Metabolomics comparison of serum and urine in dairy cattle using proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy

The aim of the study was to conduct metabolic profiling of dairy cattle serum and urine using proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR) spectroscopy and to compare the results obtained with those of other dairy cattle herds worldwide so as to provide a basic dataset to facilitate research on metabolites in serum and urine.

Six dairy cattle were used in this study; all animals were fed the same diet, which was composed of total mixed ration; the fed amounts were based on voluntary intake. Blood from the jugular neck vein of each steer was collected at the same time using a separate serum tube. Urine samples were collected by hand sweeping the perineum. The metabolites were determined by 1H-NMR spectroscopy, and the obtained data were statistically analyzed by performing principal component analysis, partial least squares-discriminant analysis, variable importance in projection scores, and metabolic pathway data using Metaboanalyst 4.0.

The total number of metabolites in the serum and urine was measured to be 115 and 193, respectively, of which 47 and 81, respectively were quantified. Lactate (classified as an organic acid) and urea (classified as an aliphatic acylic compound) exhibited the highest concentrations in serum and urine, respectively. Some metabolites that have been associated with diseases such as ketosis, bovine respiratory disease, and metritis, and metabolites associated with heat stress were also found in the serum and urine samples.

The metabolites measured in the serum and urine could potentially be used to detect diseases and heat stress in dairy cattle. The results could also be useful for metabolomic research on the serum and urine of ruminants in Korea.