Effects of various weaning times on growth performance, rumen fermentation and microbial population of yellow cattle calves
Objective This study was conducted to investigate the effects of weaning times on the growth performance, rumen fermentation and microbial communities of yellow cattle calves. Methods Eighteen calves were assigned to a conventional management group that was normally weaned (NW, n = 3) or to early we...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Asian-Australasian Association of Animal Production Societies
2017-11-01
|
| Series: | Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.ajas.info/upload/pdf/ajas-30-11-1557.pdf |
| _version_ | 1818507718831374336 |
|---|---|
| author | Huiling Mao Yuefeng Xia Yan Tu Chong Wang Qiyu Diao |
| author_facet | Huiling Mao Yuefeng Xia Yan Tu Chong Wang Qiyu Diao |
| author_sort | Huiling Mao |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objective This study was conducted to investigate the effects of weaning times on the growth performance, rumen fermentation and microbial communities of yellow cattle calves. Methods Eighteen calves were assigned to a conventional management group that was normally weaned (NW, n = 3) or to early weaned (EW) group where calves were weaned when the feed intake of solid feed (starter) reached 500 g (EW500, n = 5), 750 g (EW750, n = 5), or 1,000 g (EW1,000, n = 5). Results Compared with NW, the EW treatments increased average daily gain (p<0.05). The calves in EW750 had a higher (p<0.05) starter intake than those in EW1,000 from wk 9 to the end of the trial. The concentrations of total volatile fatty acids in EW750 were greater than in NW and EW1,000 (p<0.05). The EW treatments decreased the percentage of acetate (p<0.05). The endogenous enzyme activities of the rumen were increased by EW (p<0.05). EW had no effect on the number of total bacteria (p>0.05), but changes in bacterial composition were found. Conclusion From the present study, it is inferred that EW is beneficial for rumen fermentation, and weaning when the feed intake of the starter reached 750 g showed much better results. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T22:21:56Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-342eedb26d18464fa40c89a69c8194a7 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1011-2367 1976-5517 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T22:21:56Z |
| publishDate | 2017-11-01 |
| publisher | Asian-Australasian Association of Animal Production Societies |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-342eedb26d18464fa40c89a69c8194a72022-12-22T01:31:17ZengAsian-Australasian Association of Animal Production SocietiesAsian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences1011-23671976-55172017-11-0130111557156210.5713/ajas.16.098123737Effects of various weaning times on growth performance, rumen fermentation and microbial population of yellow cattle calvesHuiling Mao0Yuefeng Xia1Yan Tu2Chong Wang3Qiyu Diao4 College of Animal Science and Technology, Zhejiang A and F University, Lin’an 311300, China College of Animal Science and Technology, Zhejiang A and F University, Lin’an 311300, China Key Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology of Ministry of Agriculture Feed Research Institute, Feed Research Institute Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China College of Animal Science and Technology, Zhejiang A and F University, Lin’an 311300, China Key Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology of Ministry of Agriculture Feed Research Institute, Feed Research Institute Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, ChinaObjective This study was conducted to investigate the effects of weaning times on the growth performance, rumen fermentation and microbial communities of yellow cattle calves. Methods Eighteen calves were assigned to a conventional management group that was normally weaned (NW, n = 3) or to early weaned (EW) group where calves were weaned when the feed intake of solid feed (starter) reached 500 g (EW500, n = 5), 750 g (EW750, n = 5), or 1,000 g (EW1,000, n = 5). Results Compared with NW, the EW treatments increased average daily gain (p<0.05). The calves in EW750 had a higher (p<0.05) starter intake than those in EW1,000 from wk 9 to the end of the trial. The concentrations of total volatile fatty acids in EW750 were greater than in NW and EW1,000 (p<0.05). The EW treatments decreased the percentage of acetate (p<0.05). The endogenous enzyme activities of the rumen were increased by EW (p<0.05). EW had no effect on the number of total bacteria (p>0.05), but changes in bacterial composition were found. Conclusion From the present study, it is inferred that EW is beneficial for rumen fermentation, and weaning when the feed intake of the starter reached 750 g showed much better results.http://www.ajas.info/upload/pdf/ajas-30-11-1557.pdfWeaning TimeYellow Cattle CalvesGrowth PerformanceRumen FermentationMicrobial Population |
| spellingShingle | Huiling Mao Yuefeng Xia Yan Tu Chong Wang Qiyu Diao Effects of various weaning times on growth performance, rumen fermentation and microbial population of yellow cattle calves Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences Weaning Time Yellow Cattle Calves Growth Performance Rumen Fermentation Microbial Population |
| title | Effects of various weaning times on growth performance, rumen fermentation and microbial population of yellow cattle calves |
| title_full | Effects of various weaning times on growth performance, rumen fermentation and microbial population of yellow cattle calves |
| title_fullStr | Effects of various weaning times on growth performance, rumen fermentation and microbial population of yellow cattle calves |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effects of various weaning times on growth performance, rumen fermentation and microbial population of yellow cattle calves |
| title_short | Effects of various weaning times on growth performance, rumen fermentation and microbial population of yellow cattle calves |
| title_sort | effects of various weaning times on growth performance rumen fermentation and microbial population of yellow cattle calves |
| topic | Weaning Time Yellow Cattle Calves Growth Performance Rumen Fermentation Microbial Population |
| url | http://www.ajas.info/upload/pdf/ajas-30-11-1557.pdf |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT huilingmao effectsofvariousweaningtimesongrowthperformancerumenfermentationandmicrobialpopulationofyellowcattlecalves AT yuefengxia effectsofvariousweaningtimesongrowthperformancerumenfermentationandmicrobialpopulationofyellowcattlecalves AT yantu effectsofvariousweaningtimesongrowthperformancerumenfermentationandmicrobialpopulationofyellowcattlecalves AT chongwang effectsofvariousweaningtimesongrowthperformancerumenfermentationandmicrobialpopulationofyellowcattlecalves AT qiyudiao effectsofvariousweaningtimesongrowthperformancerumenfermentationandmicrobialpopulationofyellowcattlecalves |