Isoacids: Enhancing Dairy Cow Health During Transition 

Over the past 10 years, Zinpro^® has been researching the potential opportunities of feeding isoacids to dairy cows to improve rumen function and animal performance. This has culminated in the launch of Zinpro^® IsoFerm^®, a breakthrough innovation that offers game-changing advancements in dairy farm efficiency and profitability.  

Understanding Weight Loss in Early Lactation 

Every nutritionist, veterinarian, and dairy producer understands that weight loss in early lactation is inevitable. However, the extent of weight loss and ability of the cow to adapt to metabolic change from dry and pregnant to lactating and non-pregnant determines the success of the lactation yield, future reproductive performance and longevity. An especially important aspect of early lactation adaptation is that weight loss comes from mobilization of both muscle and body fat. 

Changes in muscle depth are affected by the degree of negative energy balance which is also related to the incidence of transition diseases. In the post-fresh period, cows can mobilize up to 35% or more of muscle reserves to support lactation. Muscle depletion usually occurs within the first three weeks of lactation and is often interpreted as fat loss. Mobilization of fatty tissue, however, can continue beyond this early lactation period. 

The challenge with solely mobilizing body fat reserves to support energy requirements is that the liver can become overwhelmed and clogged up, presenting as fatty liver disease and ketosis. Mobilization of body muscle tissue allows protein to be used as an energy source (glucose) and provides a much-needed supply of amino acids to support lactation and the immune system – especially during the period where dry matter intakes are too low to meet requirements. 

The Role of Isoacids in Dairy Nutrition 

Branched-chain volatile fatty acids (BCVFAs or ‘isoacids’) are naturally produced in the rumen by starch and sugar-digesting bacteria during the normal breakdown of rumen-degradable protein (RDP). Isoacids are essential nutrients required by fiber-digesting bacteria which use them to produce microbial protein and energy, both of which are needed by the cow for productive purposes. 

Research conducted in conjunction with The Ohio State University and other institutions has shown that under a range of dietary conditions, there is an insufficient amount of isoacids which prevents fibrolytic bacteria from achieving their full potential in terms of fiber digestion and microbial protein synthesis. The addition of isoacids to deficient diets has shown increases in NDF digestibility, microbial protein production and milk yield.   

Isoacids and Metabolic Changes 

In addition to manipulating protein nutrition in late pregnancy, researchers have also looked at the ability of supplemental isoacids to affect metabolic changes during transition. Isoacids are not only important nutrients for fiber-digesting bacteria but are known to be directly absorbed from the gut and utilized by the liver of the animal itself. 

In a recent study at Purdue University, multiparous cows were separated into low and high muscle groups based on the depth of the longissimus dorsi or topline eye muscle. Low muscle cows differed in the way they adapted to negative energy balance in early lactation. They had higher non-esterified fatty acids (NEFAs) and lower blood glucose. High muscle cows were the opposite. Feeding isoacids through the last 42 days of the dry period changed this response. The low muscle cows had reduced NEFAs and higher blood glucose. The significance of this change can be seen in a positive milk yield response. In general, lower muscle cows produced less milk than the high muscle cows. However, when they were fed isoacids prepartum some of the milk loss was mitigated. 

High muscle cows produced significantly more milk when fed isoacids, which correlates with improved glucose status. Earlier work with isoacids showed that they modulate metabolic status in a way that is positive towards milk production. 

In general, supplementing cows with isoacids in the dry period has the potential to reduce bodyweight loss, increase blood glucose and reduce ß-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) concentrations, leading to improved transition while also benefiting early lactation milk yield. These metabolic effects have been corroborated in the field using Zinpro IsoFerm where body condition of the transition cows improved, and the incidence of ketosis fell by up to 80%. 

The Benefits of Feeding Zinpro IsoFerm to Transition Cows 

Zinpro IsoFerm represents a significant step forward in transition cow management. This innovation is a proprietary blend of isoacids that directly feeds the rumen’s fiber digesting microbes to overcome the BCVFA deficiency that may exist. Essentially, including Zinpro IsoFerm in dairy cow diets helps to fully meet the cow’s requirement for BCVFAs, resulting in lower body weight loss, improved liver function, fewer metabolic issues and increased milk production. 

From a practical perspective, including Zinpro IsoFerm in dry cow diets can benefit transition in all cows by improving rumen function and overall metabolic adaptation in early lactation, potentially extending their productive life. Improving longevity has a positive effect on carbon footprint, while further enhancing milk production by feeding Zinpro IsoFerm throughout lactation provides additional gains in efficiency and income over feed costs. 

By addressing the core challenges of this critical phase, it empowers dairy producers and nutritionists to improve the health, productivity and longevity of their herds.  

For more detailed information on the benefits and application of Zinpro IsoFerm during the transition period, Zinpro provides extensive resources and expert support to help dairy farmers navigate this new nutritional frontier. Visit www.zinpro.com/isoferm to learn more. 

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