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Morphology, adipocyte size, and fatty acid analysis of dairy cattle digital cushions, and the effect of body condition score and age

Newsome, R. F.; Mostyn, A.; Wilson, J. P.; Alibhai, A.; Bollard, N.; Randall, L.; Chagunda, M. G. G.; Sturrock, C. J.; Keane, M.; Green, M.; Huxley, J. N.; Rutland, C. S.

Morphology, adipocyte size, and fatty acid analysis of dairy cattle digital cushions, and the effect of body condition score and age Thumbnail


Authors

R. F. Newsome

ALISON MOSTYN alison.mostyn@nottingham.ac.uk
Director of Teaching and Learning

J. P. Wilson

A. Alibhai

N. Bollard

LAURA RANDALL LAURA.RANDALL@NOTTINGHAM.AC.UK
Clinical Associate Professor

M. G. G. Chagunda

MARTIN GREEN martin.green@nottingham.ac.uk
Professor of Cattle Health & Epidemiology

J. N. Huxley



Abstract

The digital cushion is an essential part of maintaining a healthy foot, working to dissipate foot strike and body weight forces and lameness from claw horn disruption lesions. Despite the importance of the digital cushion, little is known about the basic anatomy, adipocyte morphology, and fatty acid composition in relation to age, limb position, and body condition score. In total, 60 claws (from 17 cows) were selected and collected from a herd, ensuring that body condition score data and computed micro-tomography were known for each animal. Digital cushion tissue underwent histological staining combined with stereology, systematic random sampling, and cell morphology analysis, in addition to lipid extraction followed by fatty acid analysis. The results describe digital cushion architecture and adipocyte sizes. Adipocyte size was similar across all 4 claws (distal left lateral and medial and distal right lateral and medial) and across the ages (aged 2–7 yr); however, animals with body condition score of 3.00 or more at slaughter had a significantly increased cell size in comparison to those with a score of less than 2.50. Of 37 fatty acid methyl esters identified, 5 differed between either the body condition score or different age groups. C10:0 capric acid, C14:0 myristic acid, C15:0 pentadecanoic acid, and C20:0 arachidic acid percentages were all lesser in lower body condition score cows, whereas C22:1n-9 erucic acid measurements were lesser in younger cows. Saturated fatty acid, monounsaturated fatty acid, and polyunsaturated fatty acid percentages were not altered in the different claws, ages, or body condition score groups. Triglyceride quantities did not differ for claw position or age but had decreased quantities in lower body condition score animals. Digital cushion anatomy, cellular morphology, and fatty acid composition have been described in general and also in animals with differing ages, body condition scores, and in the differing claws. Understanding fat deposition, mobilization, and composition are essential in not only understanding the roles that the digital cushion plays but also in preventing disorders and maintaining cattle health and welfare.

Citation

Newsome, R. F., Mostyn, A., Wilson, J. P., Alibhai, A., Bollard, N., Randall, L., …Rutland, C. S. (2021). Morphology, adipocyte size, and fatty acid analysis of dairy cattle digital cushions, and the effect of body condition score and age. Journal of Dairy Science, 104(5), https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2020-19388

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Jan 21, 2021
Online Publication Date Mar 5, 2021
Publication Date Mar 5, 2021
Deposit Date Feb 5, 2021
Publicly Available Date Mar 29, 2024
Journal Journal of Dairy Science
Print ISSN 0022-0302
Electronic ISSN 1525-3198
Publisher American Dairy Science Association
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 104
Issue 5
DOI https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2020-19388
Keywords Food Science; Animal Science and Zoology; Genetics
Public URL https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/5292868
Publisher URL https://www.journalofdairyscience.org/article/S0022-0302(21)00246-0/fulltext

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