Effect of different vaccination schedules and administration of a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug around dry-off on inflammation, immunity, and performance of dairy cows.

This study evaluated the effects of different vaccination schedules and oral administration of a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) around dry-off on systemic inflammation, immune responses, behaviors during the early dry period, and subsequent lactation performance in Holstein dairy cows. Clinically healthy late lactation cows were blocked by lactation number, DIM, and milk yield and assigned to (1) CON: Vaccination (Enviracor J-5, Scourguard 4KC, Ultrabac 7/Somubac, Zoetis) on the day of dry-off (d 0 relative to dry-off [RTD]) and orally administered a placebo capsule on d 0 and +3 RTD (n = 56); (2) EV: Early vaccination on d-14 RTD and a placebo capsule on d 0 and +3 RTD (n = 55); 3. The EV+NSAID: early vaccination on d -14 RTD and a meloxicam capsule at 1 mg/kg BW on d 0 and +3 RTD (n = 56). Vaginal temperature was recorded every 30 min from d -15 to +9 RTD in a subset of cows (n = 30 per treatment). Blood samples from the same subset of cows were collected on d -16, -12, -10, -5, 0, +1, + 2, +3, +4, +5, +6, and +10 RTD to analyze circulating haptoglobin and cortisol. Hematological profiles were assessed on d -15, -5, +2, and +6 RTD. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were isolated on d +2 RTD for cytokine production following mitogen stimulation. Lying and standing behaviors were recorded from d 0 to +9 RTD. Regardless of treatment, plasma cortisol peaked on d 0 RTD. Cows in EV and EV+NSAID groups had greater circulating haptoglobin on d -12 and -10 RTD, whereas CON cows had greater circulating haptoglobin from d +1 to +6 RTD. Similarly, EV and EV+NSAID cows had greater vaginal temperature on d -14 and -13 RTD, whereas CON cows had greater vaginal temperature on d 0 and +1 RTD. On d +2 RTD, CON cows had greater circulating white blood cells and neutrophils than EV and EV+NSAID cows. Supernatant of PBMC from CON cows had greater concentrations of proinflammatory cytokines after stimulation compared with EV cows. Multiparous CON cows spent more time lying after dry-off than EV+NSAID, whereas the opposite pattern was observed in primiparous cows. Giving vaccination earlier temporarily decreased milk yield before dry-off, but treatments did not affect subsequent milk production. In conclusion, advancing vaccination to 14 d before dry-off shifted vaccination-related inflammatory responses to the late lactation, lowering systemic inflammation during the early dry period, and oral administration of meloxicam in the early dry period had minimal effects. However, specific management practices in the experimental farm may limit the extrapolation of observed results to other management systems.