Effect of pelleted vs. ground starter with or without hay on preweaned dairy calves.

Publisher: Public Library of Science Country of Publication: United States NLM ID: 101285081 Publication Model: eCollection Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1932-6203 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 19326203 NLM ISO Abbreviation: PLoS One Subsets: MEDLINE

Original Publication: San Francisco, CA : Public Library of Science

Animal Feed/*analysis ; Animal Husbandry/*methods ; Diet/*veterinary; Animals ; Animals, Newborn/growth & development ; Body Weight ; Cattle ; Dietary Fiber/metabolism ; Male ; Milk/metabolism ; Nutrients ; Rumen/metabolism ; Weaning ; Weight Gain ; Zea mays/metabolism

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of the physical form of starter and inclusion of hay in the diet of preweaning dairy calves on performance, digestibility, ruminal development, and mRNA expression of genes involved in ruminal metabolism. Holstein × Gyr crossbred male calves (n = 38 1day old) were assigned to 3 treatments for 9 weeks: Control (n = 13; pellet starter with 4 mm diameter and 18 mm length and 4% steam-flaked corn), Ground (n = 12; same starter of the control but ground pass through a 4.0 mm sieve), or Ground plus 5% chopped Tifton hay GH (n = 13). All calves were fed 4 L/d of whole milk up to 63 d of age and were abruptly weaned at 64 d of age. Water and diets were offered ad libitum. Samples of ruminal contents were obtained from all animals at 30, 45, and 60 d of age to evaluate pH, ammonia nitrogen, and volatile fatty acids (VFA). At 55 d of age, an apparent digestibility assay was performed using 18 animals (n = 6/ treatment). At 65 d of age, the 18 animals were euthanized to evaluate the development of the digestive tract. The physical form of starter and the dietary inclusion of hay did not influence starter intake (Control 326 g/d, Ground 314 g/d and GH 365 g/d), daily weight gain (Control 541g/d, Ground 531g/d and GH 606g/d), feed efficiency, apparent nutrient digestibility, energy partitioning, nitrogen balance, ruminal pH, ammonia nitrogen concentration, VFA, the development of the digestive tract and the mRNA expression of genes involved in AGV metabolism.
Competing Interests: Embrapa Dairy Cattle (Minas Gerais, Brazil) provided the premises and animals for use in the survey. This does not alter our adherence to PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials. There are no patents, products in development or marketed products associated with this research to declare.

J Dairy Sci. 2009 Jun;92(6):2767-81. (PMID: 19448011)
J Dairy Sci. 2012 Jan;95(1):286-93. (PMID: 22192208)
J Dairy Sci. 2015 Feb;98(2):1101-9. (PMID: 25497821)
BMC Genomics. 2017 May 6;18(1):353. (PMID: 28477620)
J Dairy Sci. 2007 Jun;90(6):3028-33. (PMID: 17517745)
J Anim Sci. 2012 Jan;90(1):307-17. (PMID: 21856899)
Exp Physiol. 1996 Jan;81(1):79-94. (PMID: 8869141)
J Dairy Sci. 2015 May;98(5):3417-31. (PMID: 25747837)
J Dairy Sci. 2004 Oct;87(10):3439-50. (PMID: 15377622)
Am J Physiol. 1971 Aug;221(2):586-92. (PMID: 5560311)
J Dairy Sci. 2003 Jun;86(6):2145-53. (PMID: 12836951)
J Anim Sci. 2003 Dec;81(12):3095-106. (PMID: 14677866)
J Dairy Sci. 1998 Jul;81(7):1946-55. (PMID: 9710764)
J Anim Sci. 2013 Sep;91(9):4315-21. (PMID: 23881685)
J Dairy Sci. 2016 Jan;99(1):733-45. (PMID: 26547645)
J Dairy Sci. 2016 Feb;99(2):885-902. (PMID: 26709160)
J Dairy Sci. 2017 Jul;100(7):5984-5995. (PMID: 28527800)
J Dairy Sci. 2004 Aug;87(8):2554-62. (PMID: 15328279)
J Dairy Sci. 2015 Apr;98(4):2641-9. (PMID: 25682132)
J Dairy Sci. 2010 Nov;93(11):5200-15. (PMID: 20965335)
J Dairy Sci. 2012 Jul;95(7):3977-86. (PMID: 22720952)
J Dairy Sci. 2014 Jul;97(7):4193-207. (PMID: 24767884)
Pflugers Arch. 2004 Feb;447(5):619-28. (PMID: 12739169)
J Nutr. 2004 Jan;134(1):11-7. (PMID: 14704286)
J Dairy Sci. 2013 Aug;96(8):5226-36. (PMID: 23706491)
J Dairy Sci. 1965 Nov;48(11):1459-66. (PMID: 5864521)
J Dairy Sci. 2009 May;92(5):2078-94. (PMID: 19389966)
J Dairy Sci. 2011 Jul;94(7):3547-53. (PMID: 21700042)
J Dairy Sci. 2012 Jul;95(7):3970-6. (PMID: 22720951)
J Dairy Sci. 2012 Apr;95(4):1807-20. (PMID: 22459829)
J Dairy Sci. 2016 Nov;99(11):8746-8758. (PMID: 27592428)
J Dairy Sci. 2018 Feb;101(2):872-888. (PMID: 29153519)
J Dairy Sci. 2012 May;95(5):2585-94. (PMID: 22541487)
Biochem J. 1999 Oct 15;343 Pt 2:281-99. (PMID: 10510291)
J Anim Sci. 2018 Nov 21;96(11):4902-4911. (PMID: 30215729)

0 (Dietary Fiber)

Date Created: 20200710 Date Completed: 20200914 Latest Revision: 20200914

20231215

PMC7347148

10.1371/journal.pone.0234610

32645008