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Effects of Feeding Milk Replacer Ad Libitum or in Restricted Amounts for the First Five Weeks of Life on the Growth, Metabolic Adaptation, and Immune Status of Newborn Calves.

ABSTRACT: The pre-weaning period is critical for calf health and growth, and intensive milk feeding programs may assist postnatal development by improving body growth and organ maturation. The aim of the present work was to study the effects of ad libitum milk replacer (MR) feeding on the growth, metabolic adaptation, health, and immune status of newborn calves. Twenty-eight newborn Holstein and Holstein x Charolais crossbred calves were fed ad libitum (ADLIB) or in restricted amounts (6 liters per day; RES) during the first five weeks of life. The MR intake in the ADLIB treatment was gradually reduced at weeks 6 and 7, and all calves then received 6 liters of MR per day until day 60. Blood samples were collected to measure the plasma concentrations of metabolites, insulin, insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I and IGF binding proteins (IGFBP), immunoglobulins, and acute phase proteins. The expression of mRNA associated with both the somatotropic axis and gluconeogenic enzymes was measured in the liver on day 60. Intensive feeding improved MR intake and growth in ADLIB without influencing concentrate intake. Carcass weight, perirenal fat, and muscle mass were greater in ADLIB. Plasma concentrations of glucose, triglycerides, insulin, and IGF-I were greater, whereas plasma concentrations of ?-hydroxybutyrate, total protein, albumin, urea, IGFBP-2 and -4, and fibrinogen were lower at distinct time points in ADLIB. The hepatic mRNA expression of cytosolic phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase was greater in ADLIB. Most metabolic and endocrine differences occurred during the MR feeding period, but a slightly greater concentrate intake was associated with increased plasma IGF-I and insulin at the end of the study. The immune and health status of the calves were not affected by MR feeding. However, increased plasma fibrinogen in the RES group suggested differences in the acute phase response.

SUBMITTER: Schaff CT

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5201283 | biostudies-literature | 2016

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Effects of Feeding Milk Replacer Ad Libitum or in Restricted Amounts for the First Five Weeks of Life on the Growth, Metabolic Adaptation, and Immune Status of Newborn Calves.

Schäff Christine T CT Gruse Jeannine J Maciej Josefine J Mielenz Manfred M Wirthgen Elisa E Hoeflich Andreas A Schmicke Marion M Pfuhl Ralf R Jawor Paulina P Stefaniak Tadeusz T Hammon Harald M HM

PloS one 20161230 12

The pre-weaning period is critical for calf health and growth, and intensive milk feeding programs may assist postnatal development by improving body growth and organ maturation. The aim of the present work was to study the effects of ad libitum milk replacer (MR) feeding on the growth, metabolic adaptation, health, and immune status of newborn calves. Twenty-eight newborn Holstein and Holstein x Charolais crossbred calves were fed ad libitum (ADLIB) or in restricted amounts (6 liters per day; R ...[more]

PMID: 28036351

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Project description:The objective of the experiment was to evaluate effects of increased milk replacer feeding on growth, intake, feed efficiency, and health parameters in stressed calves. Holstein bull calves (n = 120; approximately 3 to 8 d of age) were purchased from sale barns and dairy farms and housed in fiberglass hutches. In addition, wood shavings contaminated with coronavirus were mixed with clean shavings and added to each hutch before the start of the experiment. Calves were fed either a fixed amount (454 g/d) of a 20% crude protein (CP), 20% fat milk replacer to weaning at 28 d or a variable amount (454, 681, 908, and 454 g/d on d 0 to 7, 8 to 14, 15 to 31, and 32 to 41, respectively) of a milk replacer containing 28% CP and 17% fat without or with added dietary supplement containing bovine serum. Calves were also fed commercial calf starter and water ad libitum. Plasma IgG concentration in most calves on arrival at the facility was < 10 g/L. Intake, change in body weight, feed efficiency, morbidity and mortality, and selected plasma metabolites were determined. Body weight at 28 d, 56 d, daily body weight gain, intake of milk replacer, fecal scores, days with diarrhea, and days treated with antibiotics were increased with feeding variable amount of milk replacer over the 56-d study. Starter intake from d 1 to 56 was reduced from 919 to 717 g/d in calves fed fixed and variable amounts of milk replacer, respectively. Morbidity, measured as the number of days that calves had diarrhea, was increased by 53% when a variable amount of milk replacer was fed. Calves fed variable milk replacer were treated with antibiotics for 3.1 d compared with 1.9 d for calves fed 454 g of milk replacer/d. Concentrations of plasma glucose, urea N, and insulin-like growth factor-I were increased when calves were fed variable amount of milk replacer. Dietary supplement containing bovine serum had no effect on any parameter measured. There was no effect of milk replacer feeding on concentrations of nonesterified fatty acids, total protein, or growth hormone concentrations. Plasma tumor necrosis factor-alpha was highest in calves with the highest plasma IgG concentrations on the day of arrival and might be related to the calf's ability to identify pathogens in the environment. Under conditions of this study, calves fed variable amount of milk replacer and exposed to immunological challenge before weaning had greater BW gain, but also increased incidence of diarrhea that required added veterinary treatments.

Project description:Butyrate and its derivatives possess various nutritional and biological benefits for mammals, whereas its effects on dairy calves have not been well characterized. This study evaluated the effects of tributyrin administration on blood immune, intestinal immune and barrier functions, and microbial composition of pre-weaned dairy calves. Twenty newborn Holstein bull calves were randomly assigned into a control group (no tributyrin supplementation, CON; n = 10) or a treatment group (supplemented with tributyrin at 2 g/L of milk, TRB; n = 10). The results showed that diarrhea frequency was decreased significantly by tributyrin administration from d 29 to 56 (P < 0.001) and the whole period (P = 0.003, d 1 to 56) though no significant effects were observed on growth performance. For blood metabolites, tributyrin administration significantly reduced the concentration of interleukin-1β (IL-1β) on d 28 (P = 0.001) and tended to reduce the concentration of serum amyloid A on d 56 (P = 0.079), whereas serum oxidative status parameters were not affected. For intestinal development, tributyrin administration increased the villus height (P < 0.001) and the ratio of villus height to crypt depth (P = 0.046) in the jejunum, and the villus height in the ileum (P = 0.074). Furthermore, toll-like receptor 2 (TRL2, P = 0.045) and IL-1β (P = 0.088) gene expressions were downregulated, while claudin-4 (P = 0.022) gene expression was upregulated in the jejunum following tributyrin administration. In the ileum, claudin-4 (P = 0.029) and G-protein coupled receptor 41 (P = 0.019) gene expressions were upregulated in the TRB group compared to CON. No significantly higher abundances of microbiota were found in the jejunum or ileum of calves in the CON group. In the TRB group, supplementing tributyrin significantly increased the abundance of short-chain fatty acid (SCFA)-producing bacteria, including Ruminococcaceae, Lachnospiraceae, Prevotella and Rikenellaceae (LDA >3.5, P < 0.05), which was negatively associated with inflammatory gene expression (TLR2 and IL-1β) but positively associated with intestinal barrier genes (claudin-4) and morphological parameters (P < 0.05). In conclusion, supplementing tributyrin in milk replacer could improve intestinal development and health of pre-weaned dairy calves by stimulating SCFA-producing bacteria colonization, enhancing intestinal barrier functions and suppressing inflammatory responses.

Project description:PurposeA thrifty energy metabolism has been suggested in intrauterine growth restricted (IUGR) offspring. We characterized energy metabolism and substrate oxidation patterns in IUGR pigs in response to food restriction (FR) and refeeding (RFD).MethodsFemale pigs with low (L; 1.1 kg; n = 20) or normal birth weight (N; 1.5 kg; n = 24) were fed ad libitum after weaning. Half of L and N pigs were food restricted (R; LR, NR) from days 80 to 100 (57% of ad libitum) and refeed from days 101 to 131, while the remaining pigs were fed ad libitum (control, C). Using indirect calorimetry, carbohydrate and fat oxidation (COX, FOX), energy expenditure (EE) and balance (EB), resting metabolic rate (RMR) [all related to kg body weight(0.62) (BW)] and RQ were determined at 4 days before (day 76) and after (day 83) beginning of FR, 4 days before (day 97) and after (day 104) end of FR and 25 days after beginning of RFD (day 125). Body fat and muscle weights were determined at day 131.ResultsIn spite of higher relative food intake (FI), BW was lower in L pigs. In L pigs, physical activity was lower at age 76 and 83 days compared to N pigs. IUGR did not affect EE or RMR, but resulted in higher COX and lower FOX, causing greater and earlier onset of fat deposition. During FR, EE and RMR of R pigs dropped below that of C pigs, and BW gain was delayed by 30% irrespective of birth weight. In response to FR, COX decreased and FOX increased. During FR, in LR pigs FOX was ~50% of that in NR pigs. After 4 days, but not 25 days of RFD, EB and fat synthesis were higher in pigs previously subjected to FR, indicating early catch-up fat. In R pigs, BW and the abdominal fat proportion were lower at 131 days.ConclusionsDifferences in food intake and substrate oxidation pattern, but not in EE and RMR, between L and N pigs were reflected in higher body fat proportions but lower body and muscle weights in L pigs. Refeeding following FR was initially associated with increased FI, a more positive EB and a more intense stimulation of fat synthesis which did not persist after 25 days of refeeding.

Dataset Information

Effects of Feeding Milk Replacer Ad Libitum or in Restricted Amounts for the First Five Weeks of Life on the Growth, Metabolic Adaptation, and Immune Status of Newborn Calves.

Publications

Effects of Feeding Milk Replacer Ad Libitum or in Restricted Amounts for the First Five Weeks of Life on the Growth, Metabolic Adaptation, and Immune Status of Newborn Calves.

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