• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.18 no.8
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• pp.1110-1115
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• 2005

To study the effect of feeding lactic acid producing bacteria on the performance of cattle calves, twenty four, day old male crossbred cattle calves (Bos indicus${\times}$Bos taurus), were distributed into two groups of 12 animals each. The animals were fed on calf starter containing wheat bran and green berseem ad libitum and milk as per requirement upto 8 weeks of age. The diet of calves of Group 2 was supplemented with 500 ml culture of Lactobacillus acidophilus-15. Total duration of the experiment was 31 weeks. There was no significant difference in intake and digestibility of dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), neutral detergent fibre (NDF), acid detergent fibre (ADF) and crude protein (CP) between the groups. The rumen pH, protozoa numbers, concentration of volatile fatty acids (VFA), ammonia nitrogen ($NH_3-N$), trichloroacetic acid precipitable nitrogen (TCA-ppt N) and activity of microbial enzymes (carboxymethylcellulase, xylanase, amylase and protease) were not affected due to probiotic supplementation. Average live weight gain of the calves was improved (about 10%) and feed:gain ratio was reduced (about 5%) in the animals given Lactobacillus culture. The data indicated that crossbred calves could be reared on a diet devoid of cereal grain and addition of Lactobacillus culture in the diet resulted in an added advantage in growth performance of the animals.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.16 no.10
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• pp.1455-1459
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• 2003

A $2{\times}3$ factorial design was used to study the impact of rearing systems, individual (I) vs. group (G) and different levels of milk/skim milk feeding (three schedules, F1, F2 and F3) on performance of crossbred (Bos indicus ${\times}$ Bos taurus) calves. Six calves (three from each sex) were taken in each group on the basis of their birth weight. All the calves were fed colostrum for three days and thereafter, were allotted to three different milk feeding schedules (F), i.e. milk fed upto 8 weeks of age (F1), milk upto 4 weeks followed by 50% (F2) and 100% (F3) replacement of milk with skim milk in the next 4 weeks. Calf starter and cereal green fodder were fed ad libitum to all the calves beginning from second week of age. A digestibility trial was conducted at 15th week of age to assess nutrient utilization during postweaning period. The digestibilty of dry matter (DM), organic matter, total carbohydrate, ether extract and crude protein (CP) were nonsignificant between the rearing systems and the feeding schedules. There was significantly higher digestibility of NDF and ADF in G than I and in F3 than F1 and F2. The concentration CP and total digestible nutrients of the diet ranged from 17.18 to 17.75% and 66.32 to 70.14%, respectively. The DM intake (kg/100 kg body weight) ranged from 1.74 to 2.14 kg during 0 to 8 weeks and 3.19 to 3.41 kg during 0 to 14 weeks of age. The effects during postweaning phase (9-14 weeks of age) showed increased performance in group housed calves compared to individually housed ones with a superior average daily gain (590 vs. 443 g) and dry matter intake (1.79 vs. 1.64 kg). Above all, replacement of milk with skim milk at 50% level after 4th week followed by complete removal after 6th week of age (F2) seemed to suit better in coping with immediate energy starvation due to sole feeding of skim milk (F3) and they performed the best under group housed system of rearing.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.369-378
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• 2018

Objective: The impact of forage feeding strategy on growth performance, ruminal fermentation and nutrient digestibility in post-weaning calves was investigated. Methods: Forty-five female Holstein calves (body weight [BW] = $79.79{\pm}0.38kg$) were enrolled in the 35-d study at one week after weaning and randomly assigned to one of three dietary treatments. All diets were fed as total mixed ration containing 60% (dry matter [DM] basis) of basal starter feed and 40% (DM basis) of forage, but varied in composition of forage source including i) alfalfa (40% DM, AH); ii) alfalfa hay (26.7% DM)+oat hay (13.3% DM; OH); iii) alfalfa hay (26.7% DM)+corn silage (13.3% DM; WS). Results: Dry matter intake was not different among treatment groups (p>0.05). However, BW (p<0.05) and average daily gain (p<0.05) of calves fed AH and OH were greater than WS-fed calves, whereas heart girth was greater in OH-fed calves than those fed AH and WS (p<0.05). Ruminal fermentation parameters including proportion of butyric acid, acetated-to-propionate ratio, concentration of total volatile fatty acid, protozoal protein, bacterial protein, and microbial protein in rumen were the highest in OH (p<0.05) and the lowest in WS. Compared with the AH and WS, feeding oat hay to postweaning calves increased crude protein digestibility (p<0.05), and decreased duration of diarrhea (p<0.05) and fecal index (p<0.05). Conclusion: Our results suggested that partially replacing alfalfa hay with oat hay improved ruminal fermentation, nitrogen utilization, and reduced incidence of diarrhea in post-weaning dairy calves.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.24 no.7
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• pp.957-964
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• 2011

The present study was conducted to evaluate the effects of fermented soybean meal (FSBM) on the level of cortisol hormone and immune-related serum proteins in weaned calves after experimentally induced lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge. Holstein neonatal calves (n = 21; 8 males and 13 females, BW = $42.2{\pm}6.15$ kg) were randomly allocated to one of two dietary treatments: SBM (control calf starter having soybean meal (SBM) as a main protein source) and FSBM (substitute SBM in control diet with FSBM) groups. All calves were fed milk replacer using an automatic milk-feeder according to step-down milking method and weaned at 7 weeks old. Experimental diets were given to calves ad libitum throughout the experimental period. For LPS challenge, all calves except negative control animals given phosphate buffered saline (PBS), were injected subcutaneously with Salmonella typhimurium LPS on day 7 (D7) after weaning (D0). No significant difference in growth performance and milk intake was observed between SBM and FSBM calves. Feeding FSBM diet resulted in significantly (p<0.05) higher LPS-specific IgG at D12 and D19 and LPS-specific IgA at D19 in peripheral blood. Calves fed with FSBM diet also had significantly (p<0.05) higher concentration of serum haptoglobin (Hp) at D8. Overall concentration of cortisol in FSBM group was considerably lower than that of SBM group. Results from current study indicate that FSBM may provide beneficial effects in alleviating weaning stress and enhance immune status of weaned calves.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.493-499
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• 2011

The objective of this study was to find the way to prolong the storage time of sawdust-based oyster mushroom (Pleurotus osteratus) spent substrate (OMSS) by fermenting with potential probiotic microorganisms to recycle the otherwise waste of mushroom farms. To this purpose, lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were screened to select the best lactic acid-producing strains. Three strains of LAB (Lactobacillus plantarum Lp1', Pediococcus acidilacticii Pa193, L. plantarum Lp2M) were selected and in mixture they lowered the pH of the fermented OMSS to 3.81. fOMSS (fermented sawdust-based oyster mushroom spent substrate) could be stored at room temperature for at least 17 days without any deterioration of feed quality based on the pH, smell, and color. In dry matter disappearance rate in situ, commercial TMR (total mixed ration), OMSS and OMMM (oyster mushroom mycelium mass) showed no significant differences between the samples after 6, 12 and 24 h incubation except for 48 h. Two separate field studies were performed to test the effects of fOMSS supplement on the growth performance of postweaning Holstein calves. Field trials included groups of animals feeding calf starter supplemented with: Control (no supplement), AB (colistin 0.08% and oxyneo 110/110 0.1%), fOMSS (10% fOMSS) and fConc (10% fermented concentrate) and DFM (direct-fed microbials, average $10^9$ cfu for each of three LAB/d/head). Growth performance (average daily gain and feed efficiency) of the fOMSS supplement group was higher than that of AB followed by fConc and DFM even though there was no statistically significant difference. The Control group was lower than any other group. Various hematological values including IgG, IgA, RBC (red blood cell), hemoglobin, and hematocrit were measured every 10 days to check any unusual abnormality for all groups in trial I and II, and they were within a normal and safe range. Our results suggest that sawdust-based OMSS could be recycled after fermentation with three probiotic LAB strains as a feed supplement for post-weaning calves, and fOMSS has the beneficial effects of an alternative to antibiotics for a growth enhancer in dairy calves.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.48 no.6
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• pp.871-880
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• 2006

This study was conducted to estimate the maximum amount and time of milk consumption by Holstein calves during two months of pre- weaning period and to compare ad libitum milk feeding with conventional system for their effects on dry feed consumption, nutrient intake, growth performance and occurrence of diarrhea during the pre-weaning phase. Holstein calves (n=20) were alternatively fed colostrum at 10% of their body weight or ad libitum for the first three days (d) and then assigned either to conventional (n=10; calves were fed milk at 10% of their body weight from birth to weaning at d 60 of their age) or ad libitum milk feeding (n=10; calves were fed ad libitum milk from birth to weaning at d 60 of their age). Milk intake as a percent of body weight was increased in ad libitum fed calves from 13.59% at d 1 to 23.50% at d 30 of their age, thereafter it was gradually reduced. Ad libitum fed calves consumed daily 9.8kg milk compared with 4.3kg milk in restricted fed calves(p<0.05). Daily starter and mixed grass hay intake was gradually increased in both groups with the age however; the group differences were noted non-significant up to 40 d of age. Overall from birth to weaning conventionally fed calves ate 18.4, 20 and 18.9% more dry matter, crude protein and total digestible nutrients, respectively than ad libitum milk fed calves (p<0.05). Weight gain was 49, 18.4 and 26% higher in ad libitum milk fed calves than conventionally fed calves during the first month, the second month and from birth to weaning, respectively(p<0.05). Body weight was not significantly different between groups for the first 20 d of age. However, it was significantly higher for ad libitum milk fed calves at d 30, 40, 50, 60 (weaning) and 90 (post weaning) of their age(p<0.05). Similar body weights for both conventionally and ad libitum milk fed calves were observed for the post weaning period at 120, 150 and 180 d of age. Feed efficiency was significantly higher for conventionally fed calves than ad libitum milk fed calves(p<0.05). No sign of diarrhea, fever or cough was observed in calves fed either conventionally or ad libitum milk during the experimental period. In conclusion, calves fed more milk remained healthy and gained higher weight before weaning and maintained this advantage at least up to 90 d of their age.