Metabolomic Profiling of Periparturient Cows at Risk of Displaced Abomasum in North West Nigerian Dairy Herds

Displaced abomasum is a metabolic-mechanical disease of dairy cattle predominantly occurring in the first month post-partum, caused by abomasal hypomotility secondary to ketosis, hypocalcaemia, and negative energy balance. In North West Nigerian dairy herds using Holstein Friesian genetics in Kaduna, Kano, and Sokoto states, displaced abomasum represents a significant economic and welfare concern but has not been investigated through a metabolomics lens. This study applied untargeted liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry metabolomics to characterise the serum metabolome of periparturient cows that subsequently developed displaced abomasum, compared with matched healthy controls. One hundred periparturient cows were enrolled and followed for 30 days post-partum. Cases of displaced abomasum confirmed by auscultation and resonance percussion were matched 1:2 with healthy controls. Serum samples collected at two weeks pre-partum, at calving, and at one week post-partum were subjected to untargeted metabolomics using positive and negative ion mode LC-MS/MS. Multivariate statistical analysis including principal component analysis, orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis, and pathway enrichment analysis were applied. At two weeks pre-partum, metabolomic profiles already distinguished future cases from controls, with significantly altered concentrations of beta-hydroxybutyrate, phosphatidylcholines, and carnitine esters. Disruptions in branched-chain amino acid catabolism and mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation pathways were identified as pre-disease signatures. A four-metabolite predictive panel with area under the ROC curve of 0.91 was developed for pre-calving risk stratification. These findings reveal early metabolic dysregulation preceding displaced abomasum in Nigerian dairy cows and establish a foundation for prospective metabolomics-based transition cow monitoring programmes. Keywords: metabolomics, displaced abomasum, periparturient, dairy cattle, North West Nigeria.