THE RATIONALE FOR THE WORK PROPOSED IN THIS GRANT IS TO FIGURE OUT HOW THE DAIRY COW AT THE TIME OF CALVING RELIES ON SEVERAL BIOLOGICAL FUNCTIONS TO MAKE SURE SHE REMAINS HEALTHY AFTER BIRTH. THE PHYSIOLOGY OF GIVING BIRTH IN ALL MAMMALS RELIES ON SEVERAL OF THE MOTHER'S BIOLOGICAL SYSTEMS TO BE ABLE TO GET PREGNANT, STAY PREGNANT, GIVE BIRTH, AND MAKE MILK IN THE MOST OPTIMAL MANNER. TO THIS END, THE GOAL OF OUR RESEARCH IS TO DETERMINE HOW THE DAIRY COW'S METABOLISM, IMMUNE SYSTEM, REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM AND ENDOCRINE SYSTEMS INTERACT TO RESULT IN THE MOST HEALTHY AND PRODUCTIVE LIFE AFTER CALVING. TO DATE, MUCH RESEARCH ONLY FOCUSES ON A SINGLE PORTION OF THE COW'S PHYSIOLOGY AND ITS CONTRIBUTION TO THE COW'S BIOLOGY POSTPARTUM, WHEN ALL THE BIOLOGICAL SYSTEMS ARE WORKING TOGETHER TO ENSURE THAT THE DAIRY COW IS HEALTHY AND PRODUCTIVE DURING THEIR NEXT LACTATION.THE OVERARCHING HYPOTHESIS OF OUR RESEARCH IS THAT THE AMOUNT OF NUTRIENT DEMAND BY THE UDDER TO MAKE MILK, ESPECIALLY FOR CALCIUM AND ENERGY, LEADS TO A SHIFT IN THE COW'S NORMAL PHYSIOLOGY AND METABOLISM TO SUPPORT THE SYNTHESIS OF MILK THAT CREATES A STRAIN ON THE COW'S ABILITY TO MAINTAIN NORMAL CIRCULATING CALCIUM AND ENERGY CONCENTRATIONS, NORMAL IMMUNE FUNCTION, AND NORMAL REPRODUCTIVE FUNCTION. THIS CAN LEAD TO DEPRESSED IMMUNE FUNCTION, DECREASED BLOOD CALCIUM CONCENTRATIONS, INCREASED BLOOD FATTY ACID CONCENTRATIONS, AND REDUCTIVE REPRODUCTIVE FUNCTION, SPECIFICALLY IN OLDER COWS WHO PRODUCE MORE MILK.THE SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES OF THE GRANT ARE AS FOLLOWS:1) DETERMINE HOW PREVENTING LOW BLOOD CALCIUM BEFORE BIRTH EFFECTS BLOOD CALCIUM, IMMUNE FUNCTION AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH AFTER BIRTH.2) DETERMINE HOW LOSING A LOT OF BODY CONDITION SCORE FROM PRIOR TO BIRTH TO AFTER BIRTH EFFECTS ENERGY AND CALCIUM STATUS, IMMUNE FUNCTION, AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH AFTER BIRTH.3) DETERMINE IF COLOSTRUM QUALITY AT CALVING IS A GOOD PREDICTOR FOR EARLY POST-PARTUM HEALTH EVENTS, REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH, AND IMMUNE STATUS ON COMMERCIAL DAIRIES.THE EXPECTED RESULTS OF THIS GRANT ARE AS FOLLOWS:OBJECTIVE 1: WE EXPECT THAT CALCIUM CONCENTRATIONS, ENERGY MARKERS, IMMUNE STATUS, AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH WILL BE IMPROVED AFTER CALVING BY MAINTAINING LOWER BLOOD CALCIUM CONCENTRATIONS BEFORE CALVING. FURTHERMORE, WE BELIEVE THAT COLOSTRUM QUALITY WILL BE IMPROVED. THIS WILL THEREBY RESULT IN IMPROVE OVERALL ANIMAL HEALTH OVER THE COURSE OF THEIR LACTATION.OBJECTIVE 2: WE EXPECT THAT PROVIDING HIGH ENERGY DIETS TO DAIRY COWS PRIOR TO CALVING WILL INCREASE BODY CONDITION SCORE LOSS AFTER CALVING. THIS WILL RESULT IN DECREASED CALCIUM CONCENTRATIONS, HIGHER CONCENTRATIONS OF BLOOD FATTY ACIDS, A DEPRESSED IMMUNE SYSTEM, POOR REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH, AND POOR COLOSTRUM QUALITY AFTER CALVING. BY CONTROLLING ENERGY IN THE DIETS OF COWS BEFORE CALVING, WE WILL REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF BODY CONDITION SCORE LOST AFTER CALVING IMPROVING COW HEALTH AFTER CALVING LONG-TERM.OBJECTIVE 3: WE EXPECT THAT OUR RESEARCH WILL REVEAL THAT COLOSTRUM QUALITY WILL BE AN INDICATOR OF COW HEALTH AND PRODUCTIVITY AFTER CALVING.WHEN PUTTING ALL OUR EXPECTED RESULTS TOGETHER, WE BELIEVE THIS RESEARCH WILL ALLOW FOR DEVELOPING NOVEL METHODS FOR TREATMENTS PRIOR TO CALVING IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE COWS HAVE A HEALTHY, PRODUCTIVE LIFE.THE OVERALL IMPACT OF THIS GRANT IS LARGE. IT WILL PROVIDE NOVEL INFORMATION TO RESEARCHERS, NUTRITIONISTS, AND VETERINARIANS, SO THEY CAN DEVELOP NEW METHODS TO PREVENT ANIMAL HEALTH PROBLEMS. FURTHERMORE, IT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO USE A NOVEL METHOD TO EVALUATE HEALTH OF THE INDIVIDUAL COWS AND HERDS THAT IS VERY SIMPLE AND PRACTICAL, COLOSTRUM QUALITY. THIS WOULD BE A VERY EASY AND PRACTICAL METHOD TO MONITOR DAIRY COW HEALTH.