Search Results (19)

Weaning is challenging for dairy calves, frequently resulting in digestive issues. This highlights the importance of implementing appropriate nutritional strategies to enhance gut health and support optimal growth. Postbiotics is a promising alternative to traditional probiotics, conferring health benefits without the risks associated with live bacteria. This study aimed to investigate the effect of dietary supplementation with a postbiotic from dead-cell Limosilactobacillus ingluviei C37 (postbiotic LIC37) on blood biochemical parameters and jejunal epithelium transcriptomic profiles in calves. Fourteen Holstein bull calves were randomly allocated into two groups (n = 7). The control group (CON) received a basic diet, while the postbiotic group (DCLI) was supplemented with 1 g/d of postbiotic LIC37 for 90 days. Blood samples were collected on days 76, 83, and 90, respectively. The jejunal epithelial tissue was obtained from four randomly selected calves per group at day 90 for transcriptome analysis. The results showed that postbiotic LIC37 supplementation reduced globulin, total protein, neutrophil (Neu) levels, and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) levels in the DCLI group (p < 0.05). Transcriptomic analysis identified 76 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), with significant upregulation of genes involved in fatty acid metabolism (FABP1), intestinal barrier function (B4GALNT2), and detoxification (GSTA1), alongside downregulation of immune response regulation (FCRLA, FCRL4). Gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses highlighted enrichment in pathways related to glutathione metabolism, drug metabolism, and vitamin digestion, indicating that postbiotic supplementation improved detoxification, oxidative stress defense, and nutrient absorption in calves. This study provides novel insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying the benefits of postbiotic LIC37 and supports its potential as a sustainable alternative to probiotics in calf nutrition. Full article

Beef is a dominant meat commodity produced mainly from beef cattle breeds. Dairy cattle breeds are reared for milk production, but their calves could be raised to produce high quality meat subject to designated feeding. The objective here was to investigate the role of oregano oil-enriched diets on the quality characteristics of meat produced by Holstein bulls. Fifty Holstein bulls, aged 12 ± 2 months and with an average weight of 365 ± 60 kg, were used. They were equally allocated in two experimental groups (n = 25). One group (group CON) was offered a basal diet and the other (group OREG) the same diet enriched with 50 mg/kg DM of oregano oil, for a period of 90 days. Afterwards, meat samples were subjected to microbiological (1 h after slaughter), physicochemical (1st and 15th day after slaughter), and sensory analyses (15th day after slaughter). The beef of group OREG is characterized with improved color parameters and a lower malondialdehyde (MDA) production rate and content (68.52 ng/g versus 105.91 ng/g, p = 0.01). The sensory evaluation of beef revealed higher scores for group OREG in flavor (3.88 versus 3.17, p = 0.0007) and color (3.87 versus 3.21, p = 0.001), as well as higher nutritional value, which was associated with significantly higher levels of alanine, arginine, aspartic acid, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, valine, and total amino acids (p < 0.05). Thus, the results suggest that the quality of the meat of Holstein bulls can be improved when they are fed a diet enriched with oregano oil. Full article

Objectives: Various measures have been attempted to prevent infectious diseases in calves, such as environmental improvement and vaccine administration. Probiotics are commonly used to improve the body condition of newborn calves and prevent disease. In our previous research, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum RGU-LP1 (LP1) suppressed the expression of inflammatory cytokines in PBMCs of cattle fed it in the diet. In this study, we evaluated the effect of LP1 on the weights and number of treatments of the calves. Methods: Twenty-six one-week-old Holstein bull calves were divided into two groups (thirteen each), the LP1 group (LP1-treated) and the CN group (no LP1 fed), and tested as follows. The LP1 group was fed lyophilized LP1 (10⁹ CFU/head/day) in milk replacer for 40 days. The CN group was fed the same diet only. Calves were followed for 63 days. The average treatment costs for the LP1 during the period were recorded. Feces and blood were collected from each calf during this period. Feces were examined for gut microbiota, and blood for immune assay and cytokine gene expression. Results: The LP1-treated group showed a decrease in disease incidence and an increase in body weights compared to controls. The average treatment cost during the observation period was significantly reduced compared to the CN group. The expression of TGFβ and IL10, inhibitory cytokines of inflammation, was significantly increased. The simultaneous expression of this set of inhibitory molecules resulted in low serum IL1β levels during the growth period. Conclusions: The Th1-type cytokine IFNγ was also significantly increased in LP1-treated calves. By reducing the amount of disease treatments and increasing dairy gain, LP1 is effective in preventing infectious diseases in calves. In addition, the increase in IFNγ by LP1 indicates improved Th1-type immunity in calves. These results show that LP1 has effects on the regulated inflammatory response and growth of calves. Full article

Low birth weight (BW) calves exhibit higher mortality rates, reduced body weights at parturition, lower first-lactation milk yields, and longer parturition to first insemination intervals. In human medicine, small for gestational age (SGA) births are associated with increased perinatal morbidity and long-term metabolic risks. This study aimed to define SGA in Holstein Friesian (HF) calves, evaluate their body measurements and proportions, and identify its prenatal risk factors. Four linear regression models were built with weight as a function for gestation length for bull and heifer calves born from nulli- or multiparous dams. Calves with a BW below the 10th percentile were classified as SGA. Differences in body measurements were analyzed using ANOVA, and logistic regression models identified prenatal risk factors to be born SGA. Gestation length, calf sex, and dam parity were crucial variables in defining SGA. SGA calves had significantly smaller body measurements (p < 0.001) and larger body proportions (p < 0.001) compared to average and large calves. For nulliparous dams, a higher 2nd trimester temperature–humidity index (p = 0.032) and older age at parturition (>26 months, p = 0.026) significantly increased the birth of SGA calves. For multiparous dams, both low (<5800 kg, p = 0.049) and high (6700–8600 kg, p = 0.027) milk yields during gestation lead to more SGA births, although very high-yielding dams (>8600 kg) did not birth more SGA calves. This study establishes SGA in HF calves, suggests SGA calves are asymmetrical with evidence of “brain sparing”, and highlights the impact of prenatal factors on calf size at birth. Further research is needed to determine the long-term effects of being born SGA on growth, reproductive performance, and productivity. Full article

The purpose of this study was to analyze the ultrastructure of the testes of sexually immature calves and reproductive bulls of the Polish Holstein-Friesian Black-and-White breed. Utilizing TEM, this study identified three distinct stages of seminiferous tubule development in calves, characterized by varying shapes, distributions, and arrangements of individual cells. In immature animals, early developing spermatocytes, prespermatogonia, and pre-Sertoli cells were observed within the seminiferous tubules. In sexually mature bulls, all cells of the spermatogenic series were observed, situated on a thin, multilayered basal lamina, which forms characteristic undulations. An abundant smooth endoplasmic reticulum was observed in the cytoplasm of spermatogonia in both groups of animals, forming characteristic membranous swirls. In adult bulls, spermatogonia maintain contact with each other through numerous cytoplasmic bridges and cell connections, forming small spaces with visible microvilli between them. The ultrastructural analysis facilitated the identification of morphological changes occurring during the maturation of pre-Sertoli cells, transitioning from a large euchromatic nucleus to a nucleus in which the formation of characteristic vesicles and tubules could be observed. It should also be emphasized that two types of Sertoli cells, namely dark and light electron-dense cells, can be found in cattle. These cells differ from each other, indicating that they may perform different functions. The widespread recognition of the presence of two types of Sertoli cells in cattle will undoubtedly contribute to a better understanding of the processes occurring within the testes and provide a basis for further research in this area. Full article

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of exogenous glucocorticoid administration on leptin concentrations and brain development markers, such as protein and hypothalamic gene expression, in dairy bull calves. Within 4 h of parturition, Holstein bulls were intravenously infused with either a low cortisol dose (LC; n = 9, 3.5 µg/kg of body weight (BW)), high cortisol dose (HC; n = 9, 7.0 µg/kg BW), or control (CON; n = 9, saline) dose, with a 2nd infusion 24 h postpartum. Jugular blood was collected prior to infusion and daily until the calves were euthanized (day 5). Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from the third ventricle and adipose (omental, perirenal, and mesenteric) and hypothalamic tissue were collected. The blood and CSF samples were analyzed for leptin concentrations. The data were analyzed using SAS. Serum (p = 0.013) and CSF (p = 0.005) leptin concentrations in HC- and LC-treated calves were decreased compared with CON-treated calves. Leptin protein expression was decreased (p < 0.044) in perirenal and omental adipose tissue of LC-treated calves compared with CON-treated calves. Gene abundance of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and fibroblast growth factors 1 and 2 were decreased (p < 0.006) in HC- and LC-treated calves compared with CON-treated calves. In summary, cortisol administered to dairy bull calves reduced leptin concentrations, decreased leptin protein expression in perirenal and omental adipose tissue, and altered gene expression in hypothalamic tissue. Full article

Recording of body weights of dairy calves may assist producers in monitoring the health status of calves and making feed-related management decisions. Traditional methods of weighing calves can be time-consuming and labor-intensive. The objective of this study was to evaluate a forefront weight scale on stalls attached to an automated calf milk feeder system to determine the accuracy for measuring the calf body weights of Holstein and crossbred dairy calves. The study was conducted at the University of Minnesota West Central Research and Outreach Center, Morris, MN, dairy. Eighty-eight Holstein and crossbred calves were fed either 8 L/d or ad libitum milk from September 2019 to February 2020 and March 2020 to July 2020. Crossbred calves were Grazecross crossbreds composted of Jersey, Viking Red, and Normande, ProCross crossbreds composed of Holstein, Montbéliarde, and Viking Red, Limousin-sired crossbred dairy × beef bull calves, and Limousin-sired crossbred dairy × beef heifer calves. The Limousin-sired calves were from Holstein or crossbred dams. Calves were introduced to the Holm & Laue Calf Expert and Hygiene Station automatic calf feeder (Holm & Laue GmbH & Co. KG, Westerrönfeld, Germany) at 5 days of age and were weaned at 56 d. Forefront weight scales were attached to four hygiene station feeding stalls on the automated calf milk feeder, and calves were required to place both front hooves on the scale to access milk. The calf weights from the automated milk feeder were compared to the gold standard calibrated electronic scale (Avery Weigh-Tronix LLC, Fairmont, MN scale). Calves were weighed once per week using the electronic scale, and those weights were compared to the most recent weight recorded by the forefront scale. The associations of the weights from the automated milk feeder scale and the electronic scale were determined with Pearson correlations (PROC CORR of SAS) and Bland–Altman plots (PROC SGPLOT of SAS). Furthermore, PROC GLM of SAS was used to regress the electronic scale body weight on the forefront weight scale body weight for each calf. A total of 600 weight observations were used for statistical analysis. The Pearson correlation of the electronic scale compared to the forefront weight scale was high (0.991), and the concordance correlation coefficient was high (0.987). Correlations for individual calves ranged from 0.852 to 0.999 and were classified as high. Correlations of the electronic scale and forefront weight scale for breed groups ranged from 0.990 to 0.994. The slope of the regression line was 0.9153, and the 95% confidence interval was between 0.906 and 0.925. A mean bias of 0.529 kg was observed from the Bland–Altman plots. The results suggest that there is potential for the forefront weight scale to be used on automated calf milk feeders to accurately record the body weights of calves and support management decision-making, identify sick calves, and help producers determine the proper dosage of medications for calves based on body weight. Full article

Selecting suitable feed types and understanding the gastrointestinal digestive mechanism are helpful for the growth and health of calves in intensive dairy farming. However, the effects on rumen development of changing the molecular genetic basis and the regulatory mechanism by using different feed types are still unclear. Nine 7-day-old Holstein bull calves were randomly divided into GF (concentrate), GFF (alfalfa: oat grass = 3:2) and TMR (concentrate: alfalfa grass: oat grass: water = 0.30:0.12:0.08:0.50) diet experiment groups. Rumen tissue and serum samples were collected for physiological and transcriptomic analysis after 80 days. The results showed that serum α-amylase content and ceruloplasmin activity were significantly higher in the TMR group, and Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis ncRNAs and mRNAs were significantly enriched in the pathways of rumen epithelial development and stimulated rumen cell growth, including the Hippo signaling pathway, Wnt signaling pathway, thyroid hormone signaling pathway, ECM–receptor interaction and the absorption of protein and fat. The circRNAs/lncRNA-miRNAs-mRNA networks constructed, including novel_circ_0002471, novel_circ_0012104, TCONS_00946152, TCONS_00960915, bta-miR-11975, bta-miR-2890, PADI3 and CLEC6A, participated in metabolic pathways of lipid, immune system, oxidative stress and muscle development. In conclusion, the TMR diet could improve rumen digestive enzyme activities, stimulate rumen nutrient absorption and stimulate the DEGs related to energy homeostasis and microenvironment balance, and is thus better than the GF and GFF diets for promoting rumen growth and development. Full article

The neonatal leptin surge is important for hypothalamic development, feed intake regulation, and long-term metabolic control. In sheep, the leptin surge is eliminated with maternal overnutrition and an elevated dam body condition score (BCS), but this has not been assessed in dairy cattle. The aim of this study was to characterize the neonatal profile of leptin, cortisol and other key metabolites in calves born to Holstein cows with a range of BCS. Dam BCS was determined 21 d before expected parturition. Blood was collected from calves within 4 h of birth (d 0), and on days 1, 3, 5, and 7. Serum was analyzed for concentrations of leptin, cortisol, blood urea nitrogen, β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), free fatty acids (FFA), triglycerides, and total protein (TP). Statistical analysis was performed separately for calves sired by Holstein (HOL) or Angus (HOL-ANG) bulls. Leptin tended to decrease after birth in HOL calves, but there was no evidence of an association between leptin and BCS. For HOL calves, the cortisol level increased with an increasing dam BCS on day 0 only. Dam BCS was variably associated with the calf BHB and TP levels, depending on the sire breed and day of age. Further investigation is required to elucidate the impacts of maternal dietary and energy status during gestation on offspring metabolism and performance, in addition to the potential impact of the absence of a leptin surge on long-term feed intake regulation in dairy cattle. Full article

Approximately 42% of the total calves born in New Zealand’s dairy industry are either euthanized on farms or commercially slaughtered as so-called bobby calves within 2 weeks of age. These practices have perceived ethical issues and are considered a waste of resources because these calves could be grown on and processed for beef. Young beef cattle harvested between 8 and 12 months of age would represent a new class of beef production for New Zealand and would allow for a greater number of calves to be utilized for beef production, reducing bobby calf numbers in New Zealand. However, the acceptance of such a system in competition with existing sheep and beef cattle production systems is unknown. Therefore, the current study employed an agent-based model (ABM) developed for dairy-origin beef cattle production systems to understand price levers that might influence the acceptance of young beef production systems on sheep and beef cattle farms in New Zealand. The agents of the model were the rearer, finisher, and processor. Rearers bought in 4-days old dairy-origin calves and weaned them at approximately 100 kg live weight before selling them to finishers. Finishers managed the young beef cattle until they were between 8 and 12 months of age in contrast to 20 to 30 months for traditional beef cattle. Processing young beef cattle in existing beef production systems without any price premium only led to an additional 5% of cattle being utilized compared to the traditional beef cattle production system in New Zealand. This increased another 2% when both weaner cattle and young beef were sold at a price premium of 10%. In this scenario, Holstein Friesian young bull contributed more than 65% of total young beef cattle. Further premium prices for young beef cattle production systems increased the proportion of young beef cattle (mainly as young bull beef), however, there was a decrease in the total number of dairy-origin cattle processed, for the given feed supply, compared to the 10% premium price. Further studies are required to identify price levers and other alternative young beef production systems to increase the number of young beef cattle as well the total number of dairy-origin beef cattle for beef on sheep and beef cattle farms. Some potential options for investigation are meat quality, retailer and consumer perspectives, and whether dairy farmers may have to pay calf rearers to utilize calves with lower growth potential. Full article

Due to the occurrence of plastic impaction in ruminants and its deleterious effects on health and production, it is necessary to determine the suitability of biodegradable polymers to replace polyethylene-based agricultural plastics, such as hay netting. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the clearance of a polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) and poly(butylene succinate-co-adipate) (PBSA) melt-blend polymer from the rumen when fed to cattle and subsequent animal health. Twelve Holstein bull calves were dosed with an encapsulated 13.6 g of PBSA:PHA (Blend), 13.6 g of low-density polyethylene (LDPE), or four empty gelatin capsules (Control) for 30 d. The feed intake, body weight, and body temperature were evaluated, and hemograms were run on d 0 and d 30. On d 31, calves were euthanized to evaluate gross rumen measurements and pathology, papillae length, and polymer residues in rumen contents. No calves presented any signs related to plastic impaction. The feed intake; body weight; rectal temperature; hematological parameters; gross rumen measurements and pathology; and rumen pH and temperature were not affected by treatments. Calves dosed with LDPE had 27 g of undegraded polymer retained in the rumen while Blend calves had only 2 g of fragmented polymers that were 10% of their original size. Agricultural plastics developed from PBSA:PHA may be a suitable alternative to LDPE-based products in the case of animal ingestion and may reduce the incidence of plastic impaction. Full article

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of imported semen of Holstein bulls from different countries on the economic traits of their daughters using the Lifetime Net Income (LNI) index in various climates of Iran. The data included the first lactation records of 274,057 Holstein cows collected during 1993 to 2017 by the Animal Breeding Center of Iran from 10 large dairy farms located in various provinces of Iran. The investigated traits included milk, fat and protein yields, calving age and calving interval. Breeding values of progenies were predicted by the Best Linear Unbiased Prediction (BLUP) method under the multi-trait animal model using DMU software. The genetic-economic merit of the progenies was estimated by the LNI index. There were significant differences between the estimated breeding values (EBVs) of sire groups (based on bull semen origin) for milk, fat and protein yields, calving age and calving interval in each climate (p < 0.01). The obtained results showed that the highest least-square means of LNI index in semi-cold, moderate and warm climates belonged to the daughters of French sires; however, daughters of German sires were estimated to have the highest least-square means in the cold climate. Full article

Agent-based modeling (ABM) enables an in silico representation of complex systems and captures agent behavior resulting from interaction with other agents and their environment. This study developed an ABM to represent a pasture-based beef cattle finishing systems in New Zealand (NZ) using attributes of the rearer, finisher, and processor, as well as specific attributes of dairy-origin beef cattle. The model was parameterized using values representing 1% of NZ dairy-origin cattle, and 10% of rearers and finishers in NZ. The cattle agent consisted of 32% Holstein-Friesian, 50% Holstein-Friesian–Jersey crossbred, and 8% Jersey, with the remainder being other breeds. Rearers and finishers repetitively and simultaneously interacted to determine the type and number of cattle populating the finishing system. Rearers brought in four-day-old spring-born calves and reared them until 60 calves (representing a full truck load) on average had a live weight of 100 kg before selling them on to finishers. Finishers mainly attained weaners from rearers, or directly from dairy farmers when weaner demand was higher than the supply from rearers. Fast-growing cattle were sent for slaughter before the second winter, and the remainder were sent before their third winter. The model finished a higher number of bulls than heifers and steers, although it was 4% lower than the industry reported value. Holstein-Friesian and Holstein-Friesian–Jersey-crossbred cattle dominated the dairy-origin beef finishing system. Jersey cattle account for less than 5% of total processed beef cattle. Further studies to include retailer and consumer perspectives and other decision alternatives for finishing farms would improve the applicability of the model for decision-making processes. Full article

The goal of our study was to identify the SNPs, metabolic pathways (KEGG), and gene ontology (GO) terms significantly associated with calving and workability traits in dairy cattle. We analysed direct (DCE) and maternal (MCE) calving ease, direct (DSB) and maternal (MSB) stillbirth, milking speed (MSP), and temperament (TEM) based on a Holstein-Friesian dairy cattle population consisting of 35,203 individuals. The number of animals, depending on the trait, ranged from 22,301 bulls for TEM to 30,603 for DCE. We estimated the SNP effects (based on 46,216 polymorphisms from Illumina BovineSNP50 BeadChip Version 2) using a multi-SNP mixed model. The SNP positions were mapped to genes and the GO terms/KEGG pathways of the corresponding genes were assigned. The estimation of the GO term/KEGG pathway effects was based on a mixed model using the SNP effects as dependent variables. The number of significant SNPs comprised 59 for DCE, 25 for DSB and MSP, 17 for MCE and MSB, and 7 for TEM. Significant KEGG pathways were found for MSB (2), TEM (2), and MSP (1) and 11 GO terms were significant for MSP, 10 for DCE, 8 for DSB and TEM, 5 for MCE, and 3 for MSB. From the perspective of a better understanding of the genomic background of the phenotypes, traits with low heritabilities suggest that the focus should be moved from single genes to the metabolic pathways or gene ontologies significant for the phenotype. Full article

Three cattle welfare indicators (lameness, dirtiness, and abomasal disorders) were evaluated in 412 slaughter cattle in a cross-sectional study in Austria. The aims of this study were (1) to evaluate the prevalence of lameness, dirtiness of slaughter cattle, and abomasal disorders; and (2) to determine the association between these welfare indicators and animal-related factors (e.g., housing type, carcass weight, transportation and waiting duration of the animals). The lameness prevalence was 0.73%, the abomasal disorders prevalence was 52.43%, and 88.59% of all cattle were contaminated. The latter result indicates that the cattle were kept in a dirty environment. The occurrence of abomasal disorders was associated with cattle housing systems (p ≤ 0.00) and slaughter weight (p = 0.03). The odds for abomasal disorders were 28.0 times higher for cattle housed on slatted flooring compared to cattle kept in a tethered system. The chance for occurrence of abomasal disorders was 3.6 times higher for cattle with a low carcass weight compared to cattle with a high carcass weight. Furthermore, significant associations were found between dirtiness (also referred to as cleanliness or contamination) and husbandry system, sex, and breed. Cattle housed in deep litter boxes had 40.8 times higher odds of being contaminated compared to cattle in a tethered housing system. Cows (odds: 32.9) and heifers (odds: 4.4) had higher odds of being contaminated with feces compared to bulls, whereby female calves (odds: 0.09) and male calves (odds: 0.02) had significantly lower odds of being contaminated. Furthermore, the breeds Brown Swiss (odds: 0.26) and Holstein-Friesian (odds: 0.14) had a significantly lower chance of being contaminated compared to Simmental cattle. Other collected factors, such as production system, transportation duration, life days of the cattle, average daily weight gain, carcass classification, and fat coverage, showed no association with the collected welfare indicators. The study presented here indicates that welfare indicators evaluated for slaughter cattle are suitable to assess cattle welfare, and improvements in husbandry may positively impact both the abomasal physiology and cleanliness of cattle. Full article