Control diet. It was found that supplementing with NaPr significantly increased the concentrations of triglyceride (TG), glucose, and insulin in the plasma of cows. This indicates that supplementing with NaPr in the postpartum can provide energy for cows, which is beneficial for the body's glucose and lipid balance. The adipose tissue (AT) of TG, Perilipin-1 (PLIN1) protein expression, and the orange-red lipid droplet deposition were increased in cows fed NaPr versus the Control diet. The mRNA expression of ACCα and ACSS2 in adipose tissue was up-regulated, and the expression of CPT1A and CPT2 genes was down-regulated. This indicates that supplementing with NaPr in the diet promotes the generation of acetyl CoA, thereby up-regulating the FA synthesis pathway and reducing FA oxidation. In conclusion, dietary supplementation with NaPr promotes cow body energy deposition, improves milk quality, fat accumulation, and alleviates negative energy balance (NEB) during the postpartum dairy cattle.

Keywords: Sodium propionate negative energy balance fat mobilization fatty acid profile postpartum

Online: 18 July 2025

Fund:

This study was supported by the Research Project of Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province (BK20190898), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 32372903) and supported by the earmarked fund for CARS (CARS-36).

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Maocheng Jiang, Zitong Meng, Dejin Tan, Zhiqiang Cheng, Zhenwu Wei, Miao Lin, Guoqi Zhao, Kang Zhan. 2025. Sodium propionate supplementation improves the negative energy balance in postpartum dairy cattle through regulation of glycolipid metabolism. Journal of Integrative Agriculture, Doi:10.1016/j.jia.2025.07.019

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