Effects of the physical form of starter feed on the intake, performance, and health of female Holstein calves
Available literature on the effect of various physical forms of starter feed (PFSF) on calf performance is conflicting. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the effect of the PFSF on feed intake, growth performance, blood metabolites, and the health of dairy calves. Twenty-four female Holstein calv...
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| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-02-01
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| Series: | Animal |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1751731124003379 |
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| author | Í.R.R. Castro G.B.C. Leite I.F. Carrari L.N.C. Silva J.C.C. Chagas D.D. More M.I. Marcondes |
| author_facet | Í.R.R. Castro G.B.C. Leite I.F. Carrari L.N.C. Silva J.C.C. Chagas D.D. More M.I. Marcondes |
| author_sort | Í.R.R. Castro |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Available literature on the effect of various physical forms of starter feed (PFSF) on calf performance is conflicting. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the effect of the PFSF on feed intake, growth performance, blood metabolites, and the health of dairy calves. Twenty-four female Holstein calves (5-d-old; 40.4 ± 3.86 kg BW; mean ± SD) were used in a completely randomized block design. Calves were individually housed and randomly assigned to the treatments (n = 12 calves/treatment): (1) textured starter feed (TSF, a mix of pelleted ingredients and whole-kernel corn) and (2) pelleted starter feed (PSF). Both starter feeds had the same ingredients, nutrient compositions and pellet die size. Calves were fed the same milk replacer and weaned in a step-down scheme at 67 d. Health was evaluated daily until weaning. Treatments did not affect starter feed intake, water intake, BW, ADG, withers height, or clinical signs of disease (loss of appetite, ear position, and cough incidence). Nonetheless, scores for abnormal attitude (P = 0.01), ocular discharge (P < 0.01), total respiratory disease (P = 0.02), and fecal consistency (P = 0.04) of PSF-fed calves were higher than those TSF-fed. Based on that, TSF-fed calves exhibited a higher non-disease probability compared to PSF over time. Calves TSF-fed sorted against small particles (0.425-mm sieve; P = 0.01). Coincidently, PSF-fed animals sorted for small particles in the same sieve sizes. No major changes in blood profile were found (P > 0.05). In conclusion, starter feeds containing whole-kernel corn as a texturizer did not improve the intake and performance of dairy calves compared with pelleted starter feed; however, improvements were observed in health scores and non-disease probability of calves fed textured starter feed. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-003b4d12f355479a89ed5d145692e8f3 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1751-7311 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Animal |
| spelling | doaj-art-003b4d12f355479a89ed5d145692e8f32025-02-12T05:30:51ZengElsevierAnimal1751-73112025-02-01192101400Effects of the physical form of starter feed on the intake, performance, and health of female Holstein calvesÍ.R.R. Castro0G.B.C. Leite1I.F. Carrari2L.N.C. Silva3J.C.C. Chagas4D.D. More5M.I. Marcondes6Department of Animal Science, Universidade Federal de Viçosa (UFV), Av. Peter Henry Rolfs, s/n - Campus Universitário, Viçosa - MG, 36570-900, Brazil; Department of Animal Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USADepartment of Animal Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USADepartment of Animal Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USACenter of Agrarian Sciences, Universidade Federal do Norte do Tocantins (UFNT), Araguaína, 77804-970, TO, BrazilDepartment of Applied Animal Science and Welfare, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SE-90183, Umeå, SwedenUSDA/ARS/ADRU, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USADepartment of Animal Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA; William H. Miner Agricultural Research Institute, Chazy, NY 12921, USA; Corresponding author.Available literature on the effect of various physical forms of starter feed (PFSF) on calf performance is conflicting. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the effect of the PFSF on feed intake, growth performance, blood metabolites, and the health of dairy calves. Twenty-four female Holstein calves (5-d-old; 40.4 ± 3.86 kg BW; mean ± SD) were used in a completely randomized block design. Calves were individually housed and randomly assigned to the treatments (n = 12 calves/treatment): (1) textured starter feed (TSF, a mix of pelleted ingredients and whole-kernel corn) and (2) pelleted starter feed (PSF). Both starter feeds had the same ingredients, nutrient compositions and pellet die size. Calves were fed the same milk replacer and weaned in a step-down scheme at 67 d. Health was evaluated daily until weaning. Treatments did not affect starter feed intake, water intake, BW, ADG, withers height, or clinical signs of disease (loss of appetite, ear position, and cough incidence). Nonetheless, scores for abnormal attitude (P = 0.01), ocular discharge (P < 0.01), total respiratory disease (P = 0.02), and fecal consistency (P = 0.04) of PSF-fed calves were higher than those TSF-fed. Based on that, TSF-fed calves exhibited a higher non-disease probability compared to PSF over time. Calves TSF-fed sorted against small particles (0.425-mm sieve; P = 0.01). Coincidently, PSF-fed animals sorted for small particles in the same sieve sizes. No major changes in blood profile were found (P > 0.05). In conclusion, starter feeds containing whole-kernel corn as a texturizer did not improve the intake and performance of dairy calves compared with pelleted starter feed; however, improvements were observed in health scores and non-disease probability of calves fed textured starter feed.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1751731124003379Fecal compositionParticle size distributionSorting behaviorSurvival analysisWhole grain |
| spellingShingle | Í.R.R. Castro G.B.C. Leite I.F. Carrari L.N.C. Silva J.C.C. Chagas D.D. More M.I. Marcondes Effects of the physical form of starter feed on the intake, performance, and health of female Holstein calves Animal Fecal composition Particle size distribution Sorting behavior Survival analysis Whole grain |
| title | Effects of the physical form of starter feed on the intake, performance, and health of female Holstein calves |
| title_full | Effects of the physical form of starter feed on the intake, performance, and health of female Holstein calves |
| title_fullStr | Effects of the physical form of starter feed on the intake, performance, and health of female Holstein calves |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effects of the physical form of starter feed on the intake, performance, and health of female Holstein calves |
| title_short | Effects of the physical form of starter feed on the intake, performance, and health of female Holstein calves |
| title_sort | effects of the physical form of starter feed on the intake performance and health of female holstein calves |
| topic | Fecal composition Particle size distribution Sorting behavior Survival analysis Whole grain |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1751731124003379 |
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