Hostname: page-component-5b777bbd6c-2c8nx Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-06-22T19:45:32.493Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Effect of milk replacer and concentrate intake on growth rate, feeding behaviour and systemic metabolite concentrations of pre-weaned bull calves of two dairy breeds

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 February 2017

C. J. Byrne ,
S. Fair ,
A. M. English ,
D. Johnston ,
P. Lonergan  and
D. A. Kenny
C. J. Byrne
Affiliation:
Animal & Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Teagasc, Dunsany, C15 PW93 Co. Meath, Ireland School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin, D04 F6X4 Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
S. Fair
Affiliation:
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Limerick, V94 T9PX Limerick, Ireland
A. M. English
Affiliation:
Animal & Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Teagasc, Dunsany, C15 PW93 Co. Meath, Ireland Department of Biological Sciences, University of Limerick, V94 T9PX Limerick, Ireland
D. Johnston
Affiliation:
Animal & Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Teagasc, Dunsany, C15 PW93 Co. Meath, Ireland School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin, D04 F6X4 Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
P. Lonergan
Affiliation:
School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin, D04 F6X4 Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
D. A. Kenny*
Affiliation:
Animal & Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Teagasc, Dunsany, C15 PW93 Co. Meath, Ireland School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin, D04 F6X4 Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
*
†E-mail: david.kenny@teagasc.ie
Get access

Abstract

Early-life nutrition affects calf development and thus subsequent performance. The aim of this study was to examine the effect plane of nutrition on growth, feeding behaviour and systemic metabolite concentrations of artificially reared dairy bull calves. Holstein-Friesian (F; n=42) and Jersey (J; n=25) bull calves with a mean±SD age (14±4.7 v. 27±7.2 days) and BW (47±5.5 v. 33±4.7 kg) were offered a high, medium or low plane of nutrition for 8 weeks using an electronic feeding system which recorded a range of feed-related events. Calves were weighed weekly and plasma samples were collected via jugular venipuncture on weeks 1, 4 and 7 relative to the start of the trial period. The calves offered a high plane of nutrition had the greatest growth rate. However, the increased consumption of milk replacer led to a reduction in feed efficiency. Holstein-Friesian calves offered a low plane of nutrition had the greatest number of daily unrewarded visits to the feeder (P<0.001). β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) concentrations were greater in F calves on a low plane of nutrition (P<0.001). Although there was no effect of plane of nutrition, BHB concentrations in F calves increased before weaning, concomitant with an increase in concentrate consumption. Urea concentrations were unaffected by plane of nutrition within either breed. Jersey calves on a low plane of nutrition tended to have lower triglycerides than those on a high plane (P=0.08), but greater than those on a medium plane (P=0.08). Holstein-Friesian calves offered a high plane of nutrition tended to have greater triglyceride concentrations than those on a medium plane (P=0.08). Triglycerides increased from the start to the end of the feeding period (P<0.05), across both breeds. A medium plane of nutrition resulted in a growth, feeding behaviour and metabolic response comparable with a high plane of nutrition in pre-weaned bull calves of both F and J breeds.

Keywords

dairy breedsplane of nutritionpre-weaningHolstein-FriesianJersey
Type
Research Article
Information
animal , Volume 11 , Issue 9 , September 2017 , pp. 1531 - 1538
Copyright
© The Animal Consortium 2017 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Article purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

Ashfield, A, Crosson, P and Wallace, M 2013. Simulation modelling of temperate grassland based dairy calf to beef production systems. Agricultural Systems 115, 41–50.Google Scholar
Bach, A, Terre, M and Pinto, A 2013. Performance and health responses of dairy calves offered different milk replacer allowances. Journal of Dairy Science 96, 7790–7797.Google Scholar
Baldwin, R and Jesse, B 1992. Developmental changes in glucose and butyrate metabolism by isolated sheep ruminal cells. Journal of Nutrition 122, 1149–1153.Google Scholar
Ballou, M, Cobb, CJ, Earleywine, TJ and Obeidat, BS 2013. Breed and plane of milk-replacer nutrition influence the performance of pre- and postweaned dairy calves. The Professional Animal Scientist 29, 116–123.Google Scholar
Ballou, MA, Hanson, DL, Cobb, CJ, Obeidat, BS, Sellers, MD, Pepper-Yowell, AR, Carroll, JA, Earleywine, TJ and Lawhon, SD 2015. Plane of nutrition influences the performance, innate leukocyte responses, and resistance to an oral Salmonella enterica serotype typhimurium challenge in Jersey calves. Journal of Dairy Science 98, 1972–1982.Google Scholar
Bartlett, K, McKeith, FK, VandeHaar, MJ, Dahl, GE and Drackley, JK 2006. Growth and body composition of dairy calves fed milk replacers containing different amounts of protein at two feeding rates. Journal of Animal Science 84, 1454–1467.Google Scholar
Berends, H, van den Borne, JJ, Rojen, BA, van Baal, J and Gerrits, WJ 2014. Urea recycling contributes to nitrogen retention in calves fed milk replacer and low-protein solid feed. Journal of Nutrition 144, 1043–1049.Google Scholar
Berge, P, Geay, Y and Micol, D 1991. Effect of feeds and growth rate during the growing phase on subsequent performance during the fattening period and carcass composition in young dairy breed bulls. Livestock Production Science 28, 203–222.Google Scholar
Cheng, N, Cai, W, Jiang, M and Wu, S 1997. Effect of hypoxia on blood glucose, hormones, and insulin receptor functions in newborn calves. Pediatric Research 41, 852–856.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Coverdale, JA, Tyler, HD, Quigley, JD 3rd and Brumm, JA 2004. Effect of various levels of forage and form of diet on rumen development and growth in calves. Journal of Dairy Science 87, 2554–2562.Google Scholar
Eckert, E, Brown, HE, Leslie, KE, DeVries, TJ and Steele, MA 2015. Weaning age affects growth, feed intake, gastrointestinal development, and behavior in Holstein calves fed an elevated plane of nutrition during the preweaning stage. Journal of Dairy Science 98, 6315–6326.Google Scholar
Fallon, RJ and Harte, FJ 1986. Effect of giving three different levels of milk replacer on calf performance. Irish Journal of Agricultural Research 25, 23–29.Google Scholar
Hammon, HM, Schiessler, G, Nussbaum, A and Blum, JW 2002. Feed intake patterns, growth performance, and metabolic and endocrine traits in calves fed unlimited amounts of colostrum and milk by automate, starting in the neonatal period. Journal of Dairy Science 85, 3352–3362.Google Scholar
Haskell, M, Simm, G and Turner, SP 2014. Genetic selection for temperament traits in dairy and beef cattle. Frontiers in Genetics 5, 368.Google Scholar
Hofman, W 1992. BanRinderkrankheiten d 1. Innere und chirurgische Krankheiten. Verlag Eugen Ulmer & Co., Stuttgart. In Grossbacher V 2013. Non-nutritive sucking, health situation and identification of risk factors in group-housed dairy calves in Austria. Master thesis. University of Vienna, Austria.Google Scholar
Hornick, JL, Van Eenaeme, C, Gérard, O, Dufrasne, I and Istasse, L 2000. Mechanisms of reduced and compensatory growth. Domestic Animal Endocrinology 19, 121–132.Google Scholar
Jensen, MB 2006. Computer-controlled milk feeding of group-housed calves: the effect of milk allowance and weaning type. Journal of Dairy Science 89, 201–206.Google Scholar
Jensen, MB, Duve, LR and Weary, DM 2015. Pair housing and enhanced milk allowance increase play behavior and improve performance in dairy calves. Journal of Dairy Science 98, 2568–2575.Google Scholar
Johnston, D, Kenny, DA, Kelly, AK, McCabe, MS, McGee, M, Waters, SM and Earley, B 2015. Characterisation of haematological profiles and whole blood relative gene expression levels in Holstein-Friesian and Jersey bull calves undergoing gradual weaning. Animal 20, 1–10.Google Scholar
Kennedy, PM and Murphy, MR 1988. The nutritional implications of differential passage of particles through the ruminant alimentary tract. Nutrition Research Reviews 1, 189–208.Google Scholar
Khan, MA, Bach, A, Weary, DM and von Keyserlingk, MA 2016. Invited review: transitioning from milk to solid feed in dairy heifers. Journal of Dairy Science 99, 885–902.Google Scholar
Khan, MA, Lee, HJ, Lee, WS, Kim, HS, Ki, KS, Hur, TY, Suh, GH, Kang, SJ and Choi, YJ 2007. Structural growth, rumen development, and metabolic and immune responses of holstein male calves fed milk through step-down and conventional methods. Journal of Dairy Science 90, 3376–3387.Google Scholar
Khan, MA, Weary, DM and von Keyserlingk, MA 2011a. Invited review: effects of milk ration on solid feed intake, weaning, and performance in dairy heifers. Journal of Dairy Science 94, 1071–1081.Google Scholar
Khan, MA, Weary, DM and von Keyserlingk, MAG 2011b. Hay intake improves performance and rumen development of calves fed higher quantities of milk. Journal of Dairy Science 94, 3547–3553.Google Scholar
Lawrence, P, Kenny, DA, Earley, B, Crews, DH Jr and McGee, M 2011. Grass silage intake, rumen and blood variables, ultrasonic and body measurements, feeding behavior and activity in pregnant beef heifers differing in phenotypic residual feed intake. Journal of Animal Science 89, 3248–3261.Google Scholar
Lidfors, L and Isberg, L 2003. Intersucking in dairy cattle – review and questionnaire. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 80, 207–231.Google Scholar
Maatje, K, Verhoeff, J, Kremer, WD, Cruijsen, AL and van den Ingh, TS 1993. Automated feeding of milk replacer and health control of group-housed veal calves. Veterinary Record 133, 266–270.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
McNamee, A, Keane, MG, Kenny, DA, Moloney, AP, Buckley, F and O’ Riordan, EG 2015. Beef production from Holstein-Friesian, Norwegian Red×Holstein-Friesian and Jersey×Holstein-Friesian male cattle reared as bulls or steers. Livestock Science 173, 95–105.Google Scholar
Mohri, M, Sharifi, K and Eidi, S 2007. Hematology and serum biochemistry of Holstein dairy calves: age related changes and comparison with blood composition in adults. Research in Veterinary Science 83, 30–39.Google Scholar
Morrison, S, Wicks, HC, Carson, AF, Fallon, RJ, Twigge, J, Kilpatrick, DJ and Watson, S 2012. The effect of calf nutrition on the performance of dairy herd replacements. Animal 6, 909–919.Google Scholar
National Research Council 2001. Nutrient requirements of dairy cattle, 7th revised edition. The National Academy of Sciences, Washington, DC, USA.Google Scholar
Ryan, WJ 1990. Compensatory growth in cattle and sheep. Nutrition Abstracts and Reviews. Series B, Livestock Feeds and Feeding 60, 653–664.Google Scholar
Smith, J, Van Amburgh, ME, Diaz, MC, Lucy, MC and Bauman, DE 2002. Effect of nutrient intake on the development of the somatotropic axis and its responsiveness to GH in Holstein bull calves. Journal of Animal Science 80, 1528–1537.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Soberon, F, Raffrenato, E, Everett, RW and Van Amburgh, ME 2012. Preweaning milk replacer intake and effects on long-term productivity of dairy calves. Journal of Dairy Science 95, 783–793.Google Scholar
Soberon, F and Van Amburgh, ME 2013. Lactation biology symposium: the effect of nutrient intake from milk or milk replacer of preweaned dairy calves on lactation milk yield as adults: a meta-analysis of current data. Journal of Animal Science 91, 706–712.Google Scholar
Stanley, C, Williams, CC, Jenny, BF, Fernandez, JM, Bateman, HG, Nipper, WA, Lovejoy, JC, Gantt, DT and Goodier, GE 2002. Effects of feeding milk replacer once versus twice daily on glucose metabolism in Holstein and Jersey calves. Journal of Dairy Science 85, 2335–2343.Google Scholar
Svensson, C and Jensen, M 2007. Short communication: identification of diseased calves by use of data from automatic milk feeders. Journal of Dairy Science 90, 994–997.Google Scholar
Terré, M, Devant, M and Bach, A 2007. Effect of level of milk replacer fed to Holstein calves on performance during the preweaning period and starter digestibility at weaning. Livestock Science 110, 82–88.Google Scholar
Van Soest, PJ 1982. Nutritional ecology of the ruminant, 2nd edition. Cornell University Press, Ithaca, NY, USA.Google Scholar
Wang, P, Drackley, JK, Stamey-Lanier, JA, Keisler, D and Loor, JJ 2014. Effects of level of nutrient intake and age on mammalian target of rapamycin, insulin, and insulin-like growth factor-1 gene network expression in skeletal muscle of young Holstein calves. Journal of Dairy Science 97, 383–391.Google Scholar
Williams, PE, Pagliani, L, Innes, GM, Pennie, K, Harris, CI and Garthwaite, P 1987. Effects of a beta-agonist (clenbuterol) on growth, carcass composition, protein and energy metabolism of veal calves. British Journal of Nutrition 57, 417–428.Google Scholar
Supplementary material: Image

Byrne supplementary material

Figure S1

Download Byrne supplementary material(Image)
Image 108.3 KB