Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/1942/44964
Title: Telomere Length in Neonatal Dairy Calves in Relation to Lifetime Parameters
Authors: Dewulf, Manon
Duchateau , Luc
Meesters, Maya
MARTENS, Dries 
NAWROT, Tim 
Van Eetvelde, Mieke
Opsomer, Geert
Issue Date: 2025
Source: Animals, 15 (1) (Art N° 109)
Abstract: 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 (p = 0.1) or TL groups (p = 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 (p = 0.01) and protein yields (p = 0.01) than those with the shortest TL. Reproductive analyses showed cows in the long TL group required fewer inseminations per lactation (p = 0.02) and exhibited longer calving intervals (p = 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.
Keywords: telomeres;dairy cows;longevity;production;reproduction
Document URI: http://hdl.handle.net/1942/44964
ISSN: 2076-2615
e-ISSN: 2076-2615
DOI: 10.3390/ani15010109
ISI #: 001393467900001
Rights: 2025 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Category: A1
Type: Journal Contribution
Appears in Collections:Research publications

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