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Research and Reviews: A Journal of Neuroscience Review Article

Nutrient–Xenobiotic Crosstalk in Dairy Cattle: Implications for Metabolism, Immunity, Health, and Productivity in Resilient Dairy Development

  1. Md. Emran Hossain Department of Animal Science and Nutrition, Chattogram Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Khulshi

Abstract

Dairy cattle are routinely exposed to a wide range of xenobiotics, including mycotoxins, heavy metals, pesticides, residues from veterinary drugs, and plant secondary metabolites, through feed, water, and environmental sources. These xenobiotics, being foreign to biological systems, can interfere with the absorption, metabolism, and utilization of essential nutrients, while also compromising immune function, organ health, and overall physiological performance. Chronic or subclinical exposure can reduce feed efficiency, disrupt energy and protein metabolism, and alter mineral and vitamin balance, leading to impaired growth, reproductive inefficiency, and reduced milk yield and quality. Nutrient–xenobiotic interactions are, therefore, critical in determining the severity of these effects. Nutrients can enhance detoxification pathways, support antioxidant defense, and stabilize metabolic and immune functions, whereas xenobiotics may inhibit enzymatic activities, compete for absorption, or induce oxidative stress. This review synthesizes current knowledge on the mechanisms underlying nutrient–xenobiotic interactions in dairy cattle and their consequences for metabolism, immunity, health, and productivity. It further highlights nutritional and management strategies, including dietary antioxidants, trace minerals, probiotics, feed binders, and optimized feeding practices, that can mitigate xenobiotic stress. Understanding these interactions is essential for maintaining animal resilience, optimizing productivity, and ensuring milk safety, thereby promoting sustainable and safe dairy production systems in an increasingly contaminated global agricultural landscape where livestock are subjected to multiple chemical stressors simultaneously.

Keywords

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