Effects of two different rearing protocols for Holstein

DOI: 10.1111/jpn.12241

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Effects of two different rearing protocols for Holstein bull calves in the first 3 weeks of life on health status, metabolism and subsequent performance P. Maccari1, S. Wiedemann2, H.-J. Kunz3, M. Piechotta1, P. Sanftleben4 and M. Kaske1,* 1 2 3 4

Clinic for Cattle, University of Veterinary Medicine, Hannover, Germany Animal Health, Institute of Animal Breeding and Husbandry, Christian-Albrechts-University, Kiel, Germany Department of Animal Housing and Breeding, Chamber of Agriculture for Schleswig-Holstein, Blekendorf, Germany, and State Institute for Agriculture and Fishery, Institute for Animal Production, Dummerstorf, Germany

Summary The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of weight gain of calves within the first 3 weeks of life on health status and subsequent performance. Holstein bull calves were reared either intensively (IR; individual hutches and ad libitum milk feeding for the first 3 weeks of life; n = 24), or according to the established protocol [ER; 4 l milk/day in hutches during week 1 and 720 g/day milk replacer (MR) from day 8 to 21 in a group pen; n = 24]. Water, hay and concentrates were freely available to all calves. From week 4, calves of both groups were housed together in a group pen and fed 720 g MR/day; step-down weaning was performed between week 5 and 10. Key metabolic blood parameters were analysed on day 2, 12, 21 and 70 of life. After weaning, all animals were fed concentrates and corn silage until slaughter at an age of 8 months. Within the first 3 weeks, average daily weight gain was threefold higher in IR calves in relation to ER calves (1.28 vs. 0.38 kg/day, p < 0.001). Neither incidence nor duration of scouring differed significantly between groups. Starter intake (week 4–10) was higher in IR calves in relation to ER calves (49.7 vs. 38.0 kg/calf, p = 0.006). Serum glucose, urea, albumin and insulin were higher at an age of 21 days in IR calves in relation to ER calves; no differences were obvious at an age of 70 days. Plasma GH and IGF-I concentrations revealed an uncoupling of the somatotropic axis in ER calves within the first 3 weeks of life. At slaughter, body weight of IR calves tended to be higher than that of the ER calves (320 vs. 309 kg, p = 0.07). In conclusion, intensive feeding and individual housing during the first 3 weeks of life had positive long-term effects on subsequent performance. Keywords calf rearing, growth, health status, male calves, metabolic programming Correspondence M. Kaske, University of Zurich, Vetsuisse Faculty, Department for Farm Animals, Winterthurer Strasse 260, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland. Tel: +41 (0)44 6358244; Fax: +41 (0)52 354 97 97; E-mail: [email protected] *Present address: Department for Farm Animals, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Winterthurer Strasse 260, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland Received: 22 February 2014; accepted: 14 July 2014

According to established recommendations, during their first weeks of life, rearing calves are fed restrictively with milk or milk replacer (MR) (e.g. 454 g per day) (Davis and Drackley, 1998; Quigley et al., 2006). However, restrictively fed calves never reach satiety (Hammon et al., 2002; de Passill e et al., 2011), vocalize at higher rates (Thomas et al., 2001; Khan et al., 2007) and develop ethopathies such as sucking each other more frequently than calves fed more intensively (Jensen, 2003; Roth et al., 2009).

In addition to the impact of post-natal feeding intensity on short-term constitution, nutritional stimuli during a sensitive period of development affect the long-term metabolic performance of the adult organism. This phenomenon, called ‘nutritional programming’, ‘developmental programming’ or ‘metabolic imprinting’ (Guilloteau et al., 2009; Kaske et al., 2010), also permanently affects the release of hypothalamic neuropeptides controlling feed intake and long-term weight gain due to the plasticity of the regulatory system (Taylor and Poston, 2007). The ‘predictive adaptive response hypothesis’ proposed that the

Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition © 2014 Blackwell Verlag GmbH

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Introduction

Intensive rearing of Holstein bull calves

degree of mismatch between the perinatal condition and the subsequent environment of the adult determines the risk for metabolic diseases (Gluckman et al., 2005). Clearly, there is a mismatch between the established restricted post-natal feeding regime of calves and the desired maximal feed intake in later life. At present, it is unclear whether this mismatch affects the performance of the calves in later life. It was the objective of this study to investigate the impact of an intensified rearing protocol with ad libitum milk feeding of bull calves and individual housing throughout the first 3 weeks of life on initial and subsequent growth, health status and key metabolic parameters, in relation to an established protocol of restricted feeding and early relocation from calf hutches into a group pen. The hypothesis to be tested was that the weight gain of calves within the first 3 weeks of life may be decisive for the subsequent performance of the animal. Materials and methods Animals

The study was performed using calves from the dairy herd of the Research Centre Futterkamp (190 cows, mean 305 day lactation yield 10 300 kg; SchleswigHolstein, Germany). The study was approved and in accordance with German legislation (Az 3127224.11). Forty-eight singleton male German Holstein bull calves born without or with minimal obstetrical assistance between May and September 2010 were included in the study. The calves were randomly assigned to the treatment group [intensively reared (IR), n = 24] or to the control group (reared according to an established restrictive protocol; ER, n = 24) on day 1 before colostral supply.

P. Maccari et al.

Germany) to obtain a pH of 5.5 in the milk. All calves received once daily 50 g of a supplement in the milk (HaGe Vollmilchaufwerter, HaGe Nord AG, Rendsburg, Germany; Table 1). From day 1, water, hay and calf starter (HaGe Junior 20/III, HaGe Kraftfutterwerk Rendsburg, Germany) were freely available. On day 2, each calf received injections of 1 g iron [as Fe3+-III-hydroxyl-dextran; subcutaneously (s.c.); Belfer, bela-pharm, Vechta, Germany] and vitamins (1 500 000 IU vitamin A, 250 mg a-tocopherolacetat, 500 000 IE cholecalciferol; s.c.; Vitamin ADE; aniMedica, Senden-B€ osensell, Germany). From day 2 to 8, the calves received once daily halofuginon (100 lg/ kg per os; Halocur; Intervet Deutschland GmbH, Unterschleißheim, Germany) for the prevention of diarrhoea caused by Cryptosporidium parvum. Experimental setup

From day 2 to 7, the ER calves were fed 2 l acidified milk twice daily (06:00 hours, 17:00 hours) using nipple buckets. Refusals, if any, were recorded. Consistent with the established raising protocol of calves in Germany, they were transferred on day 8 of life into a group pen spread with straw litter. From day 8 to 28, calves were fed a total of 6 l MR/day (120 g/l; BRIO K€ albermilch, Brio BV, Zeegse, Holland; Table 1) by an automatic feeder (SA 2000; F€ orster Technik, Engen, Germany). Water, hay and concentrates were freely available. The IR calves were housed from day 1 to 21 of life in individual hutches. Acidified milk (6–9 l) was Table 1 Composition of feeds fed to Holstein bull calves until delivery to the fattener

Ingredients

Whole Additive milk to milk* MR†

Calf starter‡ Hay TMR

Housing and management

The calves were housed outdoors individually in straw-bedded hutches. Colostrum from the dam was offered 1–3 times exclusively within the first 12 h after parturition. All calves were fed at least 3 l colostrum; ER calves were offered 3.5 l colostrum (mean intake 3.3 l), whereas colostrum was offered ad libitum to IR calves (mean intake 3.8 l). One ER calf had to be drenched due to insufficient colostrum intake. Ten calves (IR: n = 5; ER: n = 5) received some frozen, thawed and heated colostrum (38 °C), because the dam’s supply was insufficient. At the next meal, ER and IR calves were offered 2 and 6 l transition milk respectively. Milk was acidified (1.5 ml/l; Schaumacid Drink C fl€ ussig, Schaumann GmbH, Pinneberg, 2

MJ ME/kg DM 17.3 Crude protein [g/kg DM] 259 Crude fat [g/kg DM] 308 Crude fibre [g/kg DM] 0 Crude ash [g/kg DM] 56 Lactose [g/kg DM] 377

12.2 122 19 1 86 772

15.9 214 211 179 35 2 75 63 70 542

144 159 11 43 305 173 70 73

TMR, total mixed ration. *HaGe Vollmilch Aufwerter, HaGe Nord GmbH, Rendsburg, Germany (per kg: 250 000 IE vitamin A; 25 000 IE vitamin D3; 1500 mg vitamin E; 2000 mg vitamin C; 2000 mg iron). †MR; milk replacer [BRIO Kaelbermilch, Brio BV, Zeegse, Holland; whey powder, whey protein concentrate, vegetable fat (coconut oil, palm oil)]. ‡HaGe Junior 20/III, HaGe Kraftfutterwerk Rendsburg, Rendsburg, Germany (wheat 30%, wheat gluten 20%, linseed extraction meal 15%, soy extraction meal 12,5%, dried beet pulp 11.5%, rape expeller 5%, molasses 3%, calcium carbonate 1.6%, sodium chloride 0.6%).



P. Maccari et al.

offered twice daily (06:00 hours, 17:00 hours) in nipple buckets ensuring a refusal before each next feeding. The volumes ingested were recorded, and refusals were discarded. On day 22 and 23, a mixture of 2 l acidified milk and 2 l MR was fed twice daily. On day 24, the calves were transferred into the group pen and fed by an automatic feeder (6 l MR/day) up to day 28. From day 24 onwards, calves from both treatment groups were housed together in one pen and fed similarly up to day 70 of respective calf’s life. Weaning took place from day 29 to 70 by progressively reducing the quantity of MR offered to each calf from 6 to 2 l/day. The intake of MR and calf starter was registered at the automatic feeder with specific software (KalbManagerWIN, version 1.2.1.0 and 2.0.0.4). A total mixed ration (TMR; 60% corn silage, 28% grass silage, 12% concentrates, 1% minerals mix on a dry matter basis) was available ad libitum. The consumption of water, hay and TMR was not assessed. After weaning, the IR and ER calves were transported to an outlying fattener at an age of 85 2 days. Sixteen calves (IR: n = 9; ER: n = 7) were housed in a closed stable with a slatted floor and fed corn silage ad libitum and approximately 3 kg concentrate per day and calf. Thirty-two calves (IR: n = 15; ER: n = 17) were housed in an open strawbedded stable and were fed concentrates ad libitum. Two calves (both ER) died at day 110 of life (unknown cause) and at day 129 of life (repeated bloat) respectively. The calves were slaughtered at an age of 238 1 days. Before slaughter, individual BW was assessed. After slaughtering, the carcass weight was recorded and the visceral organs were examined carefully for pathologic findings. The lung of each animal was classified either as ‘healthy’ (i.e. no visible or palpable lesions or mild hyperaemia of the cranioventral lung lobes without consolidations) or as ‘diseased’ (i.e. consolidations present in the cranioventral lobes and/ or perceptible adhesions indicating a pleuritis and/or pleuropneumonia).

disease was diagnosed in case of fever (rectal temperature ≥39.5 °C) together with an increased respiratory rate (>40/min), frequent coughing and pathologic sounds during auscultation above the anteroventral aspects of the lung. Blood samples were collected by puncture of the V. jugularis (1.20 9 40 mm; Sterican; B. Braun Melsungen AG, Melsungen, Germany) in tubes (Monovetten; Sarstedt AG & Co., N€ umbrecht, Germany) containing potassium EDTA, sodium fluoride and coagulation activators in the morning of day 2–3, day 10–12, day 18–21 and day 65–70. Centrifugation (3000 g, 10 min) took place within 1 h after blood sampling. Plasma and serum were transferred into Eppendorf cups and stored at 20 °C until analyses. Analyses

The BW of each calf was recorded after birth and weekly between 09:00 and 12:00 hours for 10 weeks (FX 15; Texas Trading, Windach, Germany). The health status (rectal temperature, respiratory rate, faecal consistency) of each calf was assessed daily between 08:00 and 10:00 hours using a score system. Diarrhoea was diagnosed if the faecal consistency was either soupy or watery. Undifferentiated respiratory

A photometric automatic clinical chemistry analyzer (ABX Pentra 400; Horiba, Montpellier, France) was used to measure the serum concentrations of non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA; 999–75406, Wako Chemicals GmbH, Neuss, Germany), cholesterol (553–124 mti diagnostics GmbH, Idstein, Germany), albumin (A11A01664; ABX Diagnostics, Montpellier, France), total protein (553-412; mti diagnostics GmbH), urea (LT-UR 0050; LABT, Berlin Germany) and glucose concentration in fluoride plasma (553230; mti diagnostics GmbH). Calibration and quality controls were carried out daily. The precision of 20 measurements of one sample was expressed as the respective relative coefficient of variation. Cholesterol, NEFA, total protein and urea concentrations were measured using colorimetric enzymatic reactions (CV 2.5, 2.5, 3.0, 6.6%). Albumin and glucose concentrations were determined by applying the bromocresol green method (CV 1.4%) and hexokinase method (CV 3.1%). For total plasma IGF-I determination, IGF-I was separated from its binding proteins by an acid–ethanol extraction procedure. Thereafter, IGF-I concentrations were determined by an ELISA (DSL-10-5600; Diagnostic Systems Laboratories, Inc., Webster, TX, USA). The intra- and inter-assay CV were 1.5–3.5 and 1.5–8.5%, respectively. GH concentration was measured by an enzymelinked immunosorbent assay according to Roh et al. (1997) with slight modifications. The intra- and interassay CV were 9.8 and 12.6%, respectively. The lowest detection limit was 1.0 ng/ml. To determine plasma insulin concentrations, a radioimmunoassay validated for bovine insulin was used (IM3210; Immunotech, Beckman Coulter, CA,


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Acquisition of data


USA). The intra-assay CV was 7.6%, and the interassay CV was 10.7%. Testosterone concentration was measured after extraction from serum (300 ll) by a direct enzyme immunoassay on microtitre plates, using a secondary antibody-coating technique and horseradish peroxidase as the enzyme label. The antiserum against testosterone was provided by Dr Ulbrich (Physiology Weihenstephan; Technische Universitaet Muenchen, Freising, Germany) and showed the following crossreactivities: 100% testosterone, 10% 5a-dihydrotestosterone, 2% androstendion,