Effects of fat content of high-protein milk replacer on intake and growth performance of Holstein calves in summer and winter

ABSTRACT: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of fat content of high-protein milk replacer on intake and growth performance of dairy calves in summer and winter. Eighty-four Holstein heifer calves (BW at 7 d of age, 42.2 ± 2.54 kg; mean ± SD) were assigned to 1 of the 3 treatment...

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Main Authors: R. Fukami, N. Kobayashi, K. Murayama, M. Oba, T. Sugino
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-06-01
Series:Journal of Dairy Science
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022030225002218
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author R. Fukami
N. Kobayashi
K. Murayama
M. Oba
T. Sugino
author_facet R. Fukami
N. Kobayashi
K. Murayama
M. Oba
T. Sugino
author_sort R. Fukami
collection DOAJ
description ABSTRACT: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of fat content of high-protein milk replacer on intake and growth performance of dairy calves in summer and winter. Eighty-four Holstein heifer calves (BW at 7 d of age, 42.2 ± 2.54 kg; mean ± SD) were assigned to 1 of the 3 treatments: milk replacer containing 21% fat (LF; 4.7 Mcal of ME/kg), 26% fat (MF; 5.0 Mcal of ME/kg), and 32% fat (HF; 5.3 Mcal of ME/kg) on a DM basis (n = 14 each for summer and winter). Milk replacers were offered at 600 g/d (powder basis; 3.6 L/d) from 8 to 14 d, increased up to 800 g/d (4.8 L/d) from 15 to 21 d, 1,200 g/d (7.2 L/d) from 22 to 42 d, decreased down to 800 g/d (4.8 L/d) from 43 to 49 d, and 600 g/d (3.6 L/d) from 50 to 56 d, then weaned at 56 d of age. Data and samples were collected until 91 d of age. All the calves were fed a calf starter and chopped hay ad libitum from 7 d of age. In summer, HF group had lower starter intake than LF and MF groups during 51 to 56 d of age, whereas the HF treatment did not decrease starter intake in winter. These results are consistent with a tendency of interaction between treatment and season for body circumference gain during 43 to 56 d; HF group had lower body circumference gain than LF and MF groups in summer but not for winter. In addition, we found a trend for an interaction between treatment and season for withers height gain during 8 to 21 d; withers height gain in winter increased linearly as fat content of milk replacer increased but not for summer. These results suggested that increasing fat content of milk replacer increases growth performance of dairy calves in the early age, and does not decrease starter intake during the weaning transition in winter, whereas it decreases starter intake in summer.
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spelling doaj-art-daec63eac2cc4e5ca2cac6843c6b67d02025-08-20T02:25:37ZengElsevierJournal of Dairy Science0022-03022025-06-0110865860587410.3168/jds.2024-26151Effects of fat content of high-protein milk replacer on intake and growth performance of Holstein calves in summer and winterR. Fukami0N. Kobayashi1K. Murayama2M. Oba3T. Sugino4Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima, Japan 739-8528Dairy Technology Research Institute, The National Federation of Dairy Co-operative Associations (Zen-Raku-Ren), Nishi-shirakawa, Fukushima, Japan 969-0223Dairy Technology Research Institute, The National Federation of Dairy Co-operative Associations (Zen-Raku-Ren), Nishi-shirakawa, Fukushima, Japan 969-0223Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima, Japan 739-8528; Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2P5, CanadaGraduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima, Japan 739-8528; Corresponding authorABSTRACT: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of fat content of high-protein milk replacer on intake and growth performance of dairy calves in summer and winter. Eighty-four Holstein heifer calves (BW at 7 d of age, 42.2 ± 2.54 kg; mean ± SD) were assigned to 1 of the 3 treatments: milk replacer containing 21% fat (LF; 4.7 Mcal of ME/kg), 26% fat (MF; 5.0 Mcal of ME/kg), and 32% fat (HF; 5.3 Mcal of ME/kg) on a DM basis (n = 14 each for summer and winter). Milk replacers were offered at 600 g/d (powder basis; 3.6 L/d) from 8 to 14 d, increased up to 800 g/d (4.8 L/d) from 15 to 21 d, 1,200 g/d (7.2 L/d) from 22 to 42 d, decreased down to 800 g/d (4.8 L/d) from 43 to 49 d, and 600 g/d (3.6 L/d) from 50 to 56 d, then weaned at 56 d of age. Data and samples were collected until 91 d of age. All the calves were fed a calf starter and chopped hay ad libitum from 7 d of age. In summer, HF group had lower starter intake than LF and MF groups during 51 to 56 d of age, whereas the HF treatment did not decrease starter intake in winter. These results are consistent with a tendency of interaction between treatment and season for body circumference gain during 43 to 56 d; HF group had lower body circumference gain than LF and MF groups in summer but not for winter. In addition, we found a trend for an interaction between treatment and season for withers height gain during 8 to 21 d; withers height gain in winter increased linearly as fat content of milk replacer increased but not for summer. These results suggested that increasing fat content of milk replacer increases growth performance of dairy calves in the early age, and does not decrease starter intake during the weaning transition in winter, whereas it decreases starter intake in summer.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022030225002218calfmilk replacerfatgrowthcold stress
spellingShingle R. Fukami
N. Kobayashi
K. Murayama
M. Oba
T. Sugino
Effects of fat content of high-protein milk replacer on intake and growth performance of Holstein calves in summer and winter
Journal of Dairy Science
calf
milk replacer
fat
growth
cold stress
title Effects of fat content of high-protein milk replacer on intake and growth performance of Holstein calves in summer and winter
title_full Effects of fat content of high-protein milk replacer on intake and growth performance of Holstein calves in summer and winter
title_fullStr Effects of fat content of high-protein milk replacer on intake and growth performance of Holstein calves in summer and winter
title_full_unstemmed Effects of fat content of high-protein milk replacer on intake and growth performance of Holstein calves in summer and winter
title_short Effects of fat content of high-protein milk replacer on intake and growth performance of Holstein calves in summer and winter
title_sort effects of fat content of high protein milk replacer on intake and growth performance of holstein calves in summer and winter
topic calf
milk replacer
fat
growth
cold stress
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022030225002218
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