Dewulf Manon, Duchateau Luc, Meesters Maya, Martens Dries S, Nawrot Tim S, Van Eetvelde Mieke, Opsomer Geert
Department of Internal Medicine, Reproduction and Population Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.
Biometrics Research Group, Department of Veterinary and Biosciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.
Animals (Basel). 2025 Jan 6;15(1):109. doi: 10.3390/ani15010109.
Telomere length (TL) has gained attention as a biomarker for longevity and productivity in dairy cattle. This study explored the association between neonatal TL in Holstein calves and lifetime parameters (lifespan, milk production, and reproduction). Blood samples were collected from 210 calves (≤10d old) across four dairy farms in Flanders, Belgium. Telomere length was measured using qPCR and analyzed as a continuous variable and across three groups: the 10% shortest, the 10% longest, and the remaining 80%. Survival analyses showed no association between TL and lifespan ( = 0.1) or TL groups ( = 0.8). Similarly, TL showed no significant association with production traits. However, categorical analyses revealed that calves with the longest TL had lower lifetime fat ( = 0.01) and protein yields ( = 0.01) than those with the shortest TL. Reproductive analyses showed cows in the long TL group required fewer inseminations per lactation ( = 0.02) and exhibited longer calving intervals ( = 0.05). These findings suggest that while neonatal TL may not predict productive lifespan, it may provide insight into reproductive efficiency. Future studies should prioritize longitudinal assessments of TL dynamics to better understand their interactions with management practices and application in herd improvement.
端粒长度（TL）作为奶牛长寿和生产性能的生物标志物已受到关注。本研究探讨了荷斯坦犊牛的新生端粒长度与寿命参数（寿命、产奶量和繁殖性能）之间的关联。从比利时弗拉芒地区四个奶牛场的210头犊牛（≤10日龄）采集血样。使用qPCR测量端粒长度，并将其作为连续变量进行分析，分为三组：最短的10%、最长的10%以及其余的80%。生存分析表明端粒长度与寿命（P = 0.1）或端粒长度组（P = 0.8）之间无关联。同样，端粒长度与生产性状也无显著关联。然而，分类分析显示，端粒长度最长的犊牛的终生脂肪产量（P = 0.01）和蛋白质产量（P = 0.01）低于端粒长度最短的犊牛。繁殖分析表明，端粒长度长的组中的奶牛每个泌乳期所需的配种次数较少（P = 0.02），且产犊间隔较长（P = 0.05）。这些发现表明，虽然新生端粒长度可能无法预测生产寿命，但它可能有助于了解繁殖效率。未来的研究应优先对端粒长度动态进行纵向评估，以更好地了解它们与管理实践的相互作用以及在牛群改良中的应用。
