Effects of milk feeding levels and starter feed crude protein and fat contents on growth performance, rumen fermentation, and purine derivative excretion in urine of dairy calves

ABSTRACT: The study investigated how different milk feeding levels and the composition of the starter feed interact to influence growth performance, rumen fermentation, certain blood parameters, and the excretion of purine derivatives in the urine of dairy calves. A total of 72 female Holstein dairy...

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Main Authors: M. Yazdanyar, M. Kazemi-Bonchenari, M. Eghbali, A. Sadeghisharif, A. Jafari, M. Molaei, M. Kornasi, H. Khalilvandi-Behroozyar, M.H. Ghaffari
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-05-01
Series:Journal of Dairy Science
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022030225001997
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author M. Yazdanyar
M. Kazemi-Bonchenari
M. Eghbali
A. Sadeghisharif
A. Jafari
M. Molaei
M. Kornasi
H. Khalilvandi-Behroozyar
M.H. Ghaffari
author_facet M. Yazdanyar
M. Kazemi-Bonchenari
M. Eghbali
A. Sadeghisharif
A. Jafari
M. Molaei
M. Kornasi
H. Khalilvandi-Behroozyar
M.H. Ghaffari
author_sort M. Yazdanyar
collection DOAJ
description ABSTRACT: The study investigated how different milk feeding levels and the composition of the starter feed interact to influence growth performance, rumen fermentation, certain blood parameters, and the excretion of purine derivatives in the urine of dairy calves. A total of 72 female Holstein dairy calves (mean BW = 40.6 ± 1.9 kg) were assigned to a completely randomized design with a 2 × 3 factorial arrangement. The starter diets differed in CP (20% vs. 24%, DM basis) and total crude fat (CF, ether extract; 3.0% vs. 5.5%, DM basis). The 6 treatment groups were as follows: moderate milk with 20% CP and 3% CF (MM-CON), moderate milk with 24% CP and 3% CF (MM-HCP), moderate milk with 20% CP and 5.5% CF (MM-HCF), high milk with 20% CP and 3% CF (HM-CON), high milk with 24% CP and 3% CF (HM-HCP), and high milk with 20% CP and 5.5% CF (HM-HCF). Calves had free access to a starter feed and water and were weaned on d 53 but remained in the study until d 73. Calves fed the HM-HCF diet had the lowest starter feed intake both pre- and postweaning, and calves fed the HM-HCP and HM-CON diets had the greatest preweaning ADG. Feed efficiency and protein intake were also lowest in HM-HCF calves before weaning, whereas fat intake was consistently greater in calves fed HCF diets. Calves fed the HM-HCP diet had the largest body size, heart girth, and withers height at weaning and at the end of the study, whereas the HM-HCF calves had the smallest. Rumen fermentation profiles showed that total VFA concentrations were lowest in HM-HCF calves, along with an increased acetate-to-propionate ratio. In contrast, HM-HCP calves had a greater molar proportion of propionate preweaning and butyrate postweaning, along with a greater proportion of branched-chain VFA in high-CP diets, indicating more efficient microbial activity in the rumen. Urinary analyses were consistent with these results, as HM-HCF calves had the greatest creatinine levels and lowest urine volumes, whereas HM-HCP calves showed the greatest excretion of the microbial protein synthesis markers allantoin and uric acid. Blood metabolite analysis showed that glucose levels were greater in HM-fed calves preweaning, whereas BHB levels were lowest in HM-HCF calves. Overall, diets with high milk allowance, high CP (24% of DM), and moderate fat (3% of DM) may promote growth, rumen function, and metabolic efficiency, whereas high-fat starter diets (5.5% of DM) may limit feed intake and growth of dairy calves.
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spelling doaj-art-20ffa90b5bda4732b7f9d6128abcf3462025-08-20T02:20:11ZengElsevierJournal of Dairy Science0022-03022025-05-0110855000501510.3168/jds.2024-25957Effects of milk feeding levels and starter feed crude protein and fat contents on growth performance, rumen fermentation, and purine derivative excretion in urine of dairy calvesM. Yazdanyar0M. Kazemi-Bonchenari1M. Eghbali2A. Sadeghisharif3A. Jafari4M. Molaei5M. Kornasi6H. Khalilvandi-Behroozyar7M.H. Ghaffari8Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran 14115-336Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Arak University, Arak, Iran 38156-8-8349; Corresponding authorsDivision of Livestock Science, Department of Sustainable Agricultural Systems, BOKU University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, 1190 Vienna, AustriaZarrin-Khoosheh Commercial Dairy Farm, Arak, Iran 3818139136Department of Animal Science, Yasouj University, Iran 74394-75918Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Arak University, Arak, Iran 38156-8-8349Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Arak University, Arak, Iran 38156-8-8349Department of Animal Science, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran 5756151818Corresponding authors; Institute of Animal Science, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany 53111ABSTRACT: The study investigated how different milk feeding levels and the composition of the starter feed interact to influence growth performance, rumen fermentation, certain blood parameters, and the excretion of purine derivatives in the urine of dairy calves. A total of 72 female Holstein dairy calves (mean BW = 40.6 ± 1.9 kg) were assigned to a completely randomized design with a 2 × 3 factorial arrangement. The starter diets differed in CP (20% vs. 24%, DM basis) and total crude fat (CF, ether extract; 3.0% vs. 5.5%, DM basis). The 6 treatment groups were as follows: moderate milk with 20% CP and 3% CF (MM-CON), moderate milk with 24% CP and 3% CF (MM-HCP), moderate milk with 20% CP and 5.5% CF (MM-HCF), high milk with 20% CP and 3% CF (HM-CON), high milk with 24% CP and 3% CF (HM-HCP), and high milk with 20% CP and 5.5% CF (HM-HCF). Calves had free access to a starter feed and water and were weaned on d 53 but remained in the study until d 73. Calves fed the HM-HCF diet had the lowest starter feed intake both pre- and postweaning, and calves fed the HM-HCP and HM-CON diets had the greatest preweaning ADG. Feed efficiency and protein intake were also lowest in HM-HCF calves before weaning, whereas fat intake was consistently greater in calves fed HCF diets. Calves fed the HM-HCP diet had the largest body size, heart girth, and withers height at weaning and at the end of the study, whereas the HM-HCF calves had the smallest. Rumen fermentation profiles showed that total VFA concentrations were lowest in HM-HCF calves, along with an increased acetate-to-propionate ratio. In contrast, HM-HCP calves had a greater molar proportion of propionate preweaning and butyrate postweaning, along with a greater proportion of branched-chain VFA in high-CP diets, indicating more efficient microbial activity in the rumen. Urinary analyses were consistent with these results, as HM-HCF calves had the greatest creatinine levels and lowest urine volumes, whereas HM-HCP calves showed the greatest excretion of the microbial protein synthesis markers allantoin and uric acid. Blood metabolite analysis showed that glucose levels were greater in HM-fed calves preweaning, whereas BHB levels were lowest in HM-HCF calves. Overall, diets with high milk allowance, high CP (24% of DM), and moderate fat (3% of DM) may promote growth, rumen function, and metabolic efficiency, whereas high-fat starter diets (5.5% of DM) may limit feed intake and growth of dairy calves.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022030225001997milk allowancestarter proteinstarter fatcalf
spellingShingle M. Yazdanyar
M. Kazemi-Bonchenari
M. Eghbali
A. Sadeghisharif
A. Jafari
M. Molaei
M. Kornasi
H. Khalilvandi-Behroozyar
M.H. Ghaffari
Effects of milk feeding levels and starter feed crude protein and fat contents on growth performance, rumen fermentation, and purine derivative excretion in urine of dairy calves
Journal of Dairy Science
milk allowance
starter protein
starter fat
calf
title Effects of milk feeding levels and starter feed crude protein and fat contents on growth performance, rumen fermentation, and purine derivative excretion in urine of dairy calves
title_full Effects of milk feeding levels and starter feed crude protein and fat contents on growth performance, rumen fermentation, and purine derivative excretion in urine of dairy calves
title_fullStr Effects of milk feeding levels and starter feed crude protein and fat contents on growth performance, rumen fermentation, and purine derivative excretion in urine of dairy calves
title_full_unstemmed Effects of milk feeding levels and starter feed crude protein and fat contents on growth performance, rumen fermentation, and purine derivative excretion in urine of dairy calves
title_short Effects of milk feeding levels and starter feed crude protein and fat contents on growth performance, rumen fermentation, and purine derivative excretion in urine of dairy calves
title_sort effects of milk feeding levels and starter feed crude protein and fat contents on growth performance rumen fermentation and purine derivative excretion in urine of dairy calves
topic milk allowance
starter protein
starter fat
calf
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022030225001997
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