performance of early or normally weaned calves
Article · January 2014 CITATION 1 READS 237 1 author:Some of the authors of this publication are also working on these related projects:
ZF2011D10View project
Sütten kesimden önce buzağılarda kesif ve kaba yem verilme şeklinin rumen gelişimi ve buzağı performansı üzerine etkileriView project Murat Gorgulu
Cukurova University
72PUBLICATIONS 365CITATIONS SEE PROFILE
Introduction
The future of any dairy farm depends on the successful rearing of calves and heifers for herd replacements. Rumen development determines early feed intake and performance of calves [1-3]. An early and complete development of the rumen wall and its papillae is needed to increase the ability of this organ to absorb rumen-produced energy substrates and allows optimal performance.
Butyric acid has widespread effects on growth, digestibility, and feed efficiency through modulation of proliferation, differentation, and function in digestive systems, especially mucosal epithelial cells [6, 9, 13]. Salts of butyric acid such as sodium and calcium butyrate are used instead of butyric acid. The advantage of salts over free acids is that they are generally more stable and less odorous and easier to handle in the feed manufacturing process [8, 9].
The calves may be grown by feeding concentrate only in pre-weaning period as the calve consumed limited amount of roughage in that period [4]. Because it is well known that roughage fermentation may not stimulate development of rumen epithelium enough when compared to calf starter [14]. Thus calves fed only starter diet in pre-weaning period may consume feed and gain body weight in satisfactorily manner [4].
In the previous studies certain fatty acids such as butyrate, medium-chain fatty acids, incorporated into milk replacer or starter diet have decreased health problem (scouring etc.), improved live weight, and feed efficiency [7, 9]. However, no literature was found regarding its effects on performance of calves weaned without roughage. Therefore, our objective was to evaluate the effects of feeding starter containing sodium or calcium butyrate on the feed intake and body weight of calves in rearing without roughage feeding regime, before and after weaning.
SUMMARY
Two experiments were conducted to examine the influence of the starter supplemented with butyrate salts on the performance of Holstein calves. Twenty-three and thirty-five male calves were used in the Experiment I and II, respectively. Total duration of the experiments are 70 d (35 d pre-weaning and 35 d post-pre-weaning) and 100 d (60 d pre-pre-weaning and 40 d post-weaning), respectively. In both of the experiments, all calves were kept together with their dam and fed colostrum for the first 3 days after calving and then housed in calf hutches. Calves were fed individually whole milk (4 l/d) with two meals and starter diets ad libutum in pre-weaning period, while total mixed ration contained starter (60%) and alfalfa hay ground (40%) were used in post-weaning period. The starter diets contained 0 (without butyrate salt, CON), 1.5 g/kg sodium butyrate (NaB15), and 3.0 g/kg sodium butyrate (NaB30) in the experiment I, 0 (without butyrate salt, CON), 2.5 g/kg calcium butyrate (CaB25) and 5.0 g/kg calcium butyrate (CaB50) in the experiment II. Live weight, live weight gain and feed intake of calves were determined weekly in each experiment. Feeding starter containing NaB increased significantly (P< 0.05) live weight, live weight gain, and feed conversion efficiency of calves during pre-weaning period, but did not post-weaning period. On the other hand, feeding starter supplemented with CaB did not affect performance of calves in both periods. The present results suggest that the inclusion of NaB in starter feeds could be recommended for calves in early weaning program.
Keywords: calves, sodium butyrate, calcium butyrate, early weaning, performance
RÉSUMÉ
Effet de l’apport d’un sel de butyrate dans l’alimentation des veaux sur les performances de pré- et post-sevrage
Deux expériences ont été menées pour étudier l’influence du démarreur de croissance additionné de sels de butyrate sur la performance des veaux Holstein. Vingt-trois et trente-cinq veaux mâles ont été utilisés dans l’expérience I et II, respectivement. La durée totale des essais a respectivement été de 70 jours (35 jours avant sevrage et 35 jours après sevrage) et 100 jours (60 jours en pré-sevrage et 40 jours en post-sevrage). Dans les deux expériences, tous les veaux ont été gardés avec leur mère et ont reçu du colostrum les 3 premiers jours après le vêlage puis ont été logés séparément. Les veaux ont été nourris de lait entier individuellement (4 l/j) en deux repas avec les régimes de démarrage à volonté en période de pré -sevrage, tandis que la ration totale contenait 60% d’aliment de démarrage et 40% de foin de luzerne sol dans la période post-sevrage. Les régimes de démarrage contenaient 0 (sans sel de butyrate), 1,5 g/kg de sodium de butyrate (NaB15) , et 3,0 g/kg de sodium de butyrate (NaB30) dans l’expérience I, et 0 (sans sel butyrate) , 2,5 g/kg de butyrate de calcium (CaB25) et 5,0 g/kg de butyrate de calcium (CAB50) dans l’expérience II. Le poids vif , le gain de poids vif et les quantités d’aliments consommés ont été déterminés chaque semaine dans chaque expérience. L’aliment de démarrage contenant du butyrate de sodium a augmenté de façon significative (P <0,05) le poids vif, le gain de poids vif , et l’efficacité de conversion des veaux pendant la période de pré -sevrage , mais pas de post-sevrage. L’aliment de démarrage contenant du butyrate de calcium n’a pas affecté les performances des veaux dans les deux périodes.
Mots-clés: veaux, butyrate de sodium, butyrate de calcium, sevrage, performances
Effect of feeding starter containing butyrate salt
on pre- and post-weaning performance of early or
normally weaned calves
U. SERBESTER1*, C. ÇAKMAKÇI2, S. GÖNCÜ2, M. GÖRGÜLÜ2
1 Niğde Üniversity, Bor Vocational School, Department of Plant and Animal Production, Bor, 51700, Niğde, TÜRKİYE 2 Çukurova Üniversity, Agriculture Faculty, Department of Animal Science, Balcalı, 01300, Adana, TÜRKİYE
Materials and methods
ANIMALS AND DIETSThe experiments were conducted in the Research and Practice Farm of the Faculty of Agriculture, Çukurova University, Turkey. For the first 3 days after birth, Holstein male calves were kept together with their mothers and were fed colostrum. After that, calves were housed in individual pens (2 x 2.5 m) with straw bedding. Twenty-three and thirty-five calves were blocked considering birth weight in the experiment I and II, respectively. Calves were randomly allocated to one of three treatments: in the experiment I; control (without butyrate salt, CON), 1.5 g/kg sodium butyrate (NaB15), and 3.0 g/kg sodium butyrate (NaB30), and in the experiment II, control (without butyrate salt, CON), 2.5 g/kg calcium butyrate (CaB25) and 5.0 g/kg calcium butyrate (CaB50). All butyrate salts were included to calf sarters. The encapsulated sodium butyrate (C4 VFA) and calcium butyrate (ButiPEARL) were provided by Novation Company (Spain) and Kemin Europa N.V. (Belgium), respectively. In addition, purities of butyrate salts were 95% and 50%, respectively. The starter diets used in the experiment I and II are presented Table 1.
In both of the experiments, calves were fed individually whole milk (4 l/d), split into two meals (07.00 and 16.00 h), and starter diets ad libutum in pre-weaning period. Regardless of concentrate intake, weaning was done abruptly at the d 35 and d 60 of the experiment I and II, respectively.
Calves were fed a total mixed ration contained the starter (60%) and alfalfa hay ground (40%) during post-weaning period. Calves had free access to water throghout the experiments. Total duration of the experiment I and II were 70 days (35 days pre-weaning and 35 days post-weaning) and 100 days (60 days pre-weaning and 40 days post weaning), respectively.
MEASUREMENTS
The calves were weighed at birth and once every week, before morning feeding, until the final weeks of the experiments. Also, weekly records of feed composition were kept during the whole experimental periods. Starter and alfalfa hay samples were taken monthly. The samples were milled through a 1 mm screen (ZM-200, Retsch, United Kingdom), dried at 105°C for 4 h to determine the residual DM in the milled sample, and ashed at 550°C for 4 h in a muffle furnace (Nabertherm, Bremen, Germany) to determine the ash content. The crude protein content was determined as N x 6.25 using the Kjeltec 2300 instrument (Tecator, FOSS, Denmark). Ether Extract (EE) was analyzed by a standard ether extraction. Neutral detergent fiber (NDF) by using heat stable α-amylase and Na-sulfite and acid detergent fiber (ADF) were determined with Van Soest et al. [12] procedures using an Ankom apparatus (Ankom® Tech. Corp., Fairport, NY, USA) without correcting for residual ash. Table 2 presents starters and alfalfa hay ground chemical composition. Finally, feed conversion efficiency was calculated as feed intake/body weight gain.
Ingredients, % Trial I1 Trial II1
Cracked wheat 11.5
-Wheat Middlings 20.0
-Barley - 30.0
Corn 20.0 10.0
Sunflower meal - 4.5
Cotten seed meal 14.0 16.8
Corn germ meal 12.0 7.0
Corn bran 15.0 20.0 Canola meal - 7.5 Vegetable oil 0.50 1.0 Molasses 4.0 -Salt 1.0 1.0 Limestone 1.9 2.1 Premix2 0.10 0.10
1 Starter diet contained 1.5 g/kg and 2.5 g/kg sodium butyrate in the experiment I, 3.0 g/kg and 5.0 g/kg calcium butyrate in the experiment II.
2 Premix contains: 15.000.000 IU vitamin A, 3.000.000 IU vitamin D3, 30.000 mg vitamin E, 125.000 mg niacin, 50.000 mg Mn, 50.000 mg Fe, 50.000 mg Zn, 10.000 mg Cu, 800 mg I, 150 mg Co, 150 mg Se, 180.000 mg P.
Table I: Ingredients of starter diets in the experiment I and II (as fed basis)
Chemical composition, % CON Experiment INaB15 NaB30 CON Experiment IICaB25 CaB50 Alfalfa hay
Dry matter 90.3 90.3 90.4 90.2 90.0 90.2 92.5
Crude protein 18.5 18.3 18.6 18.2 18.4 18.4 11.6
Ether extract 2.3 2.6 3.0 2.4 2.5 2.4 0.80
Neutral detergent fiber 25.5 25.5 25.8 25.6 25.7 25.9 45.2
Acid detergent fiber 14.7 14.8 14.5 15.5 15.4 15.8 39.3
Ash 6.7 6.7 6.5 6.6 6.7 6.4 7.63
CON: Control diet (starter without butyrate salts), NaB15: contained 1.5 g/kg sodium butyrate, NaB30: contained 30 g/kg sodium butyrate, CaB25: contained 25 g/kg calcium butyrate, CaB50: contained 50 g/kg calcium butyrate.
STATISTICAL ANALYSIS
The results were confirmed to be normally distributed by Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. The differences between groups were the analysed as a complete randomized design using the MIXED model in SAS [11] software package. Birth weight was included in statistical model as covariates in both experiment. Because of unequal replication of the treatments, probabilities of significance were generated using the Satterthwaite approximation [11]. Probability values ≤0.05 were considered significant. The PDIFF option was used with a Tukey statement to adjust significance tests for multiple comparisons. The results are presented as least square means.
Results
Performance parameters of the experiments are summarized in Table 3 and 4. In the experiment I, feeding starter containing sodium butyrate affected live weight at weaning (P< 0.05). Calves fed NaB30 had greater (13.1%; P< 0.05) live weight at weaning as compared with calves fed NaB15 and CON. Also, calves fed NaB30 had higher (P< 0.05) live weight gain and feed conversion efficiency for pre-weaning period. However, these differences disappeared after weaning. In addition, there were no differences among treatments for starter and total mixed ration intakes at pre and post-weaning periods, respectively.
Item CON1 NaB151 NaB301 SEM2 P-value
No. 7 8 8
Live weight, kg
Initial 38.0 39.7 38.1 1.02 0.42
At weaning (day 35) 46.1a 45.2a 51.7b 1.59 0.02
At the end of the experiment (day 70) 68.9 71.4 73.5 2.00 0.30
Intake, kg/d
Starter intake in pre-weaning 0.35 0.33 0.36 0.02 0.14
Total mixed ration in post-weaning 0.89 0.94 0.84 0.05 0.30
Overall 0.62 0.63 0.60 0.03 0.72
Live weight gain, kg/d
Pre-weaning 0.22a 0.21a 0.38b 0.04 0.04
Post-weaning 0.65 0.75 0.62 0.06 0.17
Overall 0.43 0.47 0.50 0.03 0.30
Feed conversion efficiency3
Pre-weaning 1.76b 1.91b 1.02a 0.26 0.05
Post-weaning 1.41 1.34 1.49 0.18 0.84
Overall 1.45 1.38 1.24 1.35 0.30
1CON: Control diet (starter without butyrate), NaB15: contained 1.5 g/kg sodium butyrate, NaB30: contained 30 g/kg sodium butyrate 2SEM: Standard error of means
3Feed conversion efficiency was calculated as feed intake/body weight gain a, b Least-square means with different superscripts differ (P≤0.05)
Table III: Effect of feeding starter containing sodium butyrate on performance of calves during pre- and post-weaning period in experiment I
Item CON1 CaB251 CaB501 SEM2 P-value
No. 11 12 12
Live weight, kg
Initial 39.2 39.1 39.8 1.18 0.92
At d 35 49.8 51.8 49.7 1.43 0.10
At weaning (day 60) 73.4 71.1 75.4 2.86 0.57
At the end of the experiment (day 100) 98.2 97.9 95.8 3.43 0.86
Feed intake, kg/d
Starter intake at d 35 0.21 0.22 0.26 0.04 0.67
Starter intake in pre-weaning 0.58 0.53 0.54 0.05 0.96
Total mixed ration in post-weaning 3.0 3.1 2.8 0.17 0.63
Overall 1.5 1.5 1.71 0.13 0.44
Live weight gain, kg/d
At d 35 0.30 0.35 0.26 0.04 0.08
Pre-weaning 0.56 0.52 0.71 0.07 0.20
Post-weaning 0.66 0.72 0.54 0.05 0.80
Overall 0.59 0.59 0.56 0.03 0.17
Feed conversion efficiency3
At d 35 0.65 0.71 0.81 0.14 0.78
Pre-weaning 1.05 1.06 1.08 0.11 0.98
Post-weaning 4.08 4.54 4.55 0.24 0.32
Overall 2.57 2.65 2.76 0.12 0.58
1CON: Control diet (starter without butyrate), CaB25: contained 2.5 g/kg calcium butyrate, CaB50: contained 5.0 g/kg calcium butyrate 2SEM: Standard error of means
3Feed conversion efficiency was calculated as feed intake/body weight gain
In the experiment II, average live weights were 73.3 kg and 97.3 kg at weaning and final day, respectively and there was not significant difference between the treatments. Additionally, CaB supplemented starter diet did not affect (P> 0.05) starter and total mixed ration intakes, live weight gain and feed conversion efficiency in the experiment II.
Discussion
Feeding starter containing NaB positively affected live weight at weaning, live weight gain and feed conversion efficiency during pre-weaning. Researchers [4, 5, 8] reported that supplementation with NaB resulted in increased nutrient digestibility, stimulation of digestive enzyme secretion (in particular chymotrypsin and lipase), enhancement of proliferation, differentiation, and maturation, reduction apoptosis in the enterocytes, and modification of the intestinal luminal microflora and/or an improvement of the epithelial integrity and defence systems. Despite the positive effect of NaB on some performance parameters, feed intake was not affected in the present study. Górka et al. [3] reported that addition of NaB in milk replacer increased reticulorumen weight, but not feed intake. Similarly, Hill et al. [7] did not observe an effect of NaB supplementation in milk replacer on solid feed intake, although body weight of calves positively affected. Kato et al. [8] and Guilloteau et al. [6] explained effect of butyrate supplementation on parameters of performance such that improved insulin sensitivity and pancreatic secretions relative to body weight.
In the present study we did not observe any effect of feeding starter containing CaB during the entire expirement II. On the other hand, the supplementation of milk replacer of calves with calcium butyrate improved performance and blood metabolites of calves [10]. The reasons for this difference remains to be determined, but could be relate to age of weaning. Calves were weaned at d 60 in the experiment II while at d 48 in the study of Nazari et al. [10]. Zitnan et al. [14] reported that compared to the late weaned calves, the development of rumen papillae (lenght, width, and surface) were significantly greater in the early weaned calves. It seems that the development of rumen in calves is stimulated by consuming less milk and increased amounts of concentrate in calves. Additionally, age of weaning may be one factor for lack of response. Because, weaning was done at the 60 d of CaB compared to at the 35 d of NaB. Furthermore butyrate content of diets supplemented NaB and CaB were quite different each other (purities; NaB: 95% vs. CaB: 50%). In addition, it is known that CaB solubility is lower than NaB solubility due to high molecular weight. This is in agreement with the observations of Mallo et al. [15] who reported that sodium salt of butyrate could solve 115 g/1000 mL of water whereas calcium salt of butyrate could solve 6 g/1000 mL of water.
On the basis of the results of this study, it may concluded that (i) starter containing CaB seem not to affect performance of calves in both pre- and post weaning periods, and (ii)
starter containing NaB could be recommended for calves in early weaning program.
Acknowledgements
Authors are grateful for financial financial support (project no: ZF-2011BAP12) from Scientific Research Fund of Çukurova University, and also express appreciation to the management and staff of Research and Practice Farm of the Faculty of Agriculture for their help and animal care.
References
1. COVERDALE J.A, TYLER, H.D., QUIGLEY, J.D., BRUMM J.A.: Effect of various levels of forage and form of diet on rumen development and growth in calves. J.
Dairy Sci., 2004, 87, 2554-2562.
2. FERREIRA L.S., BITTARI C.M.M.: Performance and plasma metabolites of dairy calves fed starter containing sodium butyrate, calcium propionate or sodium monensin. Animal, 2010, 5, 239-245.
3. GÓRKA P., KOWALSKI Z.M., PIETRZAK P., KOTUNIA A., JAGUSİAK W., HOLST J.J., GUILLOTEAU P., ZABIELSKI R.: Effect of method of delivery of sodium butyrate on rumen development in newborn calves. J.
Dairy Sci., 2011, 94, 5578-5588.
4. GÖNCÜ S., BOĞA M., KILIÇ Ü., GÖRGÜLÜ, M., DORAN F.: Effects of feeding regime without roughage on performances and rumen development of calves during preweaning period. J. Agricultural Sci., 2010, 16, 123-128.
5. GUILLOTEAU P., MARTIN L., EECKHAUT V., DUCATELLE R., ZABIELSKI R., VAN IMMERSEEL F.: From the gut to the peripheral tissues: the multiple effects of butyrate. Nutrition Research Reviews, 2010, 23, 1-20.
6. GUILLOTEAU P., ZABİELSKİ R., DAVID J.C., BLUM J.W., MORISSET J.A., BIERNAT M., WOLIÑSKI J., LAUBIT D., HAMON Y.: Sodium-butyrate as a growth promoter in mil replacer formula for youg calves. J.
Dairy Sci., 2009, 92, 1038-1049.
7. HILL T.M, ALDRICH J.M., SCHLOTTERBECK R.L., BATEMAN H.G.: Effects of changing the fat and fatty acid composition of milk replacers fed to neonatal calves.
The Professional Animal Scientist, 2007, 23, 135-143.
8. KATO S.I, SATO K., CHIDA H., ROH S.G., OHWADA S., SATO S., GUILLOTEAU P. KATOH K.: Effects of Na-butyrate supplementation in milk formula on plasma concentrations of GH and insulin, and on rumen papilla development in calves. J. Endocrinology, 2011, 211, 241-248.
9. MENTSCHEL J., LEISER R., MULLING C., PFARRER C., CLAUS R.: Butyric acid stimulates rumen mucosa development in the calf mainly by a reduction of apoptosis. Archives of Anim. Nutr., 2001, 55, 85-102. 10. NAZARI M., KARKOODI K., ALIZADEH A. :
Revue Méd. Vét., 2014, 165, 1-2, 44-48
calves to coated calcium butyrate supplementation.
South African J. Anim. Sci., 2012, 3, 296-303.
11. SAS, 2001. SAS/STAT User’s Guide: Statistics, Version 8. SAS Institute Inc., Cary, North Carolina.
12. VAN SOEST P., ROBERTSON J.J.B., LEWIS B.A. :Methods for dietary fiber, neutral detergent fiber, and nonstarch polysaccharides in relation to animal nutrition. J. Dairy Sci., 1991, 74, 3583-3597.
13. WILSON D.J., MUTSVANGWA T., PENNER G.B. : Supplemental butyrate does not enhance the absorptive or barrier functions of the isolated ovine ruminal epithelia. J. Animal Sci., 2012, 90, 3153-3161.
14. ZITNAN R., KUHLA S., SANFTLEBEN P., BILSKA A., SCHNEIDER F., ZUPCANOVA M., VOIGT J.: Diet induced ruminal papillae development in neonatal calves not correlating with rumen butyrate. Veterinarni
Medicina – Czech, 2005, 50, 472-479.
15. MALLO, J.J., BALFAGÓN, A., GRACIA, M.I., HONRUBIA, P., PUYALTO, M.: Evaluation of different protections of butyric acid aiming for release in the last part of the gastrointestinal tract of piglets. J. Animal Sci., 2012, 90, 227-229.
