Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences

Asian Australasian Association of Animal Production Societies (아세아태평양축산학회)
권호 표지
DOI QR코드

DOI QR Code

Effects of various weaning times on growth performance, rumen fermentation and microbial population of yellow cattle calves

  • Mao, Huiling (College of Animal Science and Technology, Zhejiang A and F University) ;
  • Xia, Yuefeng (College of Animal Science and Technology, Zhejiang A and F University) ;
  • Tu, Yan (Key Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology of Ministry of Agriculture Feed Research Institute, Feed Research Institute Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences) ;
  • Wang, Chong (College of Animal Science and Technology, Zhejiang A and F University) ;
  • Diao, Qiyu (Key Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology of Ministry of Agriculture Feed Research Institute, Feed Research Institute Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences)
  • Received : 2016.12.25
  • Accepted : 2017.03.21
  • Published : 2017.11.01
Download PDF
⟨ Previous Next ⟩

Abstract

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 ($EW_{500}$, n = 5), 750 g ($EW_{750}$, n = 5), or 1,000 g ($EW_{1,000}$, n = 5). Results: Compared with NW, the EW treatments increased average daily gain (p<0.05). The calves in $EW_{750}$ had a higher (p<0.05) starter intake than those in $EW_{1,000}$ from wk 9 to the end of the trial. The concentrations of total volatile fatty acids in $EW_{750}$ were greater than in NW and $EW_{1,000}$ (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.

Keywords

References

  1. Myers SE, Faulkner DB, Ireland FA, Berger LL, Parrett DF. Production systems comparing early weaning to normal weaning with or without creep feeding for beef steers. J Anim Sci 1999;77:300-10. https://doi.org/10.2527/1999.772300x
  2. Myers SE, Faulkner DB, Ireland FA, Parrett DF. Comparison of three weaning ages on cow-calf performance and steer carcass traits. J Anim Sci 1999;77:323-9. https://doi.org/10.2527/1999.772323x
  3. Thu CTT, Trach NX. Effects of early weaning on postpartum resumption of reproduction in mother buffaloes and growth of their calves. Livest Res Rural Dev 2012;24:19.
  4. Abou Ward GA, Tawila MA, Sawsan M, et al. Effect of weaning age on lamb's performance. World J Agric Sci 2008;4:569-73.
  5. Gharechahi J, Zahiri HS, Noghabi KA, Salekdeh GH. In-depth diversity analysis of the bacterial community resident in the camel rumen. Syst Appl Microbiol 2015;38:67-76. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.syapm.2014.09.004
  6. Lane MA, Jesse BW. Effect of volatile fatty acid infusion on development of the rumen epithelium in neonatal sheep. J Dairy Sci 1997;80:740-6. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(97)75993-9
  7. Lengemann FW, Allen NN. Development of rumen function in the dairy calf. II. Effect of diet upon characteristics of the rumen flora and fauna of young calves. J Dairy Sci 1959;42:1171-81. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(59)90709-X
  8. Shen JS, Chai Z, Song LJ, Liu JX, Wu YM. Insertion depth of oral stomach tubes may affect the fermentation parameters of ruminal fluid collected in dairy cows. J Dairy Sci 2012;95:5978-84. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2012-5499
  9. Makkar HPS, Becker K. Purine quantification in digesta from ruminants by spectrophotometric and HPLC methods. Br J Nutr 1999;81:107-13.
  10. Martin C, Williams AG, Michalet-Doreau B. Isolation and characteristics of the protozoal and bacterial fractions from bovine ruminal contents. J Anim Sci 1994;72:2962-8. https://doi.org/10.2527/1994.72112962x
  11. Rey M, Enjalbert F, Monteil V. Establishment of ruminal enzyme activities and fermentation capacity in dairy calves from birth through weaning. J Dairy Sci 2012;95:1500-12. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2011-4902
  12. Gagen EJ, Denman SE, Padmanabha J, et al. Functional gene analysis suggests different acetogen population in the bovine rumen and tammar wallaby forestomach. Appl Environ Microbiol 2010;76:7785-95. https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.01679-10
  13. Chen XL, Wang JK, Liu JX. Development of a real-time absolute quantitative PCR for quantification of cellulolytic bacteria in rumen. Chinese J Anim Sci 2008;44:36-40.
  14. Wu XX, Shi XK, Wu HT, Mao YJ, Ji DJ. Genetic resources and utilization of Chinese cattle in south China. China Cattle Sci 2010;36:1-4. (in Chinese with English abstract)
  15. Guo F, Tu Y, Si BW, Chai JM, Diao QY. Off breast-feeding days of age affect nutrient digestion and serum biochemical indices of calves. Chinese J Anim Nutr 2015;27:426-35. (in Chinese with English abstract)
  16. Quigley JD. Influence of weaning method on growth, intake, and selected blood metabolites in Jersey calves. J Dairy Sci 1996;79:2255-60. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(96)76602-X
  17. Carroll JA, Arthington JD, Chase Jr CC. Early weaning alters the acute-phase reaction to an endotoxin challenge in beef calves. J Anim Sci 2009;87:4167-72. https://doi.org/10.2527/jas.2009-2016
  18. Hulbert LE, Cobb CJ, Carroll JA, Ballou MA. The effects of early weaning on innate immune responses of Holstein calves. J Dairy Sci 2011;94:2545-56. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2010-3983
  19. Roth BA, Keil NM, Gygax L, Hillmann E. Influence of weaning method on health status and rumen development in dairy calves. J Dairy Sci 2009;92:645-56. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2008-1153
  20. Khan MA, Bach A, Weary DM, von Keyserlingk MAG. Invited review: Transitioning from milk to solid feed in dairy heifers. J Dairy Sci 2016;99:885-902. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2015-9975
  21. Anderson KL, Nagaraja TG, Morrill JL, et al. Ruminal microbial development in conventionally or early weaned calves. J Anim Sci 1987;64:1215-26. https://doi.org/10.2527/jas1987.6441215x
  22. Anderson KL, Nagaraja TG, Morrill JL. Ruminal metabolic development in calves weaned conventional or early. J Dairy Sci 1987;70:1000-5. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(87)80105-4
  23. Satter LD, Esdale WJ. In vitro lactate metabolism by ruminal ingesta. Appl Microbiol 1968;16:680-8.
  24. Sander EG, Warner HN, Harrison HN, Loosli JK. The stimulatory effect of sodium butyrate and sodium propionate on the development of rumen mucosa in the young calf. J Dairy Sci 1959;42:1600-5. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(59)90772-6
  25. Heinrichs AJ. Rumen development in the dairy calf. Adv Dairy Sci Technol 2005;17:179-87.
  26. Sakata T, Hikosaka K, Shiomura Y, Tamate H. Stimulatory effect of insulin on ruminal epithelial cell mitosis in adult sheep. Br J Nutr 1980;44:325-31. https://doi.org/10.1079/BJN19800047
  27. Silper BF, Lana AMQ, Carvalho AU, et al. Effects of milk replacer feeding strategies on performance, ruminal development, and metabolism of dairy calves. J Dairy Sci 2014;97:1016-25. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2013-7201
  28. Godfery NW. The functional development of the calf. II. Development of rumen function on the calf. J Agric Sci 1961;57:177. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0021859600047651
  29. Dijkstra J, Mills JAN, France J. The role of dynamic modelling in understanding the microbial contribution to rumen function. Nutr Res Rev 2002;15:67-90. https://doi.org/10.1079/NRR200237
  30. Suarez BJ, Van Reenen CG, Stockhofe N, Dijkstra J, Gerrits WJJ. Effects of roughage source and roughage to concentrate ratio on animal performance and rumen development in Veal calves. J Dairy Sci 2007;90:2390-403. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2006-524
  31. Suarez BJ, Van Reenen CG, Beldman G, et al. Effects of supplementing concentrates differing in carbohydrate composition in veal calf diets: I. Animal performance and rumen fermentation characteristics. J Dairy Sci 2006;89:4365-75. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(06)72483-3
  32. Suarez BJ, Van Reenen CG, Gerrits WJJ, et al. Effects of supplementing concentrates differing in carbohydrate composition in veal calf diets: II. Rumen development. J Dairy Sci 2006;89:4376-86. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(06)72484-5
  33. Denman SE, McSweeney CS. Development of a real-time PCR assay for monitoring anaerobic fungal and cellulolytic bacterial populations within the rumen. FEMS Microbiol Lett 2006;58:572-82. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1574-6941.2006.00190.x
  34. Koike S, Kobayashi Y. Development and use of competitive PCR assays for the rumen cellulolytic bacteria: Fibrobacter succinogenes, Ruminococcus albus and Ruminococcus flavefaciens. FEMS Microbiol Lett 2001; 204:361-6. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1574-6968.2001.tb10911.x
  35. Gudla P, Ishlak A, Abughazaleh AA. The effect of forage level and oil supplement on Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens and Anaerovibrio lipolytica in continuous culture fermenters. Asian-Australas J Anim Sci 2012;25:234-9.

Cited by

  1. Effect of Early Weaning on the Intestinal Microbiota and Expression of Genes Related to Barrier Function in Lambs vol.9, pp.1664-302X, 2018, https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2018.01431
  2. Weaning Ages Do Not Affect the Overall Growth or Carcass Traits of Hu Sheep vol.9, pp.6, 2017, https://doi.org/10.3390/ani9060356
  3. Review of Strategies to Promote Rumen Development in Calves vol.9, pp.8, 2017, https://doi.org/10.3390/ani9080490
  4. Dynamic progression of the calf’s microbiome and its influence on host health vol.19, pp.None, 2017, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.csbj.2021.01.035
  5. Weaning Age Affects the Development of the Ruminal Bacterial and Archaeal Community in Hu Lambs During Early Life vol.12, pp.None, 2021, https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2021.636865
  6. Evolution of rumen and oral microbiota in calves is influenced by age and time of weaning vol.3, pp.1, 2017, https://doi.org/10.1186/s42523-021-00095-3