Metagenomic analysis provides bases on individualized shift of colon microbiome affected by delaying colostrum feeding in neonatal calves.

This study investigated the effect of colostrum feeding time on the colon digesta microbiome of 2-day-old dairy calves using whole-genome-based metagenome sequencing, aiming to understand the dynamic changes of the colon microbiome when the colostrum feeding is delayed. In total, 24 male Holstein calves were grouped to different pasteurized colostrum feeding time treatments randomly: TRT0h (45 min after birth,  = 7); TRT6h (6 h after birth,  = 8); and TRT12h (12 h after birth,  = 9). Bacteria, archaea, eukaryotes, and viruses were identified in the colon microbiome, with bacteria (99.

Fatty acid profile characterization in colostrum, transition milk, and mature milk of primi- and multiparous cows during the first week of lactation.

The specific fatty acid (FA) profile of colostrum may indicate a biological requirement for neonatal calves. The objective of this study was to characterize the FA profile and yields in colostrum, transition milk, and mature milk in primiparous (PP) and multiparous (MP) cows. Colostrum was milked from 10 PP and 10 MP Holstein cows fed the same pre- and postpartum rations.

Fatty acid profile characterization in colostrum, transition milk, and mature milk of primi- and multiparous cows during the first week of lactation.

The specific fatty acid (FA) profile of colostrum may indicate a biological requirement for neonatal calves. The objective of this study was to characterize the FA profile and yields in colostrum, transition milk, and mature milk in primiparous (PP) and multiparous (MP) cows. Colostrum was milked from 10 PP and 10 MP Holstein cows fed the same pre- and postpartum rations.

Transcriptome analysis revealed that delaying first colostrum feeding postponed ileum immune system development of neonatal calves.

Our objective was to evaluate the effect of colostrum feeding times on genome-wide gene expression of neonatal calves. In total, twenty-seven calves were assigned to three colostrum feeding treatments: within 45 min (TRT0h, n = 9), 6 h (TRT6h, n = 9) and 12 h (TRT12h, n = 9). Ileum tissues were collected at 51 h and transcriptomic analysis was conducted.

A Narrative Review on the Unexplored Potential of Colostrum as a Preventative Treatment and Therapy for Diarrhea in Neonatal Dairy Calves.

Diarrhea is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in pre-weaned dairy calves and, as such, represents a significant animal health and welfare concern. Furthermore, digestive disease early in life is associated with several long-term consequences such as reduced growth rate and decreased milk yield during the first lactation, thus generating severe economic losses. The majority of diarrheic cases in young calves are treated with antimicrobials; however, it is necessary to develop alternative treatments, as excessive antimicrobial usage can lead to antimicrobial resistance and can negatively impact the gut microflora of a calf.

ADSA Foundation Scholar Award: New frontiers in calf and heifer nutrition-From conception to puberty.

Dairy calf nutrition is traditionally one of the most overlooked aspects of dairy management, despite its large effect on the efficiency and profitability of dairy operations. Unfortunately, among all animals on the dairy farm, calves suffer from the highest rates of morbidity and mortality. These challenges have catalyzed calf nutrition research over the past decade to mitigate high incidences of disease and death, and improve animal health, growth, welfare, and industry sustainability.

Analysis of the biosynthetic flux in bovine milk oligosaccharides reveals competition between sulfated and sialylated species and the existence of glucuronic acid-containing analogues.

We previously observed that sialylated bovine milk oligosaccharides (BMOs) decline in both absolute and relative abundances over the initial stages of bovine lactation, with initial evidence suggesting that this decline occurred due to increased concentrations of unique sulfated BMOs. Since both sulfated and sialylated BMOs have distinct bioactivites, a follow up study was launched in order to more clearly define relative changes in these classes of BMOs over the first week of lactation in dairy cattle. Capillary electrophoresis (CE) and several liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS) methods, including a novel multiplexed tandem MS method, were used to profile the BMOs extracted from milk collected from the same 20 Holstein cows at milkings 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, and 14 post-partum.

Metagenomic analysis revealed the individualized shift in ileal microbiome of neonatal calves in response to delaying the first colostrum feeding.

The aim of this study was to explore the effect of colostrum feeding time on the ileal microbiome of neonatal calves. In this study, 22 male Holstein calves were randomly assigned to different colostrum feeding time treatments: after birth (at 45 min, n = 7); at 6 h after birth (n = 8); and at 12 h after birth (TRT12h; n = 7). At 51 h after birth, calves were killed and ileum digesta was collected for microbiome analysis using shotgun metagenomic sequencing.

Differing planes of pre- and postweaning phase nutrition in Holstein heifers: I. Effects on feed intake, growth efficiency, and metabolic and development indicators.

The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of pre- and postweaning planes of nutrition on feed and metabolizable energy (ME) intake, growth, concentrations of glucose, insulin, insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), and β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) in blood and rumen volatile fatty acids (VFA) from birth to 25 wk of age in Holstein heifers. Heifer calves (n = 36) were randomly assigned to receive either a low (5 L/d of whole milk) or high (10 L/d of whole milk) preweaning plane of nutrition from 1 to 7 wk of age, and either a low (70% concentrate dry total mixed ration) or high (85% concentrate dry total mixed ration) postweaning plane of nutrition from 11 to 25 wk of age. From birth to 25 wk of age, feed intake was recorded daily, and body measures were obtained weekly.

Short communication: Effect of delaying the first colostrum feeding on small intestinal histomorphology and serum insulin-like growth factor-1 concentrations in neonatal male Holstein calves.

The primary objective of this study was to determine the effect of delaying the first colostrum feeding on small intestinal histomorphology and serum insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) concentrations, and the secondary objective was to characterize the ultrastructure of the small intestine of neonatal calves at 51 h of life. Twenty-seven male Holstein calves were fed pooled, pasteurized colostrum (7.5% of birth body weight; 62 g of IgG/L) at 45 min (0H, n = 9), 6 h (6H, n = 9), or 12 h (12H, n = 9) after birth.

Shifts in the Holstein dairy cow milk fat globule membrane proteome that occur during the first week of lactation are affected by parity.

Background: The milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) proteomes of colostrum and transition milk are rich sources of proteins that are likely important for neonatal calf health. In addition, characterization of these proteomes could also yield valuable information regarding mammary gland physiology of the early postpartum lactating cow. The objectives of this research were to characterize the MFGM proteomes of colostrum and transition milk through sample collections at four timepoints postpartum, including the first milking (M1, colostrum), second milking (M2, transition milk), fourth milking (M4, transition milk), and fourteenth milking (M14, mature milk), and compare these proteomes between multiparous (MP;  = 10) and primiparous (PP;  = 10) Holstein dairy cows.

Oligosaccharide concentrations in colostrum, transition milk, and mature milk of primi- and multiparous Holstein cows during the first week of lactation.

The objective of this study was to characterize the oligosaccharide (OS) profile of colostrum and transition milk from primiparous (Pp, n = 10) and multiparous (Mp, n = 10) Holstein cows. The experiment was conducted on a commercial dairy farm, where cows were assigned to the study at calving. Colostrum (milking 1) was collected at 5.

Effect of amount of milk replacer fed and the processing of corn in starter on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and rumen and fecal fibrolytic bacteria of dairy calves.

The aim of this study was to evaluate effects of milk replacer (MR) feeding rate and processing of corn in calf starter (CS) on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and rumen and fecal fibrolytic bacteria in dairy calves. Holstein male calves (n = 48, 2-3 d of age) were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 treatments with a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of MR level of 0.749 kg of MR/d (LO) or up to 1.