Morphology, adipocyte size, and fatty acid analysis of dairy cattle digital cushions, and the effect of body condition score and age

The digital cushion is an essential part of maintaining a healthy foot, working to dissipate foot strike and body weight forces lameness from claw horn disruption lesions. Despite the importance cushion, little known about basic anatomy, adipocyte morphology, fatty acid composition in relation age, limb position, condition score. In total, 60 claws (from 17 cows) were selected collected herd, ensuring that score data computed micro-tomography for each animal. Digital tissue underwent histological staining combined with stereology, systematic random sampling, cell morphology analysis, addition lipid extraction followed by analysis. results describe architecture sizes. Adipocyte size was similar across all 4 (distal left lateral medial distal right medial) ages (aged 2–7 yr); however, animals 3.00 or more at slaughter had significantly increased comparison those less than 2.50. Of 37 methyl esters identified, 5 differed between either different age groups. C10:0 capric acid, C14:0 myristic C15:0 pentadecanoic C20:0 arachidic percentages lesser lower cows, whereas C22:1n-9 erucic measurements younger cows. Saturated monounsaturated polyunsaturated not altered claws, ages, Triglyceride quantities did differ position but decreased animals. cellular have been described general also differing scores, claws. Understanding fat deposition, mobilization, are only understanding roles plays preventing disorders cattle health welfare.