Effects of feeding 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 with an acidogenic diet during the prepartum period in dairy cows: Mineral metabolism, energy balance, and lactation performance of Holstein dairy cows

Our objective was to determine the effects of feeding 25-hydroxyvitamin D-3 [25(OH)D-3], or vitamin D-3 (cholecalciferol) on plasma, mineral, and metabolite concentrations, mineral balance, mineral excretion, rumination, energy balance, and milk production of dairy cows. We hypothesized that supplementing 3 mg/d of 25(OH)D-3 during the prepartum period would be more effective than supplementing vitamin D-3 at the National Research Council (2001) levels to minimize calcium imbalance during the transition period and improve milk production of dairy cows. Forty multiparous, pregnant nonlactating-Holstein cows were enrolled in this study. Body weight, body condition score, parity, and milk yield in the previous lactation (mean +/- standard deviation) were 661 +/- 59.2, 3.46 +/- 0.35, 1.79 +/- 0.87, and 33.2 +/- 6.43 kg/d, respectively. Cows were enrolled into the blocks (n = 20 for each treatment) at 30 d of the expected day of calving to receive an acidogenic diet (373 g/kg of neutral detergent fiber and 136 g/kg of crude protein, dry matter basis; -110 mEq/kg) associated with the treatments: (1) control (CTRL), vitamin D-3 at 0.625 mg/d (equivalent to 25,000 IU of vitamin D-3/d) or (2) 25(OH)D-3 at 3 mg/d (equivalent to 120,000 IU of vitamin D-3/d). All cows were fed with the base ration for 49 d after calving. Blood samples were taken on d 7, 0, 1, 2, 21, and 42, relative to calving. No effect of treatment was observed for prepartum dry matter intake or body condition score. A trend for increase of ionized Ca was observed for the cows fed 25(OH)D-3, compared with the CTRL, but no effect of treatment was detected for total Ca or total P. Feeding 25(OH)D3 increased colostrum yield. The plasmatic concentration of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 was increased with 25(OH)D-3 supplementation. 25-Hydroxyvitamin D-3 supplementation increased plasma glucose concentration at parturition. The postpartum dry matter intake was not influenced by treatments. Feeding 25(OH)D-3 increases milk yield, 3.5% fat-corrected milk, and energy-corrected milk and improves milk yield components in early lactation. Overall, these findings suggest that 25(OH)D-3 at 3 mg/d can improve the energy metabolism and lactation performance, compared with the current-feeding practice of supplementing vitamin D3 at 0.625 mg/d.