Early step-down weaning of dairy calves from a high milk volume with glutamine supplementation

ABSTRACT: Weaning dairy calves from a high milk volume (≥8.0 kg/d) can negatively affect the growth and welfare even if it is performed in a step-down manner. Supplementation of Gln improved gut development of preweaning calves and mitigated weaning stresses of piglets to extents achieved with antib...

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Main Authors: H.K.J.P. Wickramasinghe, C.A. Kaya, L.H. Baumgard, J.A.D.R.N. Appuhamy
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2022-02-01
Series:Journal of Dairy Science
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022030221011036
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author H.K.J.P. Wickramasinghe
C.A. Kaya
L.H. Baumgard
J.A.D.R.N. Appuhamy
author_facet H.K.J.P. Wickramasinghe
C.A. Kaya
L.H. Baumgard
J.A.D.R.N. Appuhamy
author_sort H.K.J.P. Wickramasinghe
collection DOAJ
description ABSTRACT: Weaning dairy calves from a high milk volume (≥8.0 kg/d) can negatively affect the growth and welfare even if it is performed in a step-down manner. Supplementation of Gln improved gut development of preweaning calves and mitigated weaning stresses of piglets to extents achieved with antibiotics. The study objective was to examine the effect of initiating a step-down weaning scheme with a Gln supplement at an early age on calf starter intake (CSI), average daily gain (ADG), and paracellular permeability of the intestinal epithelium of calves fed a high volume of milk (9.0 kg/d). Thirty-six Holstein heifer calves were assigned to 3 treatments (n = 12) as follows: (1) initiating weaning at 49 d of age (LW), (2) initiating weaning at 35 d of age (EW), and (3) initiating weaning at 35 d with a Gln supplement (2.0% of dry matter intake) from 28 to 42 d of age (EWG). Calves were fed 9.0 kg/d of whole milk until weaning was initiated by abruptly decreasing the milk volume to 3.0 kg/d. Weaning was completed once calves achieved ≥1.0 kg/d of CSI. The paracellular permeability of the intestinal epithelium was assessed with lactulose-to-mannitol ratio (LMR) in the blood on 1 d before, and 3 and 7 d after the initiation of weaning. The blood was analyzed for haptoglobin, lipopolysaccharide-binding protein (LBP), and metabolites including AA. The CSI increased once milk volume was restricted in all treatments. The CSI of LW was greater than that of EW and EWG during the first week of weaning. The LW, EW, and EWG took 11, 19, and 16 d to achieve ≥1.0 kg/d of CSI and were weaned at 60, 54, and 51 d of age, respectively. The body weight (BW) of LW, EW, and EWG at the initiation of weaning were 68.2, 58.7, and 59.5 kg, respectively. Both LW and EWG achieved similar ADG, but ADG of EW was lower than LW during the first week of weaning. All calves had similar ADG during the second week of weaning. The BW of LW, EW, and EWG at weaning were 74.8, 66.5, and 66.4 kg, representing a 2.0, 1.8, and 1.8-fold increase in birth weight, respectively. All calves had similar BW of 88.6 and 164.3 kg at 10 and 20 wk of age, respectively. Regardless of the age, serum haptoglobin and plasma LBP concentrations increased on d 3 and returned to baseline concentrations on d 7 during weaning. The EW had a lower plasma LBP concentration than LW and EWG on d 3 during weaning. The LMR was similar between treatments on d 3 but increased by 44% for EW and LW on d 7, whereas the LMR of EWG remained unchanged during weaning. The postprandial serum concentration of Gln, Met, Trp, and β-hydroxybutyrate were greater for EWG than EW during weaning. Beginning step-down weaning at 35 d with a Gln supplement can help maintain the gut barrier function and wean dairy calves with a satisfactory CSI at 7 wk of age without affecting postweaning growth.
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spelling doaj.art-21e637b1a4344c0588a4495ed202dfc72022-12-22T00:20:46ZengElsevierJournal of Dairy Science0022-03022022-02-01105211861198Early step-down weaning of dairy calves from a high milk volume with glutamine supplementationH.K.J.P. Wickramasinghe0C.A. Kaya1L.H. Baumgard2J.A.D.R.N. Appuhamy3Department of Animal Science, Iowa State University, Ames 50011Department of Livestock and Crop Production, Dicle University, Diyarbakir 21280, TurkeyDepartment of Animal Science, Iowa State University, Ames 50011Department of Animal Science, Iowa State University, Ames 50011; Corresponding authorABSTRACT: Weaning dairy calves from a high milk volume (≥8.0 kg/d) can negatively affect the growth and welfare even if it is performed in a step-down manner. Supplementation of Gln improved gut development of preweaning calves and mitigated weaning stresses of piglets to extents achieved with antibiotics. The study objective was to examine the effect of initiating a step-down weaning scheme with a Gln supplement at an early age on calf starter intake (CSI), average daily gain (ADG), and paracellular permeability of the intestinal epithelium of calves fed a high volume of milk (9.0 kg/d). Thirty-six Holstein heifer calves were assigned to 3 treatments (n = 12) as follows: (1) initiating weaning at 49 d of age (LW), (2) initiating weaning at 35 d of age (EW), and (3) initiating weaning at 35 d with a Gln supplement (2.0% of dry matter intake) from 28 to 42 d of age (EWG). Calves were fed 9.0 kg/d of whole milk until weaning was initiated by abruptly decreasing the milk volume to 3.0 kg/d. Weaning was completed once calves achieved ≥1.0 kg/d of CSI. The paracellular permeability of the intestinal epithelium was assessed with lactulose-to-mannitol ratio (LMR) in the blood on 1 d before, and 3 and 7 d after the initiation of weaning. The blood was analyzed for haptoglobin, lipopolysaccharide-binding protein (LBP), and metabolites including AA. The CSI increased once milk volume was restricted in all treatments. The CSI of LW was greater than that of EW and EWG during the first week of weaning. The LW, EW, and EWG took 11, 19, and 16 d to achieve ≥1.0 kg/d of CSI and were weaned at 60, 54, and 51 d of age, respectively. The body weight (BW) of LW, EW, and EWG at the initiation of weaning were 68.2, 58.7, and 59.5 kg, respectively. Both LW and EWG achieved similar ADG, but ADG of EW was lower than LW during the first week of weaning. All calves had similar ADG during the second week of weaning. The BW of LW, EW, and EWG at weaning were 74.8, 66.5, and 66.4 kg, representing a 2.0, 1.8, and 1.8-fold increase in birth weight, respectively. All calves had similar BW of 88.6 and 164.3 kg at 10 and 20 wk of age, respectively. Regardless of the age, serum haptoglobin and plasma LBP concentrations increased on d 3 and returned to baseline concentrations on d 7 during weaning. The EW had a lower plasma LBP concentration than LW and EWG on d 3 during weaning. The LMR was similar between treatments on d 3 but increased by 44% for EW and LW on d 7, whereas the LMR of EWG remained unchanged during weaning. The postprandial serum concentration of Gln, Met, Trp, and β-hydroxybutyrate were greater for EWG than EW during weaning. Beginning step-down weaning at 35 d with a Gln supplement can help maintain the gut barrier function and wean dairy calves with a satisfactory CSI at 7 wk of age without affecting postweaning growth.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022030221011036intestinal permeabilitylactuloselipopolysaccharide-binding proteinmethionine
spellingShingle H.K.J.P. Wickramasinghe
C.A. Kaya
L.H. Baumgard
J.A.D.R.N. Appuhamy
Early step-down weaning of dairy calves from a high milk volume with glutamine supplementation
Journal of Dairy Science
intestinal permeability
lactulose
lipopolysaccharide-binding protein
methionine
title Early step-down weaning of dairy calves from a high milk volume with glutamine supplementation
title_full Early step-down weaning of dairy calves from a high milk volume with glutamine supplementation
title_fullStr Early step-down weaning of dairy calves from a high milk volume with glutamine supplementation
title_full_unstemmed Early step-down weaning of dairy calves from a high milk volume with glutamine supplementation
title_short Early step-down weaning of dairy calves from a high milk volume with glutamine supplementation
title_sort early step down weaning of dairy calves from a high milk volume with glutamine supplementation
topic intestinal permeability
lactulose
lipopolysaccharide-binding protein
methionine
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022030221011036
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