Effects of UV-B light exposure during automatic milking on vitamin D levels in Holstein Friesian cows
Vitamin D is essential for cattle and can be synthesized in the skin under ultraviolet irradiation. This study investigated the effects of narrow-band UV-B irradiation during automatic milking on blood vitamin D concentration and the influence of hair and black skin areas on cutaneous vitamin D synt...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Veterinary Science |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fvets.2024.1433230/full |
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| author | Jaka Jakob Hodnik Jaka Jakob Hodnik Marko Jankovec Jožica Ježek Žiga Krušič Stefan Mitterhofer Jože Starič |
| author_facet | Jaka Jakob Hodnik Jaka Jakob Hodnik Marko Jankovec Jožica Ježek Žiga Krušič Stefan Mitterhofer Jože Starič |
| author_sort | Jaka Jakob Hodnik |
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| description | Vitamin D is essential for cattle and can be synthesized in the skin under ultraviolet irradiation. This study investigated the effects of narrow-band UV-B irradiation during automatic milking on blood vitamin D concentration and the influence of hair and black skin areas on cutaneous vitamin D synthesis in Holstein Friesian cows. Fifty-one cows were stratified by milk yield, days after calving, and percentage of black skin, then divided into three groups: shaved and irradiated (80 J/m2), unshaved and irradiated (129–305 J/m2), and a control group. A custom UV-B light (peak radiation at 295 nm) was installed in the milking robot. Blood 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels were measured at baseline, and 7, 30, and 60 days post-exposure using an enzyme-linked fluorescent assay. UV-B exposure significantly (p < 0.001) increased 25(OH)D levels in shaved (13.4 ng/mL), unshaved (10 ng/mL), and control groups (5.1 ng/mL). Despite receiving less than half the UV-B dose, the shaved group had superior 25(OH)D synthesis compared to the unshaved group (p < 0.05), highlighting hair’s role in reducing UV-B absorption. Cutaneous synthesis correlated with black skin area in shaved cows but not in unshaved cows. UV-B irradiation also increased daily milk production by 2.2 kg (shaved) and 2.9 kg (unshaved) compared to controls (p < 0.001). UV-B exposure during automatic milking offers a novel, non-disruptive method for enhancing vitamin D levels in dairy cows. |
| format | Article |
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| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2297-1769 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
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| series | Frontiers in Veterinary Science |
| spelling | doaj-art-7f962bb1a52745e191437b76cc5661932025-01-15T14:43:59ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Veterinary Science2297-17692025-01-011110.3389/fvets.2024.14332301433230Effects of UV-B light exposure during automatic milking on vitamin D levels in Holstein Friesian cowsJaka Jakob Hodnik0Jaka Jakob Hodnik1Marko Jankovec2Jožica Ježek3Žiga Krušič4Stefan Mitterhofer5Jože Starič6Clinic for Reproduction and Large Animals-Section for Ruminants, Veterinary Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, SloveniaScottish Centre for Production Animal Health and Food Safety, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United KingdomLaboratory of Photovoltaics and Optoelectronics, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, SloveniaClinic for Reproduction and Large Animals-Section for Ruminants, Veterinary Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, SloveniaConsultant, Bonn, GermanyLaboratory of Photovoltaics and Optoelectronics, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, SloveniaClinic for Reproduction and Large Animals-Section for Ruminants, Veterinary Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, SloveniaVitamin D is essential for cattle and can be synthesized in the skin under ultraviolet irradiation. This study investigated the effects of narrow-band UV-B irradiation during automatic milking on blood vitamin D concentration and the influence of hair and black skin areas on cutaneous vitamin D synthesis in Holstein Friesian cows. Fifty-one cows were stratified by milk yield, days after calving, and percentage of black skin, then divided into three groups: shaved and irradiated (80 J/m2), unshaved and irradiated (129–305 J/m2), and a control group. A custom UV-B light (peak radiation at 295 nm) was installed in the milking robot. Blood 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels were measured at baseline, and 7, 30, and 60 days post-exposure using an enzyme-linked fluorescent assay. UV-B exposure significantly (p < 0.001) increased 25(OH)D levels in shaved (13.4 ng/mL), unshaved (10 ng/mL), and control groups (5.1 ng/mL). Despite receiving less than half the UV-B dose, the shaved group had superior 25(OH)D synthesis compared to the unshaved group (p < 0.05), highlighting hair’s role in reducing UV-B absorption. Cutaneous synthesis correlated with black skin area in shaved cows but not in unshaved cows. UV-B irradiation also increased daily milk production by 2.2 kg (shaved) and 2.9 kg (unshaved) compared to controls (p < 0.001). UV-B exposure during automatic milking offers a novel, non-disruptive method for enhancing vitamin D levels in dairy cows.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fvets.2024.1433230/fullultraviolet-B lightcattle25-hydroxyvitamin Dmilk yieldskinhair |
| spellingShingle | Jaka Jakob Hodnik Jaka Jakob Hodnik Marko Jankovec Jožica Ježek Žiga Krušič Stefan Mitterhofer Jože Starič Effects of UV-B light exposure during automatic milking on vitamin D levels in Holstein Friesian cows Frontiers in Veterinary Science ultraviolet-B light cattle 25-hydroxyvitamin D milk yield skin hair |
| title | Effects of UV-B light exposure during automatic milking on vitamin D levels in Holstein Friesian cows |
| title_full | Effects of UV-B light exposure during automatic milking on vitamin D levels in Holstein Friesian cows |
| title_fullStr | Effects of UV-B light exposure during automatic milking on vitamin D levels in Holstein Friesian cows |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effects of UV-B light exposure during automatic milking on vitamin D levels in Holstein Friesian cows |
| title_short | Effects of UV-B light exposure during automatic milking on vitamin D levels in Holstein Friesian cows |
| title_sort | effects of uv b light exposure during automatic milking on vitamin d levels in holstein friesian cows |
| topic | ultraviolet-B light cattle 25-hydroxyvitamin D milk yield skin hair |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fvets.2024.1433230/full |
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