Deep convolutional neural networks for the detection of diarrhea and respiratory disease in preweaning dairy calves using data from automated milk feeders.

The objective of the current study was to develop a predictive model for calf disease detection in the preweaning period using data from automated milk feeders (AMF). A deep convolutional neural network (CNN) architecture for the detection of respiratory disease and diarrhea in dairy calves was developed. German Holstein calves were fed milk replacer either ad libitum (up to 25 L/d; n = 32) or restrictively (6 L/d; n = 32) via AMF from 10 ± 3 d of life on.

Evaluation of a Dietary Grape Extract on Oxidative Status, Intestinal Morphology, Plasma Acute-Phase Proteins and Inflammation Parameters of Weaning Piglets at Various Points of Time.

Reports of the underlying mechanisms of dietary grape extract (GE) in overcoming weaning challenges in piglets have been partly inconsistent. Furthermore, evaluations of the effects of GE at weaning in comparison to those of widely used therapeutic antibiotics have been scarce. To explore the mode of action of GE in selected tissues and plasma, we evaluated gut morphology, antioxidant and inflammation indices.

Blood and adipose tissue steroid metabolomics and mRNA expression of steroidogenic enzymes in periparturient dairy cows differing in body condition.

In high-yielding dairy cows, the rapidly increasing milk production after parturition can result in a negative nutrient balance, since feed intake is insufficient to cover the needs for lactation. Mobilizing body reserves, mainly adipose tissue (AT), might affect steroid metabolism. We hypothesized, that cows differing in the extent of periparturient lipomobilization, will have divergent steroid profiles measured in serum and subcutaneous (sc)AT by a targeted metabolomics approach and steroidogenic enzyme profiles in scAT and liver.

Potential of Grape Extract in Comparison with Therapeutic Dosage of Antibiotics in Weaning Piglets: Effects on Performance, Digestibility and Microbial Metabolites of the Ileum and Colon.

Enteric diseases in piglets, such as post-weaning diarrhea (PWD), often require antibiotic treatment of the entire litter. Grape polyphenols may help overcome PWD and thereby reduce the need for antibiotics. The potential of a grape extract (GE; continuous in-feed supplementation) on performance of weaning piglets, compared with both negative (NC; corn-based diet) and positive control (PC; NC + in-feed antibiotic (amoxicillin) in a therapeutic dosage for day 1-day 5 post weaning) was assessed.

Effects of milk replacer meal size on feed intake, growth performance, and blood metabolites and hormones of calves fed milk replacer with or without butyrate ad libitum: A cluster-analytic approach.

This study intended to classify ad libitum-fed calves according to their milk replacer (MR) meal size using the K-means clustering approach. This study aimed to investigate the effects of MR meal size on feed intake, growth performance, and blood metabolic and hormones of ad libitum MR-fed calves. German Holstein calves (16 male and 16 female) were studied from birth until d 77 of age.

Review: Importance of colostrum supply and milk feeding intensity on gastrointestinal and systemic development in calves.

Feeding management of the postnatal and preweaning calf has an important impact on calf growth and development during this critical period and affects the health and well-being of the calves. After birth, an immediate and sufficient colostrum supply is a prerequisite for successful calf rearing. Colostrum provides high amounts of nutrient as well as non-nutrient factors that promote the immune system and intestinal maturation of the calf.

Mammalian target of rapamycin signaling and ubiquitin-proteasome-related gene expression in skeletal muscle of dairy cows with high or normal body condition score around calving.

The objective of the current study was to investigate the effects of overconditioning around calving on gene expression of key components of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway and ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) in skeletal muscle as well as the AA profiles in both serum and muscle of periparturient cows. Fifteen weeks antepartum, 38 multiparous Holstein cows were allocated to either a high body condition group (HBCS; n = 19) or a normal body condition group (NBCS; n = 19) and were fed different diets until dry-off (d -49 relative to calving) to amplify the difference. The groups were also stratified for comparable milk yields (NBCS: 10,361 ± 302 kg; HBCS: 10,315 ± 437 kg).

Effects of ad libitum milk replacer feeding and butyrate supplementation on the epithelial growth and development of the gastrointestinal tract in Holstein calves.

Intensive milk feeding and butyrate supplementation in calves stimulate body growth and affect gastrointestinal development. The aim of the present study was to investigate the synergistic effects of ad libitum milk replacer (MR) feeding and butyrate supplementation of MR on rumen and small intestinal growth and on gene expression in the small intestine related to growth and energy metabolism at weaning. Male Holstein calves (n = 32) received colostrum from birth to d 3 of age and MR either ad libitum (Adl) or restrictively (Res; 6 L of MR/d; 12.

Biogenic amines: Concentrations in serum and skeletal muscle from late pregnancy until early lactation in dairy cows with high versus normal body condition score.

Biogenic amines (BA) are a class of nitrogenous compounds that are involved in a wide variety of physiological processes, but their role in transition cows is poorly understood. Our objectives were to describe the longitudinal changes of BA in serum and in skeletal muscle during the transition period and to characterize temporal responses of BA in relation to body condition score (BCS) of periparturient dairy cows. Fifteen weeks before calving, 36 multiparous Holstein cows were assigned to 2 groups (n = 18 per group) that were fed differently to reach either high [HBCS; net energy for lactation (NE) = 7.

Effects of ad libitum milk replacer feeding and butyrate supplementation on behavior, immune status, and health of Holstein calves in the postnatal period.

Animal welfare in dairy calf husbandry depends on calf rearing and is probably improved by intensive milk feeding programs. In addition, butyrate supplementation in milk replacer (MR) stimulates postnatal growth and may affect the immune system in calves. We have investigated the combined effects of ad libitum MR feeding and butyrate supplementation on feeding behavior, health, and the immune responses in calves.

Long noncoding RNAs are associated with metabolic and cellular processes in the jejunum mucosa of pre-weaning calves in response to different diets.

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) emerged as important regulatory component of mechanisms involved in gene expression, chromatin modification and epigenetic processes, but they are rarely annotated in the bovine genome. Our study monitored the jejunum transcriptome of German Holstein calves fed two different milk diets using transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq). To identify potential lncRNAs within the pool of unknown transcripts, four bioinformatic lncRNA prediction tools were applied.

Different milk diets have substantial effects on the jejunal mucosal immune system of pre-weaning calves, as demonstrated by whole transcriptome sequencing.

There is increasing evidence that nutrition during early mammalian life has a strong influence on health and performance in later life. However, there are conflicting data concerning the appropriate milk diet. This discrepancy particularly applies to ruminants, a group of mammals that switch from monogastric status to rumination during weaning.

Influence of ad libitum milk replacer feeding and butyrate supplementation on the systemic and hepatic insulin-like growth factor I and its binding proteins in Holstein calves.

Ad libitum milk feeding and butyrate (B) supplementation have the potential to stimulate postnatal growth and development in calves. The somatotropic axis is the main endocrine regulator of postnatal growth and may be affected by both ad libitum milk replacer (MR) feeding and B supplementation in calves. We hypothesized that ad libitum MR feeding and B supplementation stimulate systemic and hepatic insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I and IGF binding proteins (IGFBP) in preweaning calves.

Ad libitum milk replacer feeding, but not butyrate supplementation, affects growth performance as well as metabolic and endocrine traits in Holstein calves.

The enhanced growth performance of calves fed a higher plane of nutrition pre-weaning is well documented, and the effect of butyrate on the development of the gastrointestinal tract in calves has been evaluated. The aim of this study was to examine the synergistic effects of ad libitum milk replacer (MR) feeding and butyrate supplementation on growth performance and energy metabolism in calves. Sixty-four (32 male, 32 female) Holstein calves were examined from birth until wk 11 of life.