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Effect of plane of nutrition during the first 12 weeks of life on growth, metabolic and reproductive hormone concentrations, and testicular relative mRNA abundance in preweaned Holstein Friesian bull calves.

ABSTRACT: The objective of this study was to examine the effect of nutrition during the first 12 wk of life on aspects of the physiological and transcriptional regulation of testicular and overall sexual development in the bull calf. Holstein Friesian bull calves with a mean (SD) age and bodyweight of 17.5 (2.85) d and 48.8 (5.30) kg, respectively, were assigned to either a high (HI; n = 15) or moderate (MOD; n = 15) plane of nutrition and were individually fed milk replacer and concentrate to achieve overall target growth rates of at least 1.0 and 0.5 kg/d, respectively. Throughout the trial, animal growth performance, feed intake, and systemic concentrations of metabolites, metabolic hormones, and reproductive hormones were assessed. Additionally, pulsatility of reproductive hormones (luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, and testosterone) was recorded at 15-min intervals during a 10-h period at 10 wk of age. At 87 ± 2.14 d of age, all calves were euthanized, testes were weighed, and testicular tissue was harvested. Differential expression of messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) candidate genes involved in testicular development was examined using quantitative polymerase chain reaction assays. All data were analyzed using the MIXED procedure in Statistical Analysis Software using terms for treatment as well as time for repeated measures. Blood metabolites and metabolic hormones generally reflected the improved metabolic status of the calves on the HI plane of nutrition though the concentrations of reproductive hormones were not affected by diet. Calves on the HI diet had greater mean (SED) slaughter weight (112.4 vs. 87.70 [2.98] kg; P < 0.0001) and testicular tissue weight (29.2 vs. 20.1 [2.21] g; P = 0.0003) than those on the MOD diet. Relative mRNA abundance data indicated advanced testicular development through upregulation of genes involved in cellular metabolism (SIRT1; P = 0.0282), cholesterol biosynthesis (EBP; P = 0.007), testicular function (INSL3; P = 0.0077), and Sertoli cell development (CLDN11; P = 0.0054) in HI compared with MOD calves. In conclusion, results demonstrate that offering dairy-bred male calves a high plane of nutrition during the first 3 mo of life not only improves growth performance and metabolic status but also advances testicular development consistent with more precocious sexual maturation.

SUBMITTER: Coen SP

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8355607 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Project description:ObjectiveThis research study aimed to determine whether preweaning plane of milk-replacer nutrition influences health, standing and oral behaviors, and performance of high-risk calves.Materials and MethodsThirty-six Holstein bull calves (1 d of age) from a commercial calf ranch were assigned to either a high plane of milk-replacer nutrition (HPN; n = 18; 20 and 28% DM lipid and protein, respectively, Cow’s Match, Land O’Lakes Animal Milk Protein Co., Shoreview, MN) or a low plane of milk-replacer nutrition (LPN; n = 18; 20% DM lipid and protein, Herd Maker, Land O’Lakes Animal Milk Protein Co.) through weaning. Total serum protein concentrations confirmed that 72 and 76% of calves had failure of passive transfer (<5.2 g/dL) in HPN and LPN, respectively. All calves were bottle fed twice daily. The LPN were fed 455 g of DM/d of milk replacer (MR) until weaning, and the HPN calves were fed 830 g of DM/d of milk replacer during the first 10 d and 1,080 g from 11 d until weaning. Calf starter and water were offered ad libitum. Calves were step-down weaned beginning at 51 d and completely weaned after 58 d when consuming 1 kg of calf starter (as-fed basis). Data are reported as HPN versus LPN throughout, respectively.Results and DiscussionRisk for bloat and scouring were greater for calves fed the HPN, but there was no difference in antibiotic treatment or mortality. The HPN calves had greater performance over the preweaning period including final BW, ADG, and feed:gain (total kg of milk replacer + calf starter, kg of DM/kg of BW gain), but weaning was more stressful for HPN calves.Implications and ApplicationsIn conclusion, the high-risk calves fed a HPN had increased preweaning ADG, but there was also an increased incidence of scours. There may be differences in the health status of calves that may affect the ability to consume and use high MR levels. When feeding high-risk calves there may be a need for alternate strategies when determining the quality and quantity of MR being fed when compared with low-risk calves. Differences in gut integrity may influence the ability of high-risk calves to handle high levels of MR early in life. Potential issues with high-risk calves being fed a HPN might be reduced with increased feeding times per day, a gradual step-up method, or other nutritional strategies that improve gastrointestinal development and function.

Project description:BackgroundNursing and sucking are essential for adequate nourishment of preweaned calves and the relationship between sucking indices has not been studied. The goal of this study was to investigate the number of sucks per litre of milk and per minute of drinking and the amount of milk ingested per suck in healthy preweaned calves. Correlation coefficients were calculated for the relationships between these variables. Eighteen healthy calves were used from birth to 5 weeks of age, and five measurements were made at the end of weeks 1 to 5. The calves were randomly divided into three groups and offered milk twice daily in a bucket with a rubber nipple. The amount of milk offered per day was equal to 12% of body weight in group A and 16% of body weight in group B. Calves in group C were offered as much milk as they wanted during each feeding period. The duration of drinking was determined with a stopwatch, and the number of sucks was counted with a handheld tally counter. The variables drinking duration, total amount consumed and the number of sucks required were used to calculate the number of sucks/min, the number of sucks/L, the amount ingested per suck and drinking speed.ResultsThe number of sucks/min ranged from 113 to 133 and increased significantly during the study period. The mean number of sucks/L decreased from 204 in week 1 to 141 in week 5 and drinking speed increased from 0.6 to 1.0 L/min. There were significant correlations between the number of sucks/L of milk and the amount of milk ingested per suck, drinking duration, total amount consumed and drinking speed. Drinking speed was positively correlated with the amount of milk ingested per suck and the total amount of milk consumed, and negatively correlated with drinking duration.ConclusionsThese findings show that drinking variables of calves offered different amounts of milk vary little and significant changes occur during the same period with respect to the number of sucks/L of milk and the amount of milk ingested per suck. Several drinking variables are significantly correlated with other variables.

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Effect of plane of nutrition during the first 12 weeks of life on growth, metabolic and reproductive hormone concentrations, and testicular relative mRNA abundance in preweaned Holstein Friesian bull calves.

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