Applications of metabolomics in cow health assessment

The dairy cow is an integral part of the global agricultural economy and plays a vital role in human nutrition. Compromised health in dairy cows leads to substantial economic losses and adverse environmental impacts. Understanding cow physiology and the etiology of common diseases is essential for developing effective strategies to improve animal health and mitigate negative consequences. Over the past two decades, metabolomics has emerged as a powerful approach not only for assessing and monitoring the health status of dairy cows but also for predicting and diagnosing diseases.

To review current metabolomics research aimed at improving the understanding of cow health status and metabolic changes associated with common diseases in dairy cows.

This review discusses findings from nearly 100 studies that report metabolic changes linked to health status and common diseases in dairy cows. It focuses on disease-specific metabolite alterations across different biofluids in conditions such as mastitis, lameness, acidosis, ketosis, and hypocalcemia, highlighting their relevance to pathological significance. The review also discusses how metabolomics can support early diagnosis and examines metabolic shifts related to physiological factors such as pregnancy, lactation, transition period, and parity.