Texas Tech University System

Ketosis Is a Common Health Issue in Dairy Cows After Giving Birth, Resulting From a Lack of Energy. It Affects How Fat Tissue Functions, Especially the Fat Around Viscera, Which Is Critical for Overall Health. Ketosisleads to Major Economic Losses Due to Lower Milk Production, Poor Reproductive Performance, and High Treatment Costs. Yet, We Still DON'T Fully Understand How Ketosis Changes This Fat Compared to Fat Under the Skin and How It Relates to the Development of Ketosis. We Hypothesize That Ketosis Disrupts Fat CELLS' Function and How They Interact With the Tissue Structures That Support Them, and These Changes Are Dependent on Thelocation of the Fat in the Body.this Project Aims to (1) Study How Ketosis Changes the Genetics of Fat Cells in Different Areas of the Body, (2) Investigate How It Alters the Structure of Fat Tissue (called the Extracellular Matrix), and (3) Define How These Changes Affect Communication Between Cells and the Extracellular Matrix. Using Advanced Tools to Study Genes and Proteins, We Aim to Uncover Specific Changes in Fat Tissue That Occur During a Ketotic State. by Comparing Healthy Dairy Cows to Those Affected by Ketosis, We Expect to Identify Cell Types, Genes, and Proteins That Are Disrupted by This Disorder. This Information Could Lead to the Development of New Strategies, Especially Nutritional and Drug-based Approaches, to Target the Fat Tissue More Effectively. Ultimately, This Research Will Help Scientists and Farmers Find Better Ways to Manage Cow Health, Lower the Risk of Diseases Linked to Poor Fat Metabolism, and Reduce the Number of Cows Lost to Severe Illness. Over Time, These Discoveries Could Improve Animal Well-being, Reduce Veterinary Costs, and Increase Profitability in the Dairy Industry.