The relationship between ruminal mat consistency of calves and mortality or immunity

Abstract Two studies were conducted on the relationship between ruminal mat consistency (RMC) and (1) calf mortality or (2) immunity. Assessment of RMC was by ten repeated manual compressions of the middle rumen; good-RMC showed no fluid bounce-back (FBB), while poor-RMC showed FBB. The first study...

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Main Authors: Shinsuke Abe, Kazuho Suzuki, Yosuke Sasaki, Masahiro Yasuda
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-05-01
Series:Scientific Reports
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-02398-w
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author Shinsuke Abe
Kazuho Suzuki
Yosuke Sasaki
Masahiro Yasuda
author_facet Shinsuke Abe
Kazuho Suzuki
Yosuke Sasaki
Masahiro Yasuda
author_sort Shinsuke Abe
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Two studies were conducted on the relationship between ruminal mat consistency (RMC) and (1) calf mortality or (2) immunity. Assessment of RMC was by ten repeated manual compressions of the middle rumen; good-RMC showed no fluid bounce-back (FBB), while poor-RMC showed FBB. The first study examined whether RMC affected calf mortality. Monthly feeding management guidance (FMG) was implemented for 5 years on a commercial farm with Holstein–Friesian × Japanese black calves, directing increased forage consumption for poor-RMC calves aged 50–180 days. Compared to 35 control farms, the FMG period showed significantly lower total mortality (3.8% vs. 0.8%, P < 0.001, OR = 4.7) and lower respiratory mortality (2.3% vs. 0.1%, P < 0.001, OR = 18.3). The second study tested the hypothesis that RMC affects calf immunity. Peripheral blood of good-RMC (n = 6) and poor-RMC (n = 6) calves was compared. Good-RMC showed higher phagocytosis in monocytes (P = 0.05, r = 0.63) and granulocytes (P = 0.02, r = 0.78), and higher numbers of CD4 + (P = 0.07, r = 0.58), CD8 + (P = 0.07, r = 0.60), and B-cells (P = 0.03, r = 0.62). In mRNA expression, good-RMC showed lower TNF-α (P = 0.02, r = 0.70), IL-1 (P = 0.09, r = 0.49), IL-12 (P = 0.04, r = 0.59) and IL-10 (P = 0.13, r = 0.44), and higher IL-16 (P = 0.07, r = 0.53) compared to poor-RMC. These results suggest that RMC affects calf mortality and immunity, emphasizing the importance of feeding management in improving sustainability.
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spelling doaj-art-b5272b10ee6b43f9ad463c41adaa3fbd2025-08-20T03:08:40ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-05-0115111410.1038/s41598-025-02398-wThe relationship between ruminal mat consistency of calves and mortality or immunityShinsuke Abe0Kazuho Suzuki1Yosuke Sasaki2Masahiro Yasuda3Graduate School of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, University of MiyazakiMiyazaki Agricultural Mutual Aid AssociationDepartment of Agriculture, School of Agriculture, Meiji UniversityGraduate School of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, University of MiyazakiAbstract Two studies were conducted on the relationship between ruminal mat consistency (RMC) and (1) calf mortality or (2) immunity. Assessment of RMC was by ten repeated manual compressions of the middle rumen; good-RMC showed no fluid bounce-back (FBB), while poor-RMC showed FBB. The first study examined whether RMC affected calf mortality. Monthly feeding management guidance (FMG) was implemented for 5 years on a commercial farm with Holstein–Friesian × Japanese black calves, directing increased forage consumption for poor-RMC calves aged 50–180 days. Compared to 35 control farms, the FMG period showed significantly lower total mortality (3.8% vs. 0.8%, P < 0.001, OR = 4.7) and lower respiratory mortality (2.3% vs. 0.1%, P < 0.001, OR = 18.3). The second study tested the hypothesis that RMC affects calf immunity. Peripheral blood of good-RMC (n = 6) and poor-RMC (n = 6) calves was compared. Good-RMC showed higher phagocytosis in monocytes (P = 0.05, r = 0.63) and granulocytes (P = 0.02, r = 0.78), and higher numbers of CD4 + (P = 0.07, r = 0.58), CD8 + (P = 0.07, r = 0.60), and B-cells (P = 0.03, r = 0.62). In mRNA expression, good-RMC showed lower TNF-α (P = 0.02, r = 0.70), IL-1 (P = 0.09, r = 0.49), IL-12 (P = 0.04, r = 0.59) and IL-10 (P = 0.13, r = 0.44), and higher IL-16 (P = 0.07, r = 0.53) compared to poor-RMC. These results suggest that RMC affects calf mortality and immunity, emphasizing the importance of feeding management in improving sustainability.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-02398-wBovine respiratory diseaseCytokine mRNAFlow cytometryMortalityPhagocytic abilityRuminal mat
spellingShingle Shinsuke Abe
Kazuho Suzuki
Yosuke Sasaki
Masahiro Yasuda
The relationship between ruminal mat consistency of calves and mortality or immunity
Scientific Reports
Bovine respiratory disease
Cytokine mRNA
Flow cytometry
Mortality
Phagocytic ability
Ruminal mat
title The relationship between ruminal mat consistency of calves and mortality or immunity
title_full The relationship between ruminal mat consistency of calves and mortality or immunity
title_fullStr The relationship between ruminal mat consistency of calves and mortality or immunity
title_full_unstemmed The relationship between ruminal mat consistency of calves and mortality or immunity
title_short The relationship between ruminal mat consistency of calves and mortality or immunity
title_sort relationship between ruminal mat consistency of calves and mortality or immunity
topic Bovine respiratory disease
Cytokine mRNA
Flow cytometry
Mortality
Phagocytic ability
Ruminal mat
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-02398-w
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