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Silva FG, Silva SR, Pereira AMF, Cerqueira JL, Conceição C. A Comprehensive Review of Bovine Colostrum Components and Selected Aspects Regarding Their Impact on Neonatal Calf Physiology. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:1130. [PMID: 38612369 PMCID: PMC11010951 DOI: 10.3390/ani14071130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2024] [Revised: 04/04/2024] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Colostrum contains macro- and micronutrients necessary to meet the nutritional and energy requirements of the neonatal calf, bioactive components that intervene in several physiological aspects, and cells and microorganisms that modulate the calf's immune system and gut microbiome. Colostrum is sometimes mistaken as transition milk, which, although more nutritive than whole milk, has a distinct biochemical composition. Furthermore, most research about colostrum quality and colostrum management focuses on the transfer of maternal IgG to the newborn calf. The remaining components of colostrum and transition milk have not received the same attention, despite their importance to the newborn animal. In this narrative review, a large body of literature on the components of bovine colostrum was reviewed. The variability of these components was summarized, emphasizing specific components that warrant deeper exploration. In addition, the effects of each component present in colostrum and transition milk on several key physiological aspects of the newborn calf are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Flávio G. Silva
- Veterinary and Animal Research Centre (CECAV), Associate Laboratory of Animal and Veterinary Science (AL4AnimalS), University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Quinta de Prados, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal (J.L.C.)
- MED—Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development & CHANGE—Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Department of Zootechnics, School of Science and Technology, University of Évora, Pólo da Mitra Apartado 94, 7006-554 Évora, Portugal; (A.M.F.P.); (C.C.)
- Center for Research and Development in Agrifood Systems and Sustainability, Polytechnic Institute of Viana do Castelo, Agrarian School of Ponte de Lima, Rua D. Mendo Afonso, 147 Refóios do Lima, 4990-706 Ponte de Lima, Portugal
| | - Severiano R. Silva
- Veterinary and Animal Research Centre (CECAV), Associate Laboratory of Animal and Veterinary Science (AL4AnimalS), University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Quinta de Prados, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal (J.L.C.)
| | - Alfredo M. F. Pereira
- MED—Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development & CHANGE—Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Department of Zootechnics, School of Science and Technology, University of Évora, Pólo da Mitra Apartado 94, 7006-554 Évora, Portugal; (A.M.F.P.); (C.C.)
| | - Joaquim Lima Cerqueira
- Veterinary and Animal Research Centre (CECAV), Associate Laboratory of Animal and Veterinary Science (AL4AnimalS), University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Quinta de Prados, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal (J.L.C.)
- Center for Research and Development in Agrifood Systems and Sustainability, Polytechnic Institute of Viana do Castelo, Agrarian School of Ponte de Lima, Rua D. Mendo Afonso, 147 Refóios do Lima, 4990-706 Ponte de Lima, Portugal
| | - Cristina Conceição
- MED—Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development & CHANGE—Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Department of Zootechnics, School of Science and Technology, University of Évora, Pólo da Mitra Apartado 94, 7006-554 Évora, Portugal; (A.M.F.P.); (C.C.)
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Stahl TC, Mullin EM, Piñeiro JM, Lunak M, Chahine M, Erickson PS. Creating models for the prediction of colostrum quantity, quality, and Immunoglobulin G yield in multiparous Jersey Cows from performance in the previous lactation and environmental changes. J Dairy Sci 2024:S0022-0302(24)00049-3. [PMID: 38278293 DOI: 10.3168/jds.2023-24209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/28/2024]
Abstract
With multiparous Jersey cows, colostrum production seems to be variable. Due to this, we aimed to identify specific variables involved in colostrum production and quality. From 2021 to 2023, data from 28 US farms (415 multiparous Jersey cows) were used to investigate if colostrum yield, immunoglobulin G concentration (IgG, g/L), and IgG yield (g) could be predicted by farm variables and transmitting abilities. With the data collected, multiple regression equations were developed to aid in predicting colostrum yield, IgG concentration, and IgG yield. Colostrum was weighed and sampled for IgG analysis. Dairy Herd Information (DHI), calving, diet, and management information data were compiled. Days below 5°C (D <), d above 23°C (D >), and d between 5 and 23°C (D) were recorded. Transmitting abilities for milk, fat, protein, and dollars; previous lactation milk yield, fat percent, fat yield, protein percent, protein yield, previous lactation somatic cell score, previous lactation d open, previous lactation d dry, previous lactation d in milk, and previous parity; current lactation parity, d dry, and calving information, birth ordinal d, and latitude were evaluated. Colostrum yield, IgG yield, and concentration had 1 added to correct for values = 0. After addition, values >0 were transformed to ln or log10. Non-transformed variables were also used to develop the model. Variance inflation factor analysis was conducted, followed by backward elimination. The log10 colostrum yield model (r2 = 0.55; β in parentheses) included herd size (-0.0001), ordinal d (-0.001), Ln ordinal d (0.07), latitude (-0.02), dry period length (0.004), D < (-0.005), D (-0.003), time to harvest (0.05), Ln time to harvest (-0.35), IgG (-0.004), log10 IgG (0.46), feedings/d (0.06), Ln pasture access (-0.13), and Ln previous lactation d open (0.14). The model showed that previous lactation d open contributed the most toward increasing and latitude contributed the most toward decreasing colostrum yield. The IgG model (r2 = 0.21) included herd size (0.02), D > (0.38), Ln time to harvest (-19.42), colostrum yield (-4.29), Ln diet type (18.00), Ln previous lactation fat percent (74.43), and previous parity (5.72). The model showed that previous lactation milkfat percent contributed the most toward increasing and time from parturition to colostrum harvest contributed the most toward decreasing colostrum IgG concentration. The log10 IgG yield model (r2 = 0.79) included Ln ordinal d (0.03), time to harvest (-0.01), colostrum yield (-0.11), Ln colostrum yield (1.20), Ln pasture access (-0.09), Ln previous lactation fat percent (0.53), and previous parity (0.02). The model showed that colostrum yield contributed the most toward increasing IgG yield, followed by previous lactation milkfat percent. Pasture access contributed the most toward decreasing IgG yield, though the contribution is very small. These models were validated using 39 samples from 22 farms. Actual minus predicted colostrum yield and IgG concentration and yield were 0.89 kg, -21.10 g/L, and -65.15 g respectively. These models indicate that dry period management and cow information can predict colostrum yield, and IgG concentration and yield.
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Affiliation(s)
- T C Stahl
- Department of Agriculture, Nutrition, and Food Systems, University of New Hampshire, Durham 03824
| | - E M Mullin
- Department of Agriculture, Nutrition, and Food Systems, University of New Hampshire, Durham 03824
| | - J M Piñeiro
- Department of Animal Science, Texas A&M University, College Station 77843
| | - M Lunak
- Penn State Extension, Towanda, PA 18848
| | - M Chahine
- Department of Animal, Veterinary and Food Sciences, University of Idaho, Twin Falls 83301
| | - P S Erickson
- Department of Agriculture, Nutrition, and Food Systems, University of New Hampshire, Durham 03824.
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Westhoff TA, Borchardt S, Mann S. INVITED REVIEW: Nutritional and management factors that influence colostrum production and composition in dairy cows. J Dairy Sci 2024:S0022-0302(24)00034-1. [PMID: 38246551 DOI: 10.3168/jds.2023-24349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
Colostrum is a rich source of nutritional and non-nutritional components and is recognized as essential to transfer passive immunity to newborn calves. Because of the individual and seasonal variability in colostrum yield and composition, maintaining an adequate supply of high-quality colostrum year-round remains a challenge for commercial dairy producers. In this narrative review, we described the individual, seasonal, and herd-level variability of colostrum production and summarized the association between individual animal factors such as parity, sex of the calf, calf birth weight, as well as indicators of the cow's metabolic status and the yield and composition of colostrum. Further, we reviewed the current knowledge on the influence of prepartum nutrition and management strategies on colostrum production. Research on the metabolizable energy and protein supplied in the prepartum diet as well as into the inclusion and source of vitamins, minerals, and feed additives suggests prepartum nutrition influences the yield, quality, and composition of colostrum. Furthermore, the prepartum environment and dry period length remain influential factors in the production of colostrum. However, additional research is needed to understand the mechanisms by which prepartum nutrition and management affects colostrum production. Lastly, time to colostrum harvest and oxytocin administration as well as the current knowledge on the effect of heat-treatment and colostrum storage strategies on colostral components were discussed. To conclude, we identify critical gaps in knowledge for future focus of investigation in colostrum research.
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Affiliation(s)
- T A Westhoff
- Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853
| | - S Borchardt
- Clinic for Animal Reproduction, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universitaet Berlin, Koenigsweg 65, 14163 Berlin, Germany
| | - S Mann
- Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853..
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Nussbaum O, Gross JJ, Bruckmaier RM, Eicher R. Efficacy of oral administration of specific immunoglobulins in preventing neonatal calf diarrhoea in dairy herds. Vet Rec 2023; 193:e3559. [PMID: 38030961 DOI: 10.1002/vetr.3559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Revised: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of bovine concentrated lactoserum (BCL) containing specific immunoglobulin G against Escherichia coli, rotavirus and coronavirus in preventing neonatal calf diarrhoea (NCD). METHODS A total of 489 newborn calves from 35 herds were orally given either BCL or a placebo before the first feeding of colostrum and clinically supervised by the farmers for the first 14 days of life. The diarrhoea score was defined according to the following criteria: 0 = no diarrhoea; 1 = light diarrhoea without medical treatment; 2 = diarrhoea requiring oral treatment (rehydration and/or antibiotic therapy); and 3 = severe diarrhoea requiring parenteral rehydration or resulting in death. RESULTS A total of 138 calves suffered from diarrhoea (28%), and 65 (13%) showed signs of diarrhoea requiring treatment. The odds of getting NCD were reduced (odds ratio = 0.326; p < 0.001) in the BCL group. There was a tendency towards a reduction in the duration of NCD in the BCL group (2.25 (±1.7) days vs. 2.88 (±2.7) days in the placebo group) (p = 0.052). Furthermore, no calves died in the BCL group, whereas four calves died in the placebo group. LIMITATIONS Because of the design of the study using animals in practice, the mechanisms explaining the clinical findings remain as hypotheses. Diarrhoea scoring performed by farmers has to be analysed and interpreted with caution. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrates that BCL as a single preventive treatment is effective in reducing the incidence of NCD even in a region with good general management of dairy calves and overall good colostrum quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivier Nussbaum
- Tierärztliche Praxis Schwyz AG, Schwyz, Switzerland
- Veterinary Physiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Josef J Gross
- Veterinary Physiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Rupert M Bruckmaier
- Veterinary Physiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Richard Eicher
- Biokema, Crissier, Switzerland
- Division of Herd Health, Clinic for Ruminants, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
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Zhou A, Liu G, Jiang X. Characteristic of the components and the metabolism mechanism of goat colostrum: a review. Anim Biotechnol 2023; 34:4135-4146. [PMID: 37039778 DOI: 10.1080/10495398.2023.2199500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/12/2023]
Abstract
Colostrum contains large number of nutrients that promote the growth, differentiation, and biological functions for goat kids early somatic cells, which is crucial to meet the nutritional demands, immune function, and the health of goat kids later growth. Great attention has been given not only to nutritional ingredient differences between colostrum and normal milk, but also to function differences, and their effect on the physical and sensory properties of goat kid's growth performance and health status. This paper reviews the research progress of goat colostrum in recent years, mainly including the colostrum yield, components, i.e., proteins, lactose, and immunoglobulin, as well as the influence factor, i.e., number of lactation and littler size, nutrition during the gestation, and breeding environment. In addition, this review aims to summarize the synthesis and secretion mechanisms, and the digestion and absorption mechanism of goat colostrum. We conclude that even though the composition and physicochemical properties of goat colostrum are highly dynamic and variable, and the digestion and absorption mechanism has not been made fully clear until now, direct feed microbial (DFM) may be a promising alternative for improving the quality of colostrum that should be further explored for their practical usage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aimin Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Education, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, P. R. China
- Mianyang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Mianyang, P. R. China
- Laboratory of Sheep and Goat Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, P. R. China
| | - Guiqiong Liu
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Education, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, P. R. China
- Laboratory of Sheep and Goat Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, P. R. China
| | - Xunping Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Education, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, P. R. China
- Laboratory of Sheep and Goat Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, P. R. China
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Van Hese I, Goossens K, Vandaele L, Ampe B, Haegeman A, Opsomer G. The effect of maternal supply of rumen-protected protein to Holstein Friesian cows during the dry period on the transfer of passive immunity and colostral microbial composition. J Dairy Sci 2023; 106:8723-8745. [PMID: 37678775 DOI: 10.3168/jds.2023-23266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023]
Abstract
The objective of this study was to analyze if maternal supply of rumen-protected protein during the dry period can affect the IgG concentration and microbial composition of colostrum and the IgG absorption and fecal microbial composition in the calf. Seventy-four multiparous Holstein Friesian (HF) dairy cows were stratified per parity and randomly assigned to one of 2 different dry period diets, a diet with a low crude protein (CP) level (LP) and a diet with a high CP level (HP) by addition of rumen-undegraded protein (RUP; formaldehyde-treated soybean meal, Mervobest, Nuscience, Drongen, Belgium). Colostrum was collected within 1 h after calving and IgG concentration was quantified by radial immunodiffusion analysis. Forty-nine calves (23 female and 26 male) were enrolled in the trial with a 2 × 2 factorial design, with prenatal and postnatal treatment as the 2 independent variables. This led to 4 experimental groups: LPLP, LPHP, HPLP, and HPHP, in which the first 2 letters refer to the prenatal treatment (diet of the dam) and the last 2 refer to the postnatal treatment (diet of the colostrum-producing cow). Calves received 3× 2 L of colostrum within 2, 6, and 24 h after birth. Meconium and feces were collected solely from female calves (n = 18) by digital palpation of the rectum, immediately after birth and before colostrum administration and at d 3 of age. Microbial DNA was extracted from meconium (n = 9), feces (n = 15), and colostrum (n = 49). Amplicon sequencing of the bacterial V3-V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene was performed for characterization of the bacterial communities. Colostrum IgG concentration was higher in cows that were supplemented with RUP, especially in cows entering their second lactation (LSM ± SEM 61.3 ± 2.3 vs. 55.2 ± 2.8 g of IgG/L). Calves born out of LP cows that received colostrum from HP cows (LPHP) had a lower serum IgG level compared with HPHP and LPLP calves (LSM ± SEM 14.2 ± 1.3 vs. 18.8 ± 1.2 and 20.9 ± 1.3 g of IgG/L in HPHP and LPLP, respectively). The most abundant phyla in colostrum were Proteobacteria (48.2%), Firmicutes (24.8%), Bacteroidetes (9.5%), and Actinobacteria (5.0%). The most abundant phyla in calf meconium and feces were Firmicutes (42.5 and 47.5%), Proteobacteria (21.7% and 33.7%), Bacteroidetes (16.8% and 15.7%), and Actinobacteria (2.9% and 3.1%). There was no difference in the overall microbial communities between colostrum from HP and LP cows. However, 2 genera (both members of the family Lachnospiraceae) were more abundant in colostrum from HP cows compared with LP cows. The microbial composition of meconium, feces and colostrum differed from each other. Fecal samples were more similar to each other and are characterized by a lower intersample diversity compared with colostrum and meconium samples. To conclude, increasing the CP level by addition of RUP in the dry period diet affected the colostrum IgG concentration and the transfer of passive immunity, but did not change the overall microbial composition of colostrum nor of meconium and feces in the calf.
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Affiliation(s)
- I Van Hese
- Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (ILVO), Burgemeester Van Gansberghelaan, Merelbeke, Belgium 9820; Department of Reproduction, Obstetrics and Herd Health Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan, Merelbeke, Belgium 9820.
| | - K Goossens
- Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (ILVO), Burgemeester Van Gansberghelaan, Merelbeke, Belgium 9820.
| | - L Vandaele
- Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (ILVO), Burgemeester Van Gansberghelaan, Merelbeke, Belgium 9820
| | - B Ampe
- Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (ILVO), Burgemeester Van Gansberghelaan, Merelbeke, Belgium 9820
| | - A Haegeman
- Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (ILVO), Burgemeester Van Gansberghelaan, Merelbeke, Belgium 9820
| | - G Opsomer
- Department of Reproduction, Obstetrics and Herd Health Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan, Merelbeke, Belgium 9820
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Breuer RM, Wiley C, Dohlman T, Smith JS, McKeen L, Kreuder AJ. Comparison of turbidometric immunoassay and brix refractometry to radial immunodiffusion for assessment of colostral immunoglobulin concentration in beef cattle. J Vet Intern Med 2023; 37:1934-1943. [PMID: 37596893 PMCID: PMC10472984 DOI: 10.1111/jvim.16833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 08/21/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Colostral immunoglobulin G (IgG) concentration is critical to the attainment of adequate transfer of passive immunity in cattle, however, studies comparing available tools for measurement of colostral IgG concentration in beef cattle are limited. OBJECTIVES To report the agreement between 3 commercially available tests for evaluating IgG concentration in beef colostrum. ANIMALS Two hundred six beef-breed cows hospitalized for calving management or dystocia. METHODS Retrospective study to assess IgG of whole colostrum measured stall-side via turbidimetric immunoassay (TI) and brix refractometry (BRIX), compared to fat separated (FS) analysis via single radial-immunodiffusion (RID; reference standard), TI-FS and BRIX-FS. Test performance was assessed using Passing Bablock regression, Bland-Altman analysis, and area under the curve to determine optimal thresholds. RESULTS Correlation between RID and TI-FS, BRIX-FS, or BRIX was similar (Spearman's ρ = 0.717, 0.715, 0.716, respectively) but correlation for TI was poor (ρ = 0.586). Regression analysis identified a substantial constant (-214.75 [CI: -272.03 to -178.07]) and proportional (13.24 [CI: 11.81-15.37]) bias between the RID and TI-FS which was similar for TI. TI-FS concentrations of 28.47, 38.75, and 50.62 g/L, BRIX-FS of ≤21.9%, ≤24.0%, and ≤27.4%, and BRIX of ≤21.3%, ≤23.8%, and ≤26.4% indicated IgG concentrations <50, <100, and <150 g/L, respectively; appropriate cutoffs for TI could not be generated. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE Both TI and TI-FS demonstrated a large constant and proportional bias compared to RID; BRIX and BRIX-FS were well correlated with RID and remain a reliable method for estimation of colostral IgG concentration in beef cattle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan M. Breuer
- Veterinary Clinical SciencesIowa State UniversityAmes, Iowa 50011USA
| | - Caitlin Wiley
- Veterinary Diagnostic & Production Animal MedicineIowa State UniversityAmes, Iowa 50011USA
| | - Tyler Dohlman
- Veterinary Diagnostic & Production Animal MedicineIowa State UniversityAmes, Iowa 50011USA
| | - Joseph S. Smith
- Veterinary Diagnostic & Production Animal MedicineIowa State UniversityAmes, Iowa 50011USA
| | - Lauren McKeen
- Department of StatisticsIowa State UniversityAmes, Iowa 50011USA
| | - Amanda J. Kreuder
- Veterinary Diagnostic & Production Animal MedicineIowa State UniversityAmes, Iowa 50011USA
- Veterinary Microbiology and Preventive MedicineIowa State UniversityAmes, Iowa 50011USA
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Costa A, Sneddon NW, Goi A, Visentin G, Mammi LME, Savarino EV, Zingone F, Formigoni A, Penasa M, De Marchi M. Invited review: Bovine colostrum, a promising ingredient for humans and animals-Properties, processing technologies, and uses. J Dairy Sci 2023; 106:5197-5217. [PMID: 37268582 DOI: 10.3168/jds.2022-23013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Mammalian colostrum, known as "liquid gold," is considered a valuable source of essential nutrients, growth factors, probiotics, prebiotics, antibodies, and other bioactive compounds. Precisely for this reason, bovine colostrum (BC) is an emerging ingredient for the feed, food, and pharmaceutical industries, being nowadays commercially available in a variety of forms in several countries. Moreover, quite a large number of functional foods and supplements for athletes, human medicines, pet nutrition plans, and complementary feed for some livestock categories, such as piglets and calves, contain BC. The amount of BC yielded by a cow after calving represents approximately 0.5% of the yearly output in dairy breeds. For its nutritional properties and low availability, BC is characterized by a greater market value and an increasing demand compared with other by-products of the dairy sector. However, information regarding the market size of BC for the food and pharmaceutical industries, as well as future developments and perspectives, is scarcely available in the scientific literature. This lack can be attributed to industrial secrecy as well as to the relatively small scale of the BC business when compared with other dairy products, which makes the BC market limited, specific, and intended for a restricted audience. From a legal perspective, regulations assign BC to the large family of milk-derived powders; thus, collecting specific production data, as well as import-export trend information, is not straightforward and can result in unprecise estimates. Given that the interest in BC is increasing in different fields, it is important to have an overview of the production steps and of pros and cons of this emerging ingredient. The present narrative review discloses why BC has started to be considered a product rather than a by-product of the dairy industry. Moreover, the present document aims to summarize the existing methodologies used to assess BC quality in terms of immunoglobulin concentration, the different applications of BC in the industry, and the BC processing technologies. Finally, a panoramic view of the current international market is provided for the first time for this dairy product.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Costa
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, Via Tolara di Sopra 43, 40064 Ozzano dell'Emilia (BO), Italy.
| | - N W Sneddon
- School of Agriculture and Environment, Massey University, Private Bag 11 222, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand
| | - A Goi
- Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and Environment, University of Padova, Viale dell'Università 16, 35020 Legnaro (PD), Italy
| | - G Visentin
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, Via Tolara di Sopra 43, 40064 Ozzano dell'Emilia (BO), Italy
| | - L M E Mammi
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, Via Tolara di Sopra 43, 40064 Ozzano dell'Emilia (BO), Italy
| | - E V Savarino
- Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology, University of Padova, Via N. Giustiniani 2, 35128 Padova (PD), Italy; Gastroenterology Unit, Azienda Ospedale Università di Padova, Via N. Giustiniani 2, 35128 Padova (PD), Italy
| | - F Zingone
- Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology, University of Padova, Via N. Giustiniani 2, 35128 Padova (PD), Italy; Gastroenterology Unit, Azienda Ospedale Università di Padova, Via N. Giustiniani 2, 35128 Padova (PD), Italy
| | - A Formigoni
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, Via Tolara di Sopra 43, 40064 Ozzano dell'Emilia (BO), Italy
| | - M Penasa
- Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and Environment, University of Padova, Viale dell'Università 16, 35020 Legnaro (PD), Italy
| | - M De Marchi
- Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and Environment, University of Padova, Viale dell'Università 16, 35020 Legnaro (PD), Italy
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Baumrucker C, Gross J, Bruckmaier R. The importance of colostrum in maternal care and its formation in mammalian species. Anim Front 2023; 13:37-43. [PMID: 37324208 PMCID: PMC10266755 DOI: 10.1093/af/vfad012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Craig R Baumrucker
- Department of Animal Science, Penn State University, University Park, PA 16802
- Veterinary Physiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | | | - Rupert M Bruckmaier
- Veterinary Physiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
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Lichtmannsperger K, Hartsleben C, Spöcker M, Hechenberger N, Tichy A, Wittek T. Factors Associated with Colostrum Quality, the Failure of Transfer of Passive Immunity, and the Impact on Calf Health in the First Three Weeks of Life. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:1740. [PMID: 37889665 PMCID: PMC10251921 DOI: 10.3390/ani13111740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2023] [Revised: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The objectives of this study were to evaluate factors associated with colostrum quality and FTPI in calves from dairy farms in Austria and to assess the associations between disease occurrence and FTPI in calves. In total, 250 calves and their colostrum samples originating from 11 dairy farms were included in the study. All calves born between September 2021 and September 2022 were included. Blood samples were collected between the third and the sixth day of age. The farmers were trained in disease detection and recorded any health events within the first three weeks of age daily. Multiparous cows (>3 lactation) and colostrum harvesting within the first 2 hours after parturition were significantly associated with good colostrum quality (>22% Brix). Colostrum quantity (≥2 L) and quality (≥22% Brix) acted as protective factors against FTPI (serum Brix ≥ 8.4%) with odds ratios of OR = 0.41 and OR = 0.26, respectively. Calves facing any health event (diarrhea, navel illness, bovine respiratory disease, abnormal behavior) in the first three weeks of life had a higher probability of FTPI. Calves exhibiting diarrhea in the first 3 weeks of life were associated with having FTPI (OR = 2.69). The results confirm the current recommendations for good colostrum management practices and the impact of FTPI on calf morbidity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharina Lichtmannsperger
- Department for Farm Animals and Veterinary Public Health, University Clinic for Ruminants, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinaerplatz 1, 1210 Vienna, Austria; (C.H.); (M.S.); (T.W.)
| | - Christina Hartsleben
- Department for Farm Animals and Veterinary Public Health, University Clinic for Ruminants, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinaerplatz 1, 1210 Vienna, Austria; (C.H.); (M.S.); (T.W.)
| | - Magdalena Spöcker
- Department for Farm Animals and Veterinary Public Health, University Clinic for Ruminants, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinaerplatz 1, 1210 Vienna, Austria; (C.H.); (M.S.); (T.W.)
| | - Nicole Hechenberger
- Animal Health Service Salzburg, Bundesstraße 6, 5071 Wals-Siezenheim, Austria;
| | - Alexander Tichy
- Department for Biomedical Sciences, Bioinformatics and Biostatistics Platform, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinaerplatz 1, 1210 Vienna, Austria;
| | - Thomas Wittek
- Department for Farm Animals and Veterinary Public Health, University Clinic for Ruminants, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinaerplatz 1, 1210 Vienna, Austria; (C.H.); (M.S.); (T.W.)
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11
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Mee J. Impacts of dairy cow nutrition precalving on calf health. JDS COMMUNICATIONS 2023; 4:245-249. [PMID: 37360121 PMCID: PMC10285249 DOI: 10.3168/jdsc.2022-0281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
This mini-review focuses on the effects of gestational dairy cow nutrition on calf health as mediated through colostrogenesis and calf immunity, morbidity, and mortality. The nutritional adequacy of the forage and supplementary diet and the metabolic status and body condition score of the dam can affect calf health. The mechanism of action of such impacts include maternal nutritional imbalances or deficiencies causing dyscolostrogenesis, nutritionally mediated calf ill health, and fetal programming impacts on calf health.
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12
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An Z, Luo G, Gao S, Zhang X, Chen C, Yao Z, Zhao J, Lv H, Niu K, Nie P, Yang L. Evaluation of Parity Effect on Characteristics and Minerals in Buffalo (Bubalus Bubalis) Colostrum and Mature Milk. Foods 2023; 12:foods12061321. [PMID: 36981245 PMCID: PMC10048450 DOI: 10.3390/foods12061321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Revised: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Colostrum is a vital performance for buffaloes and potentially functional foods in the future. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the difference between the parity of buffalo colostrum and mature milk. Twenty pregnant buffaloes (primiparous = 10; multiparous = 10) were assigned to the same diet prepartum and milking routine postpartum. Calves were separated from the dams immediately after birth and colostrum was harvested within 2 h, whilst mature milk was harvested at 7 days postpartum. The colostrum was analyzed for immunoglobulin G and milk composition as the mature milk. The results showed that there was a higher level of protein, solid not fat, and milk urea nitrogen (p < 0.05), with a tendency for higher total solids (p = 0.08) in primiparous buffaloes' colostrum compared with multiparous. No parity effect was observed in colostrum immunoglobulin G, fat, lactose, and yields of colostrum and composition (p > 0.05). There was no difference in mature milk composition and yield by parity affected (p > 0.05). Compared with mature milk composition, colostrum had a higher content protein, total solids, solid not fat, and milk urea nitrogen (p < 0.05); however, fat and lactose were lower than that of mature milk (p < 0.05). For minerals, multiparous buffaloes' colostrum had a higher concentration of Fe (p = 0.05), while the mature milk had higher concentrations of K and P compared with primiparous. Buffalo colostrum had higher concentrations of Na, Mg, Co, Fe, and K with a lower concentration of Ca relative to mature milk (p < 0.05). It was observed that parity affected colostrum characteristics rather than mature milk and caused subtle variations in minerals in colostrum and mature milk of buffaloes. As lactation proceeded, both milk composition and minerals in the milk changed drastically.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhigao An
- National Center for International Research on Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction (NCIRAGBR), Ministry of Science and Technology of the People's Republic of China, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- International Joint Research Centre for Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction (IJRCAGBR), Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Gan Luo
- National Center for International Research on Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction (NCIRAGBR), Ministry of Science and Technology of the People's Republic of China, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- International Joint Research Centre for Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction (IJRCAGBR), Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Shanshan Gao
- National Center for International Research on Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction (NCIRAGBR), Ministry of Science and Technology of the People's Republic of China, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- International Joint Research Centre for Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction (IJRCAGBR), Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Xinxin Zhang
- National Center for International Research on Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction (NCIRAGBR), Ministry of Science and Technology of the People's Republic of China, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- International Joint Research Centre for Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction (IJRCAGBR), Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Chao Chen
- National Center for International Research on Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction (NCIRAGBR), Ministry of Science and Technology of the People's Republic of China, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- International Joint Research Centre for Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction (IJRCAGBR), Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Zhiqiu Yao
- National Center for International Research on Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction (NCIRAGBR), Ministry of Science and Technology of the People's Republic of China, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- International Joint Research Centre for Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction (IJRCAGBR), Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Junwei Zhao
- National Center for International Research on Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction (NCIRAGBR), Ministry of Science and Technology of the People's Republic of China, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- International Joint Research Centre for Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction (IJRCAGBR), Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Haimiao Lv
- National Center for International Research on Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction (NCIRAGBR), Ministry of Science and Technology of the People's Republic of China, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- International Joint Research Centre for Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction (IJRCAGBR), Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Kaifeng Niu
- National Center for International Research on Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction (NCIRAGBR), Ministry of Science and Technology of the People's Republic of China, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- International Joint Research Centre for Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction (IJRCAGBR), Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Pei Nie
- National Center for International Research on Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction (NCIRAGBR), Ministry of Science and Technology of the People's Republic of China, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- International Joint Research Centre for Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction (IJRCAGBR), Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Liguo Yang
- National Center for International Research on Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction (NCIRAGBR), Ministry of Science and Technology of the People's Republic of China, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- International Joint Research Centre for Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction (IJRCAGBR), Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- Hubei Province's Engineering Research Center in Buffalo Breeding and Products, Wuhan 430070, China
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13
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The Effect of Supplementation Using a Mixture of Fish Oil and Linseed on the Level of Immunomodulatory Components in Bovine Colostrum. Molecules 2023; 28:molecules28052154. [PMID: 36903401 PMCID: PMC10004384 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28052154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2023] [Revised: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 02/24/2023] [Indexed: 03/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The aim of this study was to determine the effect of supplementing rations, with a mixture of fish oil and linseed, on the level of immunomodulatory components in colostrum. Twenty multiparous cows, that were three weeks before scheduled calving, had a body condition of 3-3.5, and had not been diagnosed with multiple pregnancies, were qualified for the experiment. The cows were divided into two groups: experimental (FOL) (n = 10) and control (CTL) (n = 10). The CTL group were individually given the standard food ration for dry cows for about 21 days before calving, while the FOL group received food rations that were enriched with 150 g of fish oil and 250 g of linseed (golden variety). Colostrum samples for testing were taken twice a day on the first and second days of lactation, and then once a day from the third to the fifth day of lactation. The experiment showed that the applied supplementation had an impact, in the form of increasing the fat, protein, IgG, IgA, IgM, vitamin A, C22:6 n-3 (DHA), and C18:2 cis9 trans11 (CLA) contents in colostrum; however, the C18: 2 n-6 (LA) and C20:4 n-6 (AA) contents decreased. Due to the lower quality of colostrum found in high-yield cows, and therefore in the Holstein-Friesian breed, it is possible to improve the quality by, among other things, introducing nutritional modifications during the second stage of the dry period.
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14
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The Effect of Parity on the Quality of Colostrum of Holstein Dairy Cows in the Organic Production System. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:ani13030540. [PMID: 36766429 PMCID: PMC9913714 DOI: 10.3390/ani13030540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2023] [Revised: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
A special feature of organic production systems is the cows' significantly lower productivity, which is adapted to environmental conditions. The quantity and quality of colostrum is negatively correlated, high amounts of colostrum are associated with low amounts of immunoglobulins. Cows' parity is also a modulating factor, and studies have shown an increase in colostral IgG corresponds with increasing parity. This study's aim was to determine the effect of cows' parity on colostrum quality, in an organic farm setting. From a basic organic herd of dairy cattle, 40 Polish Holstein-Friesian cows were selected: 10 cows each of primiparous, second lactation, fourth lactation, and fifth lactation. Colostrum and transition milk samples were taken from each cow seven times: twice daily on the 1st and 2nd days after calving (every 12 h), and once daily on the 3rd to 5th days. Multiparous cows' colostrum had higher levels of total proteins, casein, and non-fat dry matter, versus primiparous. Only cows in the second and fourth lactations produced very good quality colostrum (with immunoglobulins over 50 g/L), meeting standards for immunoglobulin concentration. In conclusion, the production of very good quality colostrum is limited during the first lactation, which may suggest the mammary gland is poorly developed, and, thus, immunoglobulin transport is limited. Variability in the colostrum's immunoglobulin content from first and second collections post-calving was higher in multiparous versus primiparous cows. Therefore, it should be good practice to freeze colostrum from multiparous cows in case of poor-quality primiparous colostrum.
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15
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Westhoff TA, Womack SJ, Overton TR, Ryan CM, Mann S. Epidemiology of bovine colostrum production in New York Holstein herds: Cow, management, and environmental factors. J Dairy Sci 2022:S0022-0302(22)00750-0. [PMID: 36567249 DOI: 10.3168/jds.2022-22447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Adequate supply of high-quality colostrum is essential for calf health. Colostrum production, at first milking, varies between animals and seasons, but herd-level and management associations with colostrum production have not been well described. Our objectives were to (1) describe colostrum production and colostrum handling practices and (2) to identify individual cow, herd management, and environmental factors associated with colostrum production. A convenience sample of 19 New York Holstein dairy farms (620 to 4,600 cows) were enrolled in this observational study to describe colostrum production and to evaluate cow, management, and prepartum environmental factors associated with colostrum yield and Brix %. Herd owners or managers were given a colostrum management questionnaire, and farm personnel recorded individual colostrum yield and Brix % for primiparous (PP; n = 5,978) and multiparous (MPS; n = 13,228) cows between October 2019 and February 2021. Temperature, relative humidity, and light intensity were measured by sensors placed in each farm's close-up dry cow pens for the entire length of the study. Median colostrum yield for each farm ranged from 2.5 to 7.6 kg for PP and 4.0 to 7.7 kg for MPS cows. Mean Brix % from each farm ranged from 22.2 to 27.9% for PP and 22.0 to 28.8% for MPS cows. Lowest colostrum yield from PP animals was associated with calf sex (female) and colostrum Brix % (≤22%). Greatest colostrum yield from MPS cows was associated with colostrum Brix % (≤22%), calf sex (twin), dry period length (>67 d), gestation length (283-293 d), an alive calf, second parity, previous lactation length (>344 d) and previous lactation 305-d mature equivalent milk yield (>13,091 kg), heat and humidity exposure area under the curve (AUC) 7 d before calving (>69.2 average temperature-humidity index per 30-min interval), and light intensity AUC 14 d before calving (>154.2 average lux per 15-min interval). Greatest colostrum Brix % from PP animals was associated with calf sex (male), an alive calf, and light intensity AUC 14 d before calving (≤64.0 average lux per 15-min interval). Greatest colostrum Brix % from MPS cows was associated with dry period length (>67 d), an alive calf, 305-d mature equivalent milk yield of previous lactation (≤15,862 kg), gestation length (274-282 d), colostrum yield (<6 kg), fifth or greater parity, and heat and humidity exposure AUC 7 d before calving (≤50.1 average temperature-humidity index per 30-min interval). Dairy producers can use this information to recognize the variation in colostrum production and alter colostrum management programs in anticipation of periods of low production or quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- T A Westhoff
- Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853
| | - S J Womack
- Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853
| | - T R Overton
- Department of Animal Science, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853
| | - C M Ryan
- Department of Animal Science, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853
| | - S Mann
- Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853.
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16
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Dachrodt L, Bartel A, Arndt H, Kellermann LM, Stock A, Volkmann M, Boeker AR, Birnstiel K, Do Duc P, Klawitter M, Paul P, Stoll A, Woudstra S, Knubben-Schweizer G, Müller KE, Hoedemaker M. Benchmarking calf health: Assessment tools for dairy herd health consultancy based on reference values from 730 German dairies with respect to seasonal, farm type, and herd size effects. Front Vet Sci 2022; 9:990798. [PMID: 36213417 PMCID: PMC9539667 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2022.990798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Good calf health is crucial for a successfully operating farm business and animal welfare on dairy farms. To evaluate calf health on farms and to identify potential problem areas, benchmarking tools can be used by farmers, herd managers, veterinarians, and other advisory persons in the field. However, for calves, benchmarking tools are not yet widely established in practice. This study provides hands-on application for on-farm benchmarking of calf health. Reference values were generated from a large dataset of the “PraeRi” study, including 730 dairy farms with a total of 13,658 examined preweaned dairy calves. At herd level, omphalitis (O, median 15.9%) was the most common disorder, followed by diarrhea (D, 15.4%) and respiratory disease (RD, 2.9%). Abnormal weight bearing (AWB) was rarely detected (median, 0.0%). Calves with symptoms of more than one disorder at the same time (multimorbidity, M) were observed with a prevalence of 2.3%. The enrolled farms varied in herd size, farm operating systems, and management practices and thus represented a wide diversity in dairy farming, enabling a comparison with similar managed farms in Germany and beyond. To ensure comparability of the data in practice, the reference values were calculated for the whole data set, clustered according to farm size (1–40 dairy cows (n = 130), 41–60 dairy cows (n = 99), 61–120 dairy cows (n = 180), 121–240 dairy cows (n = 119) and farms with more than 240 dairy cows (n = 138), farm operating systems (conventional (n = 666), organic (n = 64)) and month of the year of the farm visit. There was a slight tendency for smaller farms to have a lower prevalence of disorders. A statistically significant herd-size effect was detected for RD (p = 0.008) and D (p < 0.001). For practical application of these reference values, tables, diagrams, and an Excel® (Microsoft®) based calf health calculator were developed as tools for on-farm benchmarking (https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.6172753). In addition, this study provides a detailed description of the colostrum, feeding and housing management of preweaned calves in German dairy farms of different herd sizes and farm type (e.g., conventional and organic).
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda Dachrodt
- Clinic for Cattle, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Hannover, Germany
| | - Alexander Bartel
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Institute for Veterinary Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Heidi Arndt
- Clinic for Cattle, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Hannover, Germany
- Behavioral Physiology of Livestock, Institute of Animal Science, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Laura Maria Kellermann
- Clinic for Ruminants With Ambulatory and Herd Health Services, Centre for Clinical Veterinary Medicine, Oberschleissheim, Germany
| | - Annegret Stock
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Clinic for Ruminants and Swine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Maria Volkmann
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Institute for Veterinary Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Andreas Robert Boeker
- Clinic for Cattle, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Hannover, Germany
| | | | - Phuong Do Duc
- Clinic for Cattle, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Hannover, Germany
| | - Marcus Klawitter
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Clinic for Ruminants and Swine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Philip Paul
- Clinic for Ruminants With Ambulatory and Herd Health Services, Centre for Clinical Veterinary Medicine, Oberschleissheim, Germany
| | - Alexander Stoll
- Clinic for Ruminants With Ambulatory and Herd Health Services, Centre for Clinical Veterinary Medicine, Oberschleissheim, Germany
| | - Svenja Woudstra
- Clinic for Cattle, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Hannover, Germany
| | - Gabriela Knubben-Schweizer
- Clinic for Ruminants With Ambulatory and Herd Health Services, Centre for Clinical Veterinary Medicine, Oberschleissheim, Germany
| | - Kerstin Elisabeth Müller
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Clinic for Ruminants and Swine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Martina Hoedemaker
- Clinic for Cattle, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Hannover, Germany
- *Correspondence: Martina Hoedemaker
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17
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Johnson T, Jacobson BT, Jones K, Mosdal C, Jones S, Vitkovic M, Kruppenbacher S, Sebrell A, Bimczok D. Transfer and persistence of bovine immunoglobulins in lambs fed a colostrum replacer. Vet Rec 2022; 191:e1974. [PMID: 35841612 DOI: 10.1002/vetr.1974] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2022] [Revised: 05/26/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Colostrum-derived antibodies are crucial for the protection of newborn lambs from infectious diseases. Several colostrum replacer products that contain bovine antibodies are on the market. We investigated the absorption and persistence of bovine antibodies from a powdered colostrum replacer in newborn lambs. METHODS We tested a lamb colostrum replacer containing bovine serum in lambs that were separated from their dams at birth. Immunoglobulin G (IgG) uptake was analysed by ELISA, and the persistence of antigen-specific antibodies was analysed by parainfluenza 3 virus (PI-3) neutralisation assay. RESULTS Serum antibody ELISA performed on days 1 and 14 revealed IgG levels of 17.9 ± 2.8 and 27.5 ± 2.5 mg/ml, respectively. PI-3 antibodies derived from the colostrum replacer were present for 86.3 ± 10.6 days. CONCLUSIONS Antibodies derived from bovine serum protein delivered to lambs via a commercial colostrum replacer are readily absorbed and persist for months, suggesting that these products may offer adequate protection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thea Johnson
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, USA
| | - Bryan Tegner Jacobson
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, USA
| | - Kerri Jones
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, USA
| | - Cassie Mosdal
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, USA
| | - Steve Jones
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, USA
| | - Maia Vitkovic
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, USA
| | - Sam Kruppenbacher
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, USA
| | - Andy Sebrell
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, USA
| | - Diane Bimczok
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, USA
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18
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Delayed First Milking in Unassisted Overnight Calving Did Not Affect the Quality of Colostrum but Influenced Serum Brix Refractometry in Holstein Calves at Two Days of Life. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12131665. [PMID: 35804564 PMCID: PMC9265070 DOI: 10.3390/ani12131665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Revised: 06/24/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Timely administration of good-quality colostrum represents the first farm strategy to avoid the failure of passive transfer (FPT). However, calves born during the night are likely to be fed later than recommended. Our aim was to evaluate whether night-occurring calving and delayed first milking affected colostrum quality and immune passive transfer. The dataset included 463 calvings. Four liters of colostrum were administered by an esophageal tube feeder. The mean Brix% of colostrum was 27.43%, while serum Brix% at two days of life in calves was 10.19%. According to the Generalized Linear Model, parity ≥ 4, calving months of March, April, and from September to November positively influenced the quality of colostrum. Dams carrying a male calf produced lower quality colostrum compared with those carrying a female calf (−2.78 ± 1.04 Brix%, p = 0.008); heavier female calves were associated with greater colostrum quality (0.29 ± 0.05 for each kg increase, p < 0.001). Night- or day-calving had no effect on the quality of colostrum. The only factor influencing the serum Brix% of female Holstein calves at two days of life was the day- or night-occurring birth (−0.386 ± 0.188 Brix% in calves born during the night, p = 0.04). Our results showed that calves born overnight and fed the day after had decreased serum Total Protein concentrations as indicated by reduced Brix refractometer readings, compared with calves born during the day and fed quickly after birth. However, the administration of 4 L of high-quality colostrum likely improved their serum Brix% at two days of life. Alternatively, where the prevalence of good-quality colostrum is lower, improving calving supervision and ensuring timely feeding are important to reduce the risk of FPT.
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Erickson PS. Colostrum Management: Keys to Optimizing Output and Uptake of Immunoglobulin G. FRONTIERS IN ANIMAL SCIENCE 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fanim.2022.914361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Colostrum is essential for the health and wellbeing of dairy cattle. This review provides insight into different means of augmenting or enhancing colostrum quality including colostrum feeding, dry cow management, prepartum cow diets, freezing, pasteurization, colostrum additives, and colostrum replacers. Other components in colostrum such as maternal cells and their importance are discussed. New research is needed regarding the components in colostrum (bioactive peptides and growth factors) and their effects on the neonate. Colostrum replacers and a prediction equation to estimate colostrum quality are reviewed.
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Beltman M, Lewis J, McCabe M, Keogh K, Kenny D. The effect of natural and induced calving of beef heifers on stress-related gene expression and maternal health and immunity. Animal 2022; 16:100550. [DOI: 10.1016/j.animal.2022.100550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2021] [Revised: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
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21
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Wenker ML, Verwer CM, Bokkers EAM, te Beest DE, Gort G, de Oliveira D, Koets A, Bruckmaier RM, Gross JJ, van Reenen CG. Effect of Type of Cow-Calf Contact on Health, Blood Parameters, and Performance of Dairy Cows and Calves. Front Vet Sci 2022; 9:855086. [PMID: 35498756 PMCID: PMC9039747 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2022.855086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 03/10/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Prolonged cow-calf contact (CCC) could potentially improve dairy calf welfare. However, it is currently unknown how different types of CCC affect animals' biological functions. We evaluated health and performance parameters of dairy calves and their dams, where calves: (i) had no contact with their dam (NC), in which the calf was removed from the dam directly after birth (n = 10); (ii) were allowed to have partial contact (PC) with their dam, in which the calf was housed in a calf pen adjacent to the cow area allowing physical contact on the initiative of the dam but no suckling (n = 18); (iii) were allowed to have full contact (FC) with their dam, including suckling, in which calves were housed together with their dams in a free-stall barn (n = 20). Throughout the first 7 weeks postpartum, data were collected on the health status, fecal microbiota, hematological profile, immune and hormonal parameters, and growth rates of calves, and on the health status, metabolic responses, and performance of dams. Overall, FC calves had more health issues (P = 0.02) and a tendency for higher antibiotic usage (P = 0.07) than NC calves. Additionally, FC calves showed elevated levels of erythrocytes, hematocrit, hemoglobin, and leukocytes on day 49 compared to NC calves (P < 0.001). Calf fecal microbiota changed over time, and we found preliminary evidence that fecal microbiota is affected by the type of CCC, as reflected by differences in relative abundances of taxa including Lactobacillus in FC calves compared to NC and PC calves except on days 7 and 66. The FC calves had a greater average daily gain in body weight than NC and PC calves (P = 0.002). Cow health was not affected by the type of CCC, although in the first 7 weeks of lactation FC cows had a lower machine-gained milk yield accompanied by a lower fat percentage than NC and PC cows (P < 0.001). These results indicate that full contact posed a challenge for calf health, presumably because the housing conditions of FC calves in this experimental context were suboptimal. Secondly, ad libitum suckling leads to higher weight gains and negatively affected milk fat content besides machine-gained yields. More research into strategies to improve cow-calf housing and management in CCC systems is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margret L. Wenker
- Animal Production Systems Group, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
- Livestock Research, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | | | - Eddie A. M. Bokkers
- Animal Production Systems Group, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Dennis E. te Beest
- Biometris, Wageningen Plant Research, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Gerrit Gort
- Biometris, Wageningen Plant Research, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Daiana de Oliveira
- Department of Animal Environment and Health, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Ad Koets
- Department of Bacteriology, Host-Pathogen Interaction and Diagnostics, Wageningen Bioveterinary Research, Lelystad, Netherlands
| | | | - Josef J. Gross
- Veterinary Physiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Cornelis G. van Reenen
- Animal Production Systems Group, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
- Livestock Research, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
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Parity of Calving Influences the Likelihood of Calves Having Cryptosporidium spp. Vet Med Int 2022; 2022:3306052. [PMID: 35299654 PMCID: PMC8923791 DOI: 10.1155/2022/3306052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2021] [Accepted: 02/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The effect of colostrum on calves’ health status was intensively studied, while the role of transition milk was left underestimated. The common practice is to feed calves with an adequate amount of colostrum immediately after calving and soon after feeding calves are weaned from dams. In this research, calves were not weaned from dams for at least 2 weeks receiving both colostrum and transition milk on demand. Thus, we have recreated natural feeding conditions for calves’ development. We used a stratified sample method to test whether the size of the dairy cattle farms, breed, parity number, season of calving, and length of the dry period affect the likelihood of calves’ infection with Cryptosporidium spp. considering these factors influence both colostrum and transition milk quality. The main results showed that 26.1% of calves were positive for the presence of Cryptosporidium spp. oocysts. The presence of clinical signs of diarrhea was recorded in 15% of the positive animals. Regression analysis showed that multiparous cows decrease the chance of calves to have Cryptosporidium spp. by 82%–89%, while cows calved on small farms decrease the chance of calves to have Cryptosporidium spp. by 80%. We suggest that primiparous cows are spending inner resources primarily on their maturation, thereby leaving the prerequisites for the infection of their offspring, while intense farming just increases the chance of unprotected calves to obtain infections.
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Swinbourne AM, Blagojevic N, Murdock NJ, Mills HB, Flinn T, McCarthy NL, Kelly JM, Kleemann DO, van Wettere WHEJ. Validation of hand-held refractometers for assessing Merino ewe colostrum and neonatal lamb serum. ANIMAL PRODUCTION SCIENCE 2022. [DOI: 10.1071/an20630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
ContextThe high incidence of lamb mortality in Merino sheep is a persistent issue for the industry. Poor-quality colostrum or inadequate colostrum consumption increases the risk of low energy intake and failed passive immunity transfer, resulting in lamb mortality. The rapid assessment of colostrum quality and intake would be a valuable tool for producers which house ewes for lambing.AimsThis experiment determined the relationship and accuracy of analysis techniques to measure immunoglobulin G (IgG) and total protein (TP) concentrations within ewe colostrum and lamb serum and compared those results against digital hand-held refractometers.MethodsMerino ewe colostrum and lamb blood were sampled at 4 and 24 h post-partum during autumn (n=93 ewes) and spring (n=79 ewes) in 2018. Colostrum was analysed for total milk solids (%) and lamb serum was analysed for total blood serum protein (%), and both colostrum and lamb serum were analysed for IgG and TP using in-house laboratory analysis techniques. Correlation coefficients were performed to identify the relationship between the different assessment methods.Key resultsThere was a significant Pearson’s correlation (P<0.05) between 4 h total milk solids and TP (R=0.19), between total milk solids and IgG (R=0.19), and TP and IgG (R=0.38). For 24 h colostrum samples, the significant correlations (P<0.001) between TP and IgG (R=0.54) and total milk solids and IgG (R=0.56) were higher than the correlation between total milk solids and TP (R=0.24; P=0.006). Further, 4 h serum IgG (R=–0.14; P=0.026) and 24 h total blood serum protein (R=0.21; P=0.009) were correlated with lamb survival to 72 h.ConclusionsWhile the refractometer provided a crude measure of colostrum IgG and TP and was valuable in identifying lambs with low IgG transfer at 24 h, further research is required regarding analysis techniques to allow for reliable measures need to be refined.ImplicationsThe use of refractometers to assess colostrum quality and intake could benefit researchers or producers who practice indoor lambing.
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Ahmann J, Steinhoff-Wagner J, Büscher W. Determining Immunoglobulin Content of Bovine Colostrum and Factors Affecting the Outcome: A Review. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:3587. [PMID: 34944362 PMCID: PMC8697873 DOI: 10.3390/ani11123587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2021] [Revised: 12/11/2021] [Accepted: 12/13/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The immunoglobulin concentration in bovine colostrum should be measured to ensure feeding with sufficient immunoglobulins (≥50 mg immunoglobulin G mL-1). Adequate feeding prevents diseases, promotes development, and has a positive influence on the adult animal. Indirect and direct measurement methods are available for this purpose. Direct measurement methods cannot be easily used in practice; therefore, farmers use indirect methods such as a colostrometer and a refractometer. Many factors influence the immunoglobulin concentration of colostrum; some of them have already been intensively researched. In particular, lactation and temporal aspects play an essential role. Newer aspects such as dry period, seasonal influences, and genetics are gaining importance, but their impact on immunoglobulin content has not been sufficiently investigated. Developments are still needed, especially in data management. This review analyzes the outcome of different studies on the indirect and direct measurement methods and discusses different factors influencing the immunoglobulin concentration of bovine colostrum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johanna Ahmann
- Institute of Agricultural Engineering, University of Bonn, 53115 Bonn, Germany;
| | | | - Wolfgang Büscher
- Institute of Agricultural Engineering, University of Bonn, 53115 Bonn, Germany;
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Borchardt S, Sutter F, Heuwieser W, Venjakob P. Management-related factors in dry cows and their associations with colostrum quantity and quality on a large commercial dairy farm. J Dairy Sci 2021; 105:1589-1602. [PMID: 34799117 DOI: 10.3168/jds.2021-20671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2021] [Accepted: 10/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The objective of this observational study was to evaluate the association of management-related factors in dry cows and colostrum quantity and quality in Holstein cows on a large commercial dairy farm. This study was conducted from January 2018 to December 2020 on a commercial dairy farm in Germany, milking approximately 2,500 Holstein cows. Dairy personnel recorded colostrum quantity (n = 7,562) and evaluated colostrum quality in a subsample of animals (n = 2,600) using a digital Brix refractometer. Generalized linear mixed models were constructed to evaluate the association of management-related factors and colostrum quantity and quality. Models were run separately for primiparous or multiparous cows. The outcome variable was either colostrum quantity (kg) or quality (% Brix). Average colostrum quantity was 4.0 ± 2.5 kg, 5.1 ± 3.4 kg, and 5.5 ± 3.5 kg for cows in lactation 1, 2, and ≥3, respectively. In primiparous cows (n = 2,351), colostrum quantity was affected by month of calving (greatest in April = 4.1 kg, and lowest in November = 3.2 kg), sex of the calf (female singleton = 3.50 ± 0.26 kg; male singleton = 3.76 ± 0.27 kg; twins = 2.97 ± 0.66 kg), stillbirth (stillbirth = 3.14 ± 0.39 kg; no stillbirth = 3.68 ± 0.31 kg). In multiparous cows (n = 5,216), colostrum quantity was affected by month of calving (greatest in May = 5.5 kg, and lowest in October = 3.8 kg), calving ease (calving ease 0 = 4.23 ± 0.26 kg; score 1 = 4.77 ± 0.21 kg; score 2 = 4.98 ± 0.22 kg; score 3 = 5.30 ± 0.22 kg), sex of the calf (female singleton = 4.42 ± 0.21 kg; male singleton = 5.00 ± 0.21 kg; twins = 5.03 ± 0.30 kg), stillbirth (stillbirth = 4.24 ± 0.38 kg; no stillbirth = 5.39 ± 0.11 kg), milk yield in previous lactation (+0.1 kg increase for 1,000 kg more milk yield in previous lactation), days spent in the far-off group (0.05 ± 0.003 kg for every day), and days in the close-up pen (0.06 ± 0.010 kg for every day). Average colostrum quality was 25.1 ± 3.4% Brix, 24.7 ± 3.3% Brix, and 27.6 ± 4.4% Brix for cows in lactation 1, 2, and ≥3, respectively. In primiparous cows (n = 817), colostrum quality was affected only by month of calving. Colostrum quality in primiparous cows was greatest in December (26.8% Brix) and lowest in August (23.9% Brix). In multiparous cows (n = 1,783), colostrum quality was affected by parity (lactation 2 = 25.2 ± 2.7% Brix; lactation 3+ = 27.9 ± 2.7% Brix), month of calving (greatest in February = 27.5% Brix, and lowest in August = 25.7% Brix), milk yield in previous lactation, and colostrum quantity. We observed a seasonal pattern for colostrum quantity and quality. Future intervention studies using multiple farms need to elucidate whether management of the photoperiod or length of exposure to close-up diets, or both, can help to optimize colostrum production.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Borchardt
- Clinic for Animal Reproduction, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universitaet Berlin, Koenigsweg 65, 14163 Berlin, Germany.
| | - F Sutter
- Clinic for Animal Reproduction, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universitaet Berlin, Koenigsweg 65, 14163 Berlin, Germany
| | - W Heuwieser
- Clinic for Animal Reproduction, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universitaet Berlin, Koenigsweg 65, 14163 Berlin, Germany
| | - P Venjakob
- Clinic for Animal Reproduction, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universitaet Berlin, Koenigsweg 65, 14163 Berlin, Germany
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Zheng QD, Leal Yepes FA. Effects of Receiving Two Initial Feedings of Colostrum on the Average Daily Gain and Health of Pre-Weaning Group Housed Holstein Heifer Calves. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11113209. [PMID: 34827940 PMCID: PMC8614559 DOI: 10.3390/ani11113209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2021] [Revised: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
We studied the effect on average daily gain (ADG) and health of an additional colostrum feeding to Holstein dairy heifers 12-16 h after the first colostrum feeding, provided within 2 h of birth. Calves (n = 190) with an average birth weight of 38.8 kg (29.5-52.6 kg) were randomly enrolled in blocks to either the control (CON) or colostrum (COL). The CON received 3 L of acidified pasteurized whole milk, and the COL received 3 L of pasteurized colostrum [average: 25.5 (24.7-26.4)% Brix]. Calves were group-housed, weighed, withers height measured weekly. Serum was obtained and analyzed with a% Brix refractometer. Mixed linear models were used to assess the differences in ADG, body weight, and height between the treatment and control. There was no difference in ADG between the COL and CON. However, serum % Brix was higher in the COL group (9.7%) than in the CON group (9.2%). Calves in the COL had more antibiotic treatments for respiratory diseases but fewer antibiotic treatments for otitis than the CON. In conclusion, providing an extra feeding of colostrum did not contribute to ADG of Holstein heifers during the pre-weaning period but did provide them with a higher total serum protein concentration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiu-Di Zheng
- Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA;
| | - Francisco A. Leal Yepes
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-6610, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-509-335-0711
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Weber LP, Dreyer S, Heppelmann M, Schaufler K, Homeier-Bachmann T, Bachmann L. Prevalence and Risk Factors for ESBL/AmpC- E. coli in Pre-Weaned Dairy Calves on Dairy Farms in Germany. Microorganisms 2021; 9:2135. [PMID: 34683456 PMCID: PMC8539614 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9102135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2021] [Revised: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 10/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The objectives of this study were to ascertain the fecal ESBL/AmpC-E. coli prevalence and to detect risk factors for their occurrence in young pre-weaned calves and their dams on large dairy farms in Germany. From 2018-2019 we investigated 2816 individual fecal samples from pre-weaned dairy calves and their dams, representing seventy-two farms (mean = 667 milking cows) from eight German federal states. To assess possible risk factors associated with ESBL/AmpC-E. coli prevalence in calves and dams, a questionnaire was performed, collecting management data. We observed an ESBL/AmpC-E. coli prevalence of 63.5% (95% CI: 57.4-69.5) among the sampled calves and 18.0% (95% CI: 12.5-23.5) among the dams. On all farms, at least one positive sample was obtained. To date, this is the highest ESBL/AmpC-E. coli prevalence observed in dairy herds in Europe. Feeding with waste milk was identified as a significant risk factor for a high prevalence of ESBL/AmpC-E. coli in calves. Many calves at large dairies in Germany are fed with waste milk due to the large amounts generated as a result of antibiotic dry-off routines and mastitis treatment with antibiotics. Other notable risk factors for high ESBL/AmpC-E. coli in calves were the general fitness/health of dams and calves, and the quality of farm hygiene. Taken together, these findings suggest that new or improved approaches to animal health management, for example, antibiotic dry cow management (selective dry cow therapy) and mastitis treatment (high self-recovery), as well as farm hygiene, should be researched and implemented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Patricia Weber
- Alta Deutschland GmbH, 29525 Uelzen, Germany;
- Clinic for Cattle, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, 30173 Hannover, Germany;
- Research-Institute for Farm Animal Biology (FBN), Institute of Nutritional Physiology “Oskar Kellner”, Wilhelm-Stahl-Allee 2, 18196 Dummerstorf, Germany
| | - Sylvia Dreyer
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Institute of International Animal Health/One Health, Greifswald—Insel Riems, 17493 Greifswald, Germany;
| | - Maike Heppelmann
- Clinic for Cattle, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, 30173 Hannover, Germany;
| | - Katharina Schaufler
- Institute of Pharmacy, Universität Greifswald, 17475 Greifwald, Germany;
- Institute of Infection Medicine, Christian-Albrecht University and University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein, 24118 Kiel, Germany
| | - Timo Homeier-Bachmann
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Institute of Epidemiology, Greifswald—Insel Riems, 17493 Greifswald, Germany;
| | - Lisa Bachmann
- Alta Deutschland GmbH, 29525 Uelzen, Germany;
- Research-Institute for Farm Animal Biology (FBN), Institute of Nutritional Physiology “Oskar Kellner”, Wilhelm-Stahl-Allee 2, 18196 Dummerstorf, Germany
- Faculty of Agriculture and Food Science, University of Applied Science Neubrandenburg, Brodaer Str. 2, 17033 Neubrandenburg, Germany
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Suitability of Protein Content Measured by MilkoScan FT-Plus Milk Analyzer to Evaluate Bovine and Ovine Colostrum Quality. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11092587. [PMID: 34573557 PMCID: PMC8464752 DOI: 10.3390/ani11092587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2021] [Revised: 08/28/2021] [Accepted: 08/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary A rapid and reliable method for assessing colostrum quality is needed to ensure enough immunoglobulins available to offspring in order to avoid the failure of the passive transfer of immunity. This study evaluates MilkoScan FT-plus as a rapid tool for the evaluation of immunoglobulin content indirectly by protein content measurement and thus colostrum quality with a particular focus on bovine and ovine colostrum. The results indicate that MilkoScan FT-plus has good agreement with the reference method for the measurement of immunoglobulin concentration in colostrum represented by the radial immunodiffusion method. Abstract The objective of this study was to evaluate MilkoScan FT-plus for the estimation of the immunoglobulin G (IgG) content in bovine and ovine colostrum. Between April and May 2016, a total of 94 colostrum samples (54 from Simmental dairy cows and 39 from Sarda ewes) were collected within 6 h (T0) and after 24 h (T24) from parturition. Colostrum samples were subjected to the radial immunodiffusion (RID) assay for the quantification of IgG and to MilkoScan FT-plus for the estimation of protein content (TP, %), which was then used as an indirect method for the evaluation of colostrum quality. To compare the two methods, correlation and regression analysis of IgG quantification by RID and protein (%) content estimation by MilkoScan FT-plus data was performed using Procedure CORR and Procedure REG of SAS, respectively (version 9.3, SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, USA). Thresholds for the classification of good colostrum quality (as determined by RID assay, the gold standard method) were set at 50 g of IgG/L in cows and 20 g of IgG/L in ewes. The concentration of IgG in bovine colostrum assayed by RID showed a variation ranging from 41.45 to 199.97 g/L with an average of 99.85 ± 40.84 g/L at T0, and from 2.83 to 75.93 g/L with an average of 19.76 ± 19.01 g/L at T24. Regarding ovine colostrum, the concentration of IgG assayed by RID ranged from 34.45 to 156.32 g/L with an average value of 77.82 ± 37.58 g/L at T0, and from 5.6 to 69.74 g/L with an average of 27.90 ± 19.81 g/L at T24. Colostrum TP ranged from 3.70 to 23.96% for bovine colostrum and 6.32 to 22.88% for ovine colostrum using MilkoScan FT-plus. MilkoScan FT-plus and RID data were highly and significantly correlated (r = 0.91 for bovine and r = 0.94 for ovine colostrum), and regression analysis showed a strong relationship between IgG concentration provided by RID assay and TP provided by MilkoScan FT-plus (R2 = 0.84 and 0.88 for bovine and ovine, respectively). Optimal cut-off points for the greatest accuracy of TP (%) determined by MilkoScan FT-plus were 12.8% in cows [with 88.9% sensitivity (Se) and 100% specificity (Sp)] and 9% in ewes (with 96.7% Se and 100% Sp). In conclusion, these outcomes indicate that MilkoScan FT-plus as an indirect method may be a reliable tool for the estimation of the total IgG concentration and quality in bovine and ovine colostrum. Moreover, the cut-off levels of 12.8% for bovine and 9% for ovine of TP, seem sufficient to ensure that all poor-quality colostrum can be classified as such, with only a low proportion of good-quality colostrum being misclassified as poor-colostrum, thereby increasing the probability of delivering good-quality colostrum to new-born calves and lambs.
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Fischer-Tlustos A, Lopez A, Hare K, Wood K, Steele M. Effects of colostrum management on transfer of passive immunity and the potential role of colostral bioactive components on neonatal calf development and metabolism. CANADIAN JOURNAL OF ANIMAL SCIENCE 2021. [DOI: 10.1139/cjas-2020-0149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Neonatal dairy and beef calves are required to ingest adequate volumes of high-quality colostrum during their first hours of life to acquire transfer of passive immunity (TPI). As such, immunoglobulin G (IgG) has largely been the focus of colostrum research over recent decades. Yet, little is known about the additional bioactive compounds in colostrum that potentially influence newborn calf development and metabolism. The purpose of this narrative review is to synthesize research regarding the effects of colostrum management practices on TPI, as well as to address the potential role of additional colostral bioactive molecules, including oligosaccharides, fatty acids, insulin, and insulin-like growth factor-I, in promoting calf development and metabolism. Due to the importance of IgG in ensuring calf immunity and health, we review past research describing the process of colostrogenesis and dam factors influencing the concentrations of IgG in an effort to maximize TPI. We also address the transfer of additional bioactive compounds in colostrum and prepartum management and dam factors that influence their concentrations. Finally, we highlight key areas of future research for the scientific community to pursue to ultimately improve the health and welfare of neonatal dairy calves.
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Affiliation(s)
- A.J. Fischer-Tlustos
- Department of Animal Biosciences, Animal Science and Nutrition, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 1Y2, Canada
- Department of Animal Biosciences, Animal Science and Nutrition, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 1Y2, Canada
| | - A. Lopez
- Department of Animal Biosciences, Animal Science and Nutrition, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 1Y2, Canada
- Department of Animal Biosciences, Animal Science and Nutrition, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 1Y2, Canada
| | - K.S. Hare
- Department of Animal Biosciences, Animal Science and Nutrition, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 1Y2, Canada
- Department of Animal Biosciences, Animal Science and Nutrition, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 1Y2, Canada
| | - K.M. Wood
- Department of Animal Biosciences, Animal Science and Nutrition, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 1Y2, Canada
- Department of Animal Biosciences, Animal Science and Nutrition, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 1Y2, Canada
| | - M.A. Steele
- Department of Animal Biosciences, Animal Science and Nutrition, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 1Y2, Canada
- Department of Animal Biosciences, Animal Science and Nutrition, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 1Y2, Canada
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Interaction between the level of immunoglobulins and number of somatic cells as a factor shaping the immunomodulating properties of colostrum. Sci Rep 2021; 11:15686. [PMID: 34344942 PMCID: PMC8333324 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-95283-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Accepted: 07/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate the association between immunoglobulins and SCC as a factor in shaping the content of the immunostimulatory components of colostrum. Seventy-eight multiparous Polish Holstein-Friesian cows were selected for the experiment. Colostrum samples were collected immediately after calving (up to a max. of 2 h). The cows were divided into groups according to the following levels: Immunoglobulins (IG class)-(IG1) over 50 g/L, (IG2) up to 50 g/L; SCC class-(SCC1) up to 400 000/ml, (SCC2) 400-800 000/ml, (SCC3) over 800 000/ml. Colostrum assigned to the IG1 SCC1 group had a statistically significant higher (p ≤ 0.01) concentration of both whey proteins and fatty acids compared to the IG1 SCC2 and SCC3 groups. The concentration of IgG, IgM, and IgA was shown to be higher in IG1 SCC1 than IG2 SCC3 by 226%, 149%, and 115%, respectively. The concentration of lactoferrin was shown to be higher in IG1 SCC1 than IG2 SCC3 by 149%. The determination of colostrum quality based on the concentration of immunoglobulins in the colostrum may not be sufficient because serum IgG concentrations at birth show a linear increase relative to colostrum SCC. A breakdown of colostrum into quality classes, taking into account the level of SCC, should therefore be introduced.
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Robbers L, Jorritsma R, Nielen M, Koets A. A Scoping Review of On-Farm Colostrum Management Practices for Optimal Transfer of Immunity in Dairy Calves. Front Vet Sci 2021; 8:668639. [PMID: 34350226 PMCID: PMC8327206 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2021.668639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Newborn calves are agammaglobulinemic and rely for their first immune protection almost completely on the transfer of immune constituents via colostrum. Inadequate colostrum management practices such as on-farm colostrum storage practices and colostrum feeding methods could affect immune components in colostrum and subsequently immune status of the newborn calf. We conducted a scoping review to identify all literature on the interactions between several colostrum management factors and immunological colostrum quality and passive transfer of immunity. Three major stages were defined: milking methods, colostrum treatment and storage, and administration procedures. Separate CAB Abstracts searches were performed for each of the subjects of interest. The search process was completed on November 9, 2020. Colostrum should be milked as soon as possible, as IgG concentration diminishes over time, probably due to dilution. To minimize bacterial contamination, it is advised to pasteurize colostrum in small batches at maximal 60°C for 30 or 60 min. Freeze/thawing of colostrum does not or only slightly affect IgG concentrations, as long as thawing is done au bain-marie and temperature does not exceed 40°C. In on-farm situations, it is difficult to determine the volume that should be fed as the variables contributing to the absorption of IgG by the newborn calf are many and include the quality of the colostrum, the bacterial contamination, the time interval between birth and first moment of feeding and the weight of the calf. Despite all knowledge regarding optimal colostrum management strategies, it remains challenging to predict the effects of certain colostrum management choices in field conditions. Therefore, we recommend measuring the colostral quality, weighing the newborn calf, adjusting the feeding volume accordingly to ensure optimal colostrum intake for each calf.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Robbers
- Population Health Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Ruurd Jorritsma
- Population Health Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Mirjam Nielen
- Population Health Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Ad Koets
- Population Health Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands.,Wageningen Bioveterinary Research, Lelystad, Netherlands
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Immler M, Failing K, Gärtner T, Wehrend A, Donat K. Associations between the metabolic status of the cow and colostrum quality as determined by Brix refractometry. J Dairy Sci 2021; 104:10131-10142. [PMID: 34253369 DOI: 10.3168/jds.2020-19812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2020] [Accepted: 04/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Supplying newborn calves with immunoglobins is critical for their health and a daily challenge in the dairy industry. Among various factors determining colostrum quality, the prepartum metabolic status of the cow might be of particular importance. The objective of this observational cross-sectional study was to evaluate relationships between cow-level variables and the colostrum quality as determined by Brix refractometry. A total of 873 cows of varying breed and parity from 124 German dairy herds were included in the study, and blood and urine samples were taken 3 to 1 wk before the expected calving date. Effectively, samples were collected on average 8.2 d (geometric mean) before calving, ranging from 2 to 45 d. The final variable set included body condition score, lameness score, breed, parity, vaccination of the cow, the activity of glutamate dehydrogenase and aspartate aminotransferase, the urine concentration of creatinine, net acid-base excretion, the serum concentration of cholesterol and calcium, and the difference in albumin and total protein concentration. Generalized linear mixed effects regression models with hierarchically structured random effects (cow within herd) using the maximum likelihood method were fitted to the data to identify associations between the Brix value as an outcome and cow-level variables as predictors. Cows entering second parity had lower Brix values compared with cows entering third or greater parity, and prepartum vaccination of cows led to higher Brix values compared with nonvaccinated cows. Cows with a moderate to high lameness score had lower Brix values than cows with low-grade lameness. An increase of glutamate dehydrogenase serum activity and serum calcium concentration were associated with lower Brix values, whereas an increase in the difference of total protein and albumin serum concentration led to higher Brix values. In conclusion, the metabolic health of the cow affects colostrum quality and may cause failure of passive immunoglobulin transfer as well as impaired calf health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuela Immler
- Animal Health Service, Thuringian Animal Diseases Fund, Victor-Goerttler-Straße 4, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Klaus Failing
- Unit for Biomathematics and Data Processing, Veterinary Faculty, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Frankfurter Str. 95, 35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Tanja Gärtner
- Animal Health Service, Thuringian Animal Diseases Fund, Victor-Goerttler-Straße 4, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Axel Wehrend
- Clinic for Obstetrics, Gynecology and Andrology with Veterinary Ambulance, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Frankfurter Str. 106, 35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Karsten Donat
- Animal Health Service, Thuringian Animal Diseases Fund, Victor-Goerttler-Straße 4, 07745 Jena, Germany; Clinic for Obstetrics, Gynecology and Andrology with Veterinary Ambulance, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Frankfurter Str. 106, 35392 Giessen, Germany.
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Šlosárková S, Pechová A, Staněk S, Fleischer P, Zouharová M, Nejedlá E. Microbial contamination of harvested colostrum on Czech dairy farms. J Dairy Sci 2021; 104:11047-11058. [PMID: 34253366 DOI: 10.3168/jds.2020-19949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 05/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The objective of this study was to perform a quantitative and qualitative evaluation of microbial contamination of harvested colostrum on 39 Czech dairy farms. The study identified the proportion of colostrum samples that met the recommended goals for total plate count (TPC), total coliform count (TCC), and gram-negative noncoliform count (NCC), and evaluated the effect of the farm, breed, parity, season of the year, time of calving, and colostrum volume on these 3 microbiological parameters. Colostrum samples from cows (n = 1,241; 57.6% from Czech Fleckvieh, and 42.4% from Holstein breed) were collected on dairy farms between autumn of 2015 and spring of 2017. The samples were collected after the first milking directly from milking buckets. In 155 out of 1,241 colostrum samples (26 farms, 6 samples each, except 1 farm), the species of microorganisms obtained by culture were determined, and the findings were classified into 4 groups according to the probable source of contamination as follows: (1) normal inhabitants of bovine skin and mucosa, (2) fecal contaminants, (3) environmental contaminants, and (4) potential gram-positive mammary pathogens. Our results showed heavy microbial contamination of collected colostrum samples (TPC median = 408,000 cfu/mL; TCC median = 200 cfu/mL; NCC median = 80 cfu/mL). Only 28.4% of samples met the requirement for TPC (<100,000 cfu/mL), 88.2% for TCC (<10,000 cfu/mL), and 86.0% for NCC (<5,000 cfu/mL). Among the tested factors, we found that farm had a significant effect on all 3 microbiological parameters, volume of colostrum had an effect on TPC (the highest TPC in <3.0 L of colostrum), and season had an effect on TCC and NCC (higher TCC in summer than in autumn and winter; the highest NCC in summer and higher in autumn than in spring and winter). Our results showed that most microbes isolated from colostrum belonged to normal inhabitants of bovine skin and mucosa, fecal, or environmental contaminants (i.e., 82.6%, 81.9%, and 75.5% of colostrum samples, respectively). Potential gram-positive mammary pathogens were found in 13.5% of samples. Escherichia coli was isolated from 9.0% of colostrum samples, and Streptococcus uberis and Streptococcus parauberis were each isolated from 5.2% of samples. Our study showed high microbial contamination of colostrum collected on dairy farms. Therefore, better hygiene and sanitation around colostrum harvest should be addressed by farmers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soňa Šlosárková
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Preventive Medicine, Hudcova 296/70, Veterinary Research Institute, 621 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Alena Pechová
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Preventive Medicine, Hudcova 296/70, Veterinary Research Institute, 621 00 Brno, Czech Republic; Department of Animal Breeding, Animal Nutrition and Biochemistry, Palackého 1946/1, University of Veterinary Sciences Brno, 612 42 Brno, Czech Republic.
| | | | - Petr Fleischer
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Preventive Medicine, Hudcova 296/70, Veterinary Research Institute, 621 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Monika Zouharová
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Preventive Medicine, Hudcova 296/70, Veterinary Research Institute, 621 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Eliška Nejedlá
- Department of Livestock Technology and Management, Přátelství 815, Institute of Animal Science, 104 00 Prague 10 - Uhříněves, Czech Republic
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Soufleri A, Banos G, Panousis N, Fletouris D, Arsenos G, Kougioumtzis A, Valergakis GE. Evaluation of Factors Affecting Colostrum Quality and Quantity in Holstein Dairy Cattle. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11072005. [PMID: 34359133 PMCID: PMC8300143 DOI: 10.3390/ani11072005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2021] [Revised: 06/30/2021] [Accepted: 07/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The objective of this study was to conduct a large-scale investigation of colostrum composition and yield and an evaluation of factors affecting them. In this study, 1017 clinically healthy Holstein cows from 10 farms were used. The colostrum TS were measured using a digital Brix refractometer. Fat, protein and lactose content were determined using an infrared Milk Analyzer. Statistical analysis was conducted using a series of univariate general linear models. The mean (±SD) percentage of colostrum fat, protein, lactose and TS content were 6.37 (3.33), 17.83 (3.97), 2.15 (0.73) and 25.80 (4.68), respectively. Parity had a significant positive effect on the protein and TS content and a negative one on fat content. The time interval between calving and colostrum collection had a significant negative effect on the fat, protein and TS contents and a positive one on lactose. Colostrum yield had a significant negative effect on the protein and TS content, and it was affected by all factors considered. In addition to TS, the evaluation of the colostrum fat content appears essential when neonates' energy needs are considered. The Brix refractometer, an inexpensive and easy to use devise, can be used effectively in colostrum quality monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aikaterini Soufleri
- Laboratory of Animal Husbandry, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, School of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Box 393, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece; (G.B.); (G.A.); (A.K.); (G.E.V.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +30-2310999850
| | - Georgios Banos
- Laboratory of Animal Husbandry, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, School of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Box 393, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece; (G.B.); (G.A.); (A.K.); (G.E.V.)
- Scotland’s Rural College, Roslin Institute, Building, Easter Bush, Edinburgh EH25 9RG, UK
| | - Nikolaos Panousis
- Clinic of Farm Animals, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, School of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece;
| | - Dimitrios Fletouris
- Laboratory of Safety and Quality of Dairy Foods, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, School of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece;
| | - Georgios Arsenos
- Laboratory of Animal Husbandry, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, School of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Box 393, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece; (G.B.); (G.A.); (A.K.); (G.E.V.)
| | - Alexandros Kougioumtzis
- Laboratory of Animal Husbandry, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, School of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Box 393, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece; (G.B.); (G.A.); (A.K.); (G.E.V.)
| | - Georgios E. Valergakis
- Laboratory of Animal Husbandry, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, School of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Box 393, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece; (G.B.); (G.A.); (A.K.); (G.E.V.)
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Brown AJ, Scoley G, O’Connell N, Robertson J, Browne A, Morrison S. Pre-Weaned Calf Rearing on Northern Irish Dairy Farms: Part 1. A Description of Calf Management and Housing Design. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:1954. [PMID: 34208877 PMCID: PMC8300315 DOI: 10.3390/ani11071954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Revised: 06/25/2021] [Accepted: 06/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The first few months of life are of great importance to the longevity and lifetime performance of dairy cows. The nutrition, environment and healthcare management of heifer calves must be sufficient to minimise exposure to stress and disease and enable them to perform to their genetic potential. Lack of reporting of farm management practices in Northern Ireland (NI) makes it difficult to understand where issues impacting health, welfare and performance may occur in the rearing process. The objective of this study was to investigate housing design and management practices of calves on 66 dairy farms across NI over a 3-month period and also identify areas that may cause high risk of poor health and performance in dairy calves. An initial survey was used to detail housing and management practices, with two subsequent visits to each farm used to collect animal and housing-based measurements linked to hygiene management, animal health and performance. Large variations in key elements such as weaning criteria and method, calf grouping method used, nutritional feed plane, and routine hygiene management were identified. The specification of housing, in particular ventilation and stocking density, was highlighted as a potential limiting factor for calf health and performance. Lack of measurement of nutritional inputs, hygiene management practices and calf performance was observed. This poses a risk to farmers' ability to ensure the effectiveness of key management strategies and recognise poor calf performance and health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron J Brown
- Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute, Hillsborough BT26 6DR, UK; (G.S.); (S.M.)
- Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen’s University, Belfast BT7 1NN, UK;
| | - Gillian Scoley
- Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute, Hillsborough BT26 6DR, UK; (G.S.); (S.M.)
| | - Niamh O’Connell
- Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen’s University, Belfast BT7 1NN, UK;
| | | | - Amanda Browne
- Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute, Newforge Lane, Belfast BT9 5PX, UK;
| | - Steven Morrison
- Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute, Hillsborough BT26 6DR, UK; (G.S.); (S.M.)
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36
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Costa A, Goi A, Penasa M, Nardino G, Posenato L, De Marchi M. Variation of immunoglobulins G, A, and M and bovine serum albumin concentration in Holstein cow colostrum. Animal 2021; 15:100299. [PMID: 34167023 DOI: 10.1016/j.animal.2021.100299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2021] [Revised: 05/17/2021] [Accepted: 05/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Immunoglobulins G (IgG), A (IgA), and M (IgM) represent 70-80% of total proteins in cattle colostrum and are essential for the passive transfer of antibodies from the dam to the calf. Considering the practical difficulties of colostrum sample collection and the high cost of analysis, non-genetic sources of variation of the three immunoglobulins fractions have been scarcely studied together on a large scale in dairy cows. In the present study, IgG, IgA, IgM, and bovine serum albumin (BSA) were determined in colostrum samples of Holstein cows through bovine-specific radial immunodiffusion kits; such phenotypes allowed to investigate the effects of parity, herd, and calving season, and interactions. Only the first colostrum was considered in the present study, as the calf was separated from the dam immediately after birth and was not allowed to suckle. The average of IgG (n = 676), IgA (n = 573), IgM (n = 658), total immunoglobulins (n = 525), and BSA (n = 614) was 91.31, 4.20, 105.99, 5.05, and 2.47 g/L, respectively, and all traits positively correlated to each other. Overall, the immunoglobulins were less concentrated in colostrum of first- and second-parity cows than later-parity cows. These findings suggest that colostrum quality, based on Ig, is overall greater in cows that experienced more than two lactations, likely due to a greater experience of the immune system and to a wider immune heritage compared to younger cows. As regards the effect of calving season, the concentration of all Ig tended to be generally greater in colostrum sampled from August to November. Moreover, there were differences in IgG, IgA, and IgM concentration among the nine herds involved. Future studies will investigate the relationships of these traits with yield, and gross and detailed composition of bovine colostrum and will consider their genetic background to evaluate potential selection strategies to improve colostrum quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Costa
- Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural resources, Animals and Environment, University of Padova, Viale dell'Università 16, 35020 Legnaro, PD, Italy
| | - A Goi
- Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural resources, Animals and Environment, University of Padova, Viale dell'Università 16, 35020 Legnaro, PD, Italy
| | - M Penasa
- Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural resources, Animals and Environment, University of Padova, Viale dell'Università 16, 35020 Legnaro, PD, Italy.
| | - G Nardino
- Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural resources, Animals and Environment, University of Padova, Viale dell'Università 16, 35020 Legnaro, PD, Italy
| | - L Posenato
- Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural resources, Animals and Environment, University of Padova, Viale dell'Università 16, 35020 Legnaro, PD, Italy
| | - M De Marchi
- Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural resources, Animals and Environment, University of Padova, Viale dell'Università 16, 35020 Legnaro, PD, Italy
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37
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Arslan A, Kaplan M, Duman H, Bayraktar A, Ertürk M, Henrick BM, Frese SA, Karav S. Bovine Colostrum and Its Potential for Human Health and Nutrition. Front Nutr 2021; 8:651721. [PMID: 34235166 PMCID: PMC8255475 DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2021.651721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Colostrum is the first milk produced post-partum by mammals and is compositionally distinct from mature milk. Bovine colostrum has a long history of consumption by humans, and there have been a number of studies investigating its potential for applications in human nutrition and health. Extensive characterization of the constituent fractions has identified a wealth of potentially bioactive molecules, their potential for shaping neonatal development, and the potential for their application beyond the neonatal period. Proteins, fats, glycans, minerals, and vitamins are abundant in colostrum, and advances in dairy processing technologies have enabled the advancement of bovine colostrum from relative limitations of a fresh and unprocessed food to a variety of potential applications. In these forms, clinical studies have examined bovine colostrum as having the substantial potential to improve human health. This review discusses the macro-and micronutrient composition of colostrum as well as describing well-characterized bioactives found in bovine colostrum and their potential for human health. Current gaps in knowledge are also identified and future directions are considered in order to elevate the potential for bovine colostrum as a component of a healthy diet for a variety of relevant human populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayşenur Arslan
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Canakkale, Turkey
| | - Merve Kaplan
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Canakkale, Turkey
| | - Hatice Duman
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Canakkale, Turkey
| | - Ayşe Bayraktar
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Canakkale, Turkey
- Uluova Dairy, Canakkale, Turkey
| | | | - Bethany M. Henrick
- Evolve Biosystems, Inc. Davis, CA, United States
- Department of Food Science and Technology, University of Nebraska Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, United States
| | - Steven A. Frese
- Department of Food Science and Technology, University of Nebraska Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, United States
- Department of Nutrition, University of Nevada Reno, Reno, NV, United States
| | - Sercan Karav
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Canakkale, Turkey
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Najafi S, Mohammadi G, Mohri M, Hosseinkhani S, Mehrzad J. Colostrum fails to prevent bovine/camelid neonatal neutrophil damage from AFB 1. J Immunotoxicol 2021; 17:43-50. [PMID: 32124641 DOI: 10.1080/1547691x.2020.1725693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Exposure to environmental toxicants that affect the immune system and overall health of many mammals is mostly unavoidable. One of the more common substances is the mycotoxins, especially carcinogenic aflatoxin (AF)B1 which also causes immune suppression/dysregulation in exposed hosts. The present study analyzed the effects of naturally occurring levels of AFB1 on apoptosis of healthy bovine and camelid neonatal neutrophils (PMN) that were isolated both before and after host consumption of colostrum. Cells from bovine and camel neonates (n = 12 sets of PMN/mammal/timepoint) were exposed for 24 h to a low level of AFB1 (i.e. 10 ng AFB1/ml) and then intracellular ATP content and caspase-3, -7, and -9 activities (determined by bioluminescence) were assessed. The results indicated a significant lessening of intracellular ATP content and equivalents of luminescence intensity in AFB1-treated PMN in all studied samples, i.e. isolated pre-and post-colostrum consumption. In contrast, caspase-3, -7, and -9 activities in both pre- and post-colostrum consumption bovine and camelid PMN were noticeably increased (∼>2-fold). The damaging effects of AFB1 were more pronounced in bovine neonate PMN than in camelid ones. These results showed that camelid or bovine neonatal PMN collected pre- and post-colostrum are sensitive (moreso after consumption) to naturally occurring levels of AFB1. While merits of colostrum are well known, its failure to mitigate toxic effects of AFB1 in what would translate into a critical period in the development of immune competence (i.e. during the first few days of life in bovine and camelid calves) is surprising. The observed in vitro toxicities can help clarify underlying mechanisms of immune disorders caused by AFs in animals/humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sajad Najafi
- Department of Clinical Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Gholamreza Mohammadi
- Department of Clinical Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Mehrdad Mohri
- Department of Clinical Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Saman Hosseinkhani
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Jalil Mehrzad
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
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van Niekerk JK, Fischer-Tlustos AJ, Wilms JN, Hare KS, Welboren AC, Lopez AJ, Yohe TT, Cangiano LR, Leal LN, Steele MA. ADSA Foundation Scholar Award: New frontiers in calf and heifer nutrition-From conception to puberty. J Dairy Sci 2021; 104:8341-8362. [PMID: 34053756 DOI: 10.3168/jds.2020-20004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2020] [Accepted: 03/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Dairy calf nutrition is traditionally one of the most overlooked aspects of dairy management, despite its large effect on the efficiency and profitability of dairy operations. Unfortunately, among all animals on the dairy farm, calves suffer from the highest rates of morbidity and mortality. These challenges have catalyzed calf nutrition research over the past decade to mitigate high incidences of disease and death, and improve animal health, growth, welfare, and industry sustainability. However, major knowledge gaps remain in several crucial stages of development. The purpose of this review is to summarize the key concepts of nutritional physiology and programming from conception to puberty and their subsequent effects on development of the calf, and ultimately, future performance. During fetal development, developmental plasticity is highest. At this time, maternal energy and protein consumption can influence fetal development, likely playing a critical role in calf and heifer development and, importantly, future production. After birth, the calf's first meal of colostrum is crucial for the transfer of immunoglobulin to support calf health and survival. However, colostrum also contains numerous bioactive proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates that may play key roles in calf growth and health. Extending the delivery of these bioactive compounds to the calf through a gradual transition from colostrum to milk (i.e., extended colostrum or transition milk feeding) may confer benefits in the first days and weeks of life to prepare the calf for the preweaning period. Similarly, optimal nutrition during the preweaning period is vital. Preweaning calves are highly susceptible to health challenges, and improved calf growth and health can positively influence future milk production. Throughout the world, the majority of dairy calves rely on milk replacer to supply adequate nutrition. Recent research has started to re-evaluate traditional formulations of milk replacers, which can differ significantly in composition compared with whole milk. Transitioning from a milk-based diet to solid feed is critical in the development of mature ruminants. Delaying weaning age and providing long and gradual step-down protocols have become common to avoid production and health challenges. Yet, determining how to appropriately balance the amount of energy and protein supplied in both liquid and solid feeds based on preweaning milk allowances, and further acknowledging their interactions, shows great promise in improving growth and health during weaning. After weaning and during the onset of puberty, heifers are traditionally offered high-forage diets. However, recent work suggests that an early switch to a high-forage diet will depress intake and development during the time when solid feed efficiency is greatest. It has become increasingly clear that there are great opportunities to advance our knowledge of calf nutrition; yet, a more concentrated and rigorous approach to research that encompasses the long-term consequences of nutritional regimens at each stage of life is required to ensure the sustainability and efficiency of the global dairy industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- J K van Niekerk
- Department of Animal Biosciences, Animal Science and Nutrition, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada N1G 1Y2
| | - A J Fischer-Tlustos
- Department of Animal Biosciences, Animal Science and Nutrition, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada N1G 1Y2
| | - J N Wilms
- Department of Animal Biosciences, Animal Science and Nutrition, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada N1G 1Y2; Trouw Nutrition Research and Development, PO Box 299, 3800 AG, Amersfoort, the Netherlands
| | - K S Hare
- Department of Animal Biosciences, Animal Science and Nutrition, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada N1G 1Y2
| | - A C Welboren
- Department of Animal Biosciences, Animal Science and Nutrition, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada N1G 1Y2
| | - A J Lopez
- Department of Animal Biosciences, Animal Science and Nutrition, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada N1G 1Y2
| | - T T Yohe
- Department of Animal Biosciences, Animal Science and Nutrition, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada N1G 1Y2
| | - L R Cangiano
- Department of Animal Biosciences, Animal Science and Nutrition, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada N1G 1Y2
| | - L N Leal
- Trouw Nutrition Research and Development, PO Box 299, 3800 AG, Amersfoort, the Netherlands
| | - M A Steele
- Department of Animal Biosciences, Animal Science and Nutrition, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada N1G 1Y2.
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40
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Effects of chestnut tannins supplementation of prepartum moderate yielding dairy cows on metabolic health, antioxidant and colostrum indices. ANNALS OF ANIMAL SCIENCE 2021. [DOI: 10.2478/aoas-2020-0077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
This study investigated the effects of dietary supplementation with chestnut tannins (CNT) on metabolic and antioxidant status of prepartum cows along with their colostrum quality. Pregnant multiparous Holstein cows were paired according to parity and body condition score, and assigned either to a diet supplemented with 20 g/d of commercially available product containing chestnut tannins (CNT, n=20) or to an unsupplemented control diet (CON, n=20) for the last 25±2 d of pregnancy. Serum metabolite, insulin and antioxidant capacity indices were measured in blood samples taken at d 25 and d 5 before expected parturition. Chemical composition and IgG concentration were determined in colostrum samples collected from the first milking postpartum. The addition of CNT led to lower BUN (P=0.02) and consequently higher serum glucose (P=0.02) and insulin (P<0.01) concentrations which were associated with lower circulating NEFA (P<0.01) and BHBA (P<0.01) in CNT group than those of CON. The serum paraoxonase 1 (PON 1) activity and total antioxidant capacity (TAOC) were higher at -5 d in CNT than in CON (P<0.01, P=0.03; respectively). Close-up CNT improved lactose percentage and IgG concentration (P=0.03, P=0.04; respectively) and tended to improve percentage of protein and SNF (Solid Not Fat) in primary colostrum (P=0.06, respectively), without affecting colostrum fat and total solid (P=0.98, P=0.43; respectively). Supplementation of CNT in the diet during close-up period did not have adverse effects on metabolic profiles prepartum. Instead, this feeding regimen was more beneficial to antioxidant capacity and colostrum quality than feeding the control diet.
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Evaluation of Brix refractometer as an on-farm tool for colostrum IgG evaluation in Italian beef and dairy cattle. J DAIRY RES 2021; 88:189-193. [PMID: 33952363 DOI: 10.1017/s0022029921000315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
In this study it is hypothesized that there are differences between immunoglobulin G (IgG) content in colostrum from beef (Chianina, Podolica) and dairy (Holstein Friesian) cows and that variables such as breed, and parity can influence IgG content. The further objective was to determine if these factors may vary in terms of sensitivity, specificity and the cut point when data obtained with the digital Brix refractometer is compared with the gold standard radial immunodiffusion assay (RID). A total of 90 samples of first-milking colostrum were collected within 2 h after parturition. IgG concentration was determined indirectly by digital Brix refractometer and directly by RID. Results obtained by RID were compared among breed and parity. For the digital Brix refractometer, sensitivity and specificity to detect colostrum with an IgG concentration lower than 50 g/l were calculated and the optimal cut-point was selected for each breed. Samples containing less than <50 g/l IgG accounted for 15.9% of the total. Parity influenced colostral IgG concentration and beef cows had a higher mean concentration of IgG (101.1 g/l in Chianina and 90.6 g/l in Podolica) than dairy cows (71.1 g/l in Holstein Friesian) First parity Chianina cows had the highest IgG mean content (116.1 g/l). At the optimal cut-point for Brix refractometer (20%) sensitivity and specificity were 0.93 (0.84-0.97) and 0.81 (0.70-0.88), however, a breed-related cut-point could be used to reduce evaluation error. Linear regression modeling showed that refractometer data were related to RID (r = 0.78). Results obtained suggest that breed and parity can influence IgG content of colostrum and, despite the Brix refractometer being an excellent on-farm tool, a breed-based definition of optimal cut point is needed.
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Robbers L, Bijkerk HJC, Koets AP, Benedictus L, Nielen M, Jorritsma R. Survey on Colostrum Management by Dairy Farmers in the Netherlands. Front Vet Sci 2021; 8:656391. [PMID: 33889605 PMCID: PMC8056021 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2021.656391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2021] [Accepted: 03/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Colostrum feeding is essential for the transfer of passive immunity and health of newborn calves. Information on current colostrum management practices to reduce calf morbidity and mortality is important but lacking for Dutch dairy herds. We therefore conducted a survey to investigate colostrum management strategies on Dutch dairy farms. The survey was specifically focused on the most recently born calf and was returned by 107 respondents (response rate of 13.4%). The mean amount of colostrum fed at first feeding was 2.9 liters. Overall, 79% of farmers provided the calf with at least 6 liters of colostrum in up to three feedings. The majority of respondents (84%) claimed to provide the calf with colostrum for the first time within 2 h post-partum. Using ordinal logistic regression and Wilcoxon rank sum test, we found no differences in time to first colostrum feeding or total amount of colostrum fed between bull calves and heifer calves, respectively. Ordinal logistic regression showed no significant differences in time to first colostrum feeding or time between calving and removing the calf from the dam between AMS and conventional milking herds. Two sample T-test comparing the total volume of colostrum showed no significant difference between AMS and conventional milking herds. Time of day at which a calf was born affected both volume fed at first colostrum feeding and time until first colostrum feeding. Calves born between 00.00 and 06.00 were significantly at risk of receiving the first colostrum later as compared to calves born at other times. Calves born in the evening received on average a lower amount of colostrum at first feeding. Survey results on colostrum management on most Dutch dairy farms are in agreement with the advice to feed as soon as possible after parturition and to provide at least 6 liters within 24 h of age. The current study points at time of calving as a potential risk factor for sub-optimal colostrum feeding. Further research is necessary to determine the consequences of this observation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Robbers
- Population Health Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Hannes J C Bijkerk
- Population Health Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Ad P Koets
- Population Health Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands.,Wageningen Bioveterinary Research, Lelystad, Netherlands
| | - Lindert Benedictus
- Population Health Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Mirjam Nielen
- Population Health Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Ruurd Jorritsma
- Population Health Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
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Brunauer M, Roch FF, Conrady B. Prevalence of Worldwide Neonatal Calf Diarrhoea Caused by Bovine Rotavirus in Combination with Bovine Coronavirus, Escherichia coli K99 and Cryptosporidium spp.: A Meta-Analysis. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11041014. [PMID: 33916839 PMCID: PMC8066230 DOI: 10.3390/ani11041014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2021] [Revised: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 04/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Multiple enteropathogens such as bovine rotavirus (BRV), bovine coronavirus (BCoV), Escherichia coli K99 (ETEC) and Cryptosporidium spp. (Crypto) are the most common causes of calf diarrhoea during the first 30 days of animal age. Three weighted-stratified random-effects meta-analyses were performed to calculate the worldwide prevalence of mixed infections of the causative agents (i.e., BRV-BCoV, BRV-ETEC, BRV-Crypto) and their potential influencing factors. The meta-analysis covered 41 studies (94 sub-studies) in 21 countries that determined the presence or absence of mixed infections in global calf populations. The highest worldwide estimated pooled prevalence was identified for BRV-Crypto (6.69%), followed by BRV-BCoV (2.84%), and BRV-ETEC (1.64%). The chance of detecting BCoV in calves with diarrhoea was 1.83 higher in the presence of BRV compared to calves without BRV, whereby an inhibition effect (odds ratio: 0.77) was determined between BRV and Crypto infections. The diagnostic methods were identified as a significant influencing factor in the detection of all considered mixed infections, while the other analysed factors differed in relation to their effect on prevalence. In contrast to BRV-BCoV, the prevalence of BRV-ETEC and BRV-Crypto mixed infections followed the course of individual ETEC and Crypto prevalence related to the age class of the sampled animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Brunauer
- Institute of Food Safety, Food Technology and Veterinary Public Health, University of Veterinary Medicine, 1210 Vienna, Austria; (M.B.); (F.-F.R.)
| | - Franz-Ferdinand Roch
- Institute of Food Safety, Food Technology and Veterinary Public Health, University of Veterinary Medicine, 1210 Vienna, Austria; (M.B.); (F.-F.R.)
| | - Beate Conrady
- Institute of Food Safety, Food Technology and Veterinary Public Health, University of Veterinary Medicine, 1210 Vienna, Austria; (M.B.); (F.-F.R.)
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 1870 Frederiksberg C, Denmark
- Complexity Science Hub Vienna, 1080 Vienna, Austria
- Correspondence:
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The impact of elective caesarean section on colostrum characteristics in double-muscled Belgian Blue cows. Theriogenology 2021; 167:120-125. [PMID: 33813052 DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2021.03.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2020] [Revised: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Identification of factors associated with the quality and quantity of colostrum production has always been a major challenge in cattle industry. In purebred double-muscled Belgian Blue (BB) cows, parturition is mainly performed by elective caesarean section (CS; >90%). However, the CS itself may influence colostrum production characteristics. The present study aimed to evaluate the impact of maternal and newborn calf factors and the duration of the procedure of CS on the quality and quantity of colostrum production in BB cows. The dataset includes 551 records of cow-calf pairs that were presented for an elective CS at the Ghent University veterinary clinic between 2017 and 2019. The quality (measured via a colostrum densimeter) and the quantity (measured via a standard volume scale) of colostrum were measured within 30 min after the end of the CS. Fixed effects were fitted in mixed linear regression models to test for their potential association with colostrum quality (specific gravity; SG) and quantity (liters), and generalized mixed-effects models were constructed to test the associations of fixed effects with the optimal colostrum production index (yes vs no) based on an adequate supply of both colostrum quality and quantity. The fixed effects tested were parity, the gender of the calf, birth weight, duration of CS (min), and season of birth. Our results show that parity (primiparity), duration of CS (longer CS), and calving season (summer) had a significantly negative impact on colostrum production. Concluding, both colostrum quality and quantity can be influenced by intrinsic and extrinsic factors (including duration of CS), which should be considered while feeding newborn calves delivered via CS.
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45
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Enger KM, Hardy NR, Hist EM, Enger BD. Relationship between intramammary infection and antibody concentrations in Jersey and Holstein colostrum. J Dairy Sci 2021; 104:6124-6133. [PMID: 33663823 DOI: 10.3168/jds.2020-19316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2020] [Accepted: 12/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Feeding calves a high-quality and antibody-rich colostrum is an important management practice for supporting calf health and productivity. Colostrum quality and antibody concentrations are highly variable between cows and among quarters within a cow. Intramammary infections often occur during the time of colostrum formation; however, it is unknown if these infections ultimately affect colostrum quality and antibody concentrations. The objective of this study was to determine if antibody concentrations and Brix percentage in colostrum from infected mammary glands (quarters) differed from uninfected. In 2 cross-sectional studies, colostrum samples were aseptically collected at first milking from 110 Holstein and 89 Jersey cows at 3 Holstein and 4 Jersey commercial dairy farms in Ohio. A total of 771 quarter samples were collected, underwent bacteriological culture, and were measured for Brix percentage with a digital refractometer. When 1 infected and 1 uninfected quarter existed among the fore or rear quarters within a cow, IgG1, IgG2, IgA, and IgM antibody concentrations were determined via ELISA for the paired quarters (n = 82). Overall, for Holstein cows, Brix percentages were greater in multiparous than primiparous cows (30.5 vs. 23.7 ± 2.1 SEM), but an opposite pattern was observed for Jersey cows (24.3 vs. 27.2 ± 1.2 SEM). Uninfected quarters in both Holstein and Jersey multiparous cows had greater Brix percentage than colostrum from infected quarters; this pattern was absent for Holstein and Jersey primiparous cows. For Holstein cows, concentrations of IgG1, IgG2, and IgA were greater in multiparous cows than primiparous cows; quarter-infection status did not significantly influence antibody concentrations. For Jersey samples, antibody concentrations did not differ between primiparous and multiparous cows and were not significantly affected by quarter-infection status. The results of these works indicate that infection status at parturition does not markedly affect colostrum antibody concentrations and quality, and that other factors at the local level of the mammary gland more greatly influence colostrogenesis and antibody transport into the mammary gland during colostrogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- K M Enger
- Department of Animal Sciences, Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, The Ohio State University, Wooster 44691
| | - N R Hardy
- Department of Animal Sciences, Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, The Ohio State University, Wooster 44691
| | - E M Hist
- Department of Animal Sciences, Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, The Ohio State University, Wooster 44691
| | - B D Enger
- Department of Animal Sciences, Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, The Ohio State University, Wooster 44691.
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46
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Effects of Airspeed on the Respiratory Rate, Rectal Temperature, and Immunity Parameters of Dairy Calves Housed Individually in an Axial-Fan-Ventilated Barn. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11020354. [PMID: 33572539 PMCID: PMC7910846 DOI: 10.3390/ani11020354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2020] [Revised: 12/22/2020] [Accepted: 01/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
At many modern dairy farms, calves raised in barns are kept in individual stalls separated by solid partitions, which act as barriers. Ventilation fans blowing air perpendicular to these stalls only provide the optimal airflow to the first few calves, while those further away receive a slower airflow. To ascertain whatever effects different airflow speeds may have on the health of animals kept in stalls located at increasing distances from ventilation fans, we divided a select group of 43 Holstein dairy calves into six subgroups based on age, and each subgroup was subjected to either a specified high-speed or low-speed airflow as follows: (1) Six 3-day-olds received high-speed airflow (D3-HA); (2) Six 3-day-olds received low-speed airflow (D3-LA); (3) Eight 19 (±3)-day-olds received high-speed airflow (D19-HA); (4) Eight 19 (± 3)-day-olds received low-speed airflow (D19-LA); (5) Eight 29 (±3)-day-olds received high-speed airflow (D29-HA); and (6) Seven 29 (±3)-day-olds received medium-speed airflow (D29-MA). These trials show that the rectal temperatures and respiratory rates of D19-LA (39.37 °C; 72.90 breaths/min) were significantly higher than those of D19-HA (39.14 °C; 61.57 breaths/min) (p ≤ 0.05), and those of D29-MA (39.40 °C; 75.52 breaths/min) were significantly higher than those of D29-HA (39.20 °C; 68.41 breaths/min) (p ≤ 0.05). At 33 (±3) days of age, those calves receiving high-speed airflow (p ≤ 0.05) registered significantly higher immunoglobulins A and M than calves receiving low-speed flow. Those calves subjected to a high-speed airflow also registered significantly lower tumor necrosis factor levels than those receiving low-speed flow (p ≤ 0.05). Among the 29 to 43-day-old calves, no significant differences in immunity parameters were found to exist between groups D29-HA and D29-MA. On the basis of these findings, we were able to conclude that in the warm season, when the calves were less than 0.5 months old, low-speed (0.17-0.18 m/s) airflows had no significant effect on calves; when the calves were 1 month old, low-speed airflow (0.20-0.21 m/s) may impair the immune functions; when the calves were 1 to 1.5 months old, the airflow velocity higher than 0.9 m/s can meet the needs of the calf without a negative impact on the calf.
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47
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Martin P, Vinet A, Denis C, Grohs C, Chanteloup L, Dozias D, Maupetit D, Sapa J, Renand G, Blanc F. Determination of immunoglobulin concentrations and genetic parameters for colostrum and calf serum in Charolais animals. J Dairy Sci 2021; 104:3240-3249. [PMID: 33455791 DOI: 10.3168/jds.2020-19423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2020] [Accepted: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Colostrum samples from 366 Charolais primiparous cows, as well as serum from their calves at 24 to 48 h of age, were collected to gain an overview of the situation regarding passive immune transfer in beef cattle, from both the phenotypic and genetic points of view. All samples were analyzed to quantify their G1 immunoglobulins by radial immunodiffusion (RID) and their IgG, IgA, and IgM using ELISA. The average concentrations obtained in colostrum were 84 mg/mL for RID-IgG1, and 158 mg/mL, 4.5 mg/mL and 10.8 mg/mL for ELISA-IgG, -IgA, and -IgM, respectively. The corresponding values in calf serum were 19.9, 30.6, 1.0, and 1.9 mg/mL. Apart from the general environmental effect (farm-year combination and laboratory conditions), the characteristics of the dams tested did not reveal any influence on colostrum immunoglobulin concentrations. Calving difficulty, as well as the birth weight and sex of calves, were found to be associated with serum concentrations in some cases. Heritability estimates were low to moderate, with the highest being for RID-IgG1 in colostrum (h2 = 0.28, standard error = 0.14) and serum (h2 = 0.36, standard error = 0.18). Phenotypic correlations among the different immunoglobulins were generally positive or null, and none of the genetic correlations were significant due to large standard errors. The phenotypic correlation between dam colostrum and calf serum values was 0.2 for RID-IgG1 and null for the 3 ELISA measurements. The correlation between RID-IgG1 and ELISA-IgG was, unexpectedly, null for colostrum and 0.4 for serum. Increased RID-IgG1 levels in calf serum were associated with improved survival, as well as better early growth and fewer health problems. These results thus showed that despite generally higher concentrations in beef than in dairy cattle, passive transfer was unsuccessful in a considerable number of calves. This should be brought to the attention of breeders to avoid negative effects on survival and subsequent performance. The heritability estimates were encouraging; however, obtaining phenotypes on a large scale constitutes a real limitation regarding these traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Martin
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, GABI, 78350 Jouy-en-Josas, France.
| | - A Vinet
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, GABI, 78350 Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - C Denis
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, GABI, 78350 Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - C Grohs
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, GABI, 78350 Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - L Chanteloup
- INRAE UE326 Domaine Expérimental du Pin, 61310 Exmes, France
| | - D Dozias
- INRAE UE326 Domaine Expérimental du Pin, 61310 Exmes, France
| | - D Maupetit
- INRAE UE0332 Domaine Expérimental Bourges-La Sapinière, 18390 Osmoy, France
| | - J Sapa
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, GABI, 78350 Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - G Renand
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, GABI, 78350 Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - F Blanc
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, GABI, 78350 Jouy-en-Josas, France
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48
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Dafoe JM, Wyffels SA, Parsons CT, Carter BH, DelCurto T, Boss DL. Techniques to estimate colostrum quality and the effects of cow age and prepartum supplement intake levels on colostrum quality and serum IgG levels. Transl Anim Sci 2021; 4:S137-S140. [PMID: 33381737 PMCID: PMC7754224 DOI: 10.1093/tas/txaa121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2020] [Accepted: 07/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Julia M Dafoe
- Northern Agricultural Research Center, Montana State University, Havre, MT
| | - Samuel A Wyffels
- Northern Agricultural Research Center, Montana State University, Havre, MT
| | - Cory T Parsons
- Northern Agricultural Research Center, Montana State University, Havre, MT
| | | | - Timothy DelCurto
- Department of Animal and Range Sciences, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT
| | - Darrin L Boss
- Northern Agricultural Research Center, Montana State University, Havre, MT
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Kessler EC, Bruckmaier RM, Gross JJ. Colostrum composition and immunoglobulin G content in dairy and dual-purpose cattle breeds. J Anim Sci 2020; 98:5875097. [PMID: 32697841 DOI: 10.1093/jas/skaa237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2020] [Accepted: 07/17/2020] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Immunoglobulins (Ig) are essential components in the colostrum of bovine species that enable passive immunization of newborn calves. Concentrations of fat and protein are greater in colostrum compared with mature milk and represent a vital source of energy and nutrients. Colostral IgG was shown to vary between individual dairy cows, but comparative data on different breeds and performance levels are scarce. The objective of the present field study was to investigate the contents of total IgG, fat, protein, and lactose in colostrum in different Swiss and German dairy and dual-purpose breeds. We collected colostrum samples of 458 cows of 13 different breeds (dairy breeds: Brown Swiss, Swiss and German Holstein Friesian, and New Zealand Holstein; dual-purpose breeds: German Fleckvieh, Holstein Friesian × Montbéliarde, Montbéliarde, Murnau-Werdenfels, Original Braunvieh, Pinzgauer, Rhetic Gray, and Simmental; and beef-type crossbred: Charolais × Holstein Friesian). Colostrum samples were obtained between 5 and 900 min after calving and analyzed for total IgG, fat protein, and lactose contents. Immunoglobulin G concentrations varied between 12.7 and 204.0 mg/mL. No effect of breeding purpose (i.e., dairy or dual-purpose) nor of previous lactation yield on IgG content was observed. However, milking of cows for the first time later than 12 h after parturition resulted in lower colostrum IgG concentrations compared with colostrum harvest within 9 h after calving (P < 0.05). Multiparous cows had a higher colostral IgG concentration than primiparous cows (P < 0.0001). Overall, concentrations of IgG and other constituents in colostrum varied widely in the different cattle breeds. High-yielding dairy cows did not have poorer colostrum quality compared with lower-yielding animals or beef and dual-purpose breeds, which suggests an individually different transfer of circulating IgG into colostrum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evelyne C Kessler
- Veterinary Physiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Rupert M Bruckmaier
- Veterinary Physiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Josef J Gross
- Veterinary Physiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
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50
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Karslıoğlu Kara N. Relation between non-infectious factors and neonatal calf health status in dairy herd. Anim Sci J 2020; 91:e13471. [PMID: 33078523 DOI: 10.1111/asj.13471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2020] [Revised: 08/14/2020] [Accepted: 09/25/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The aim of this research was to determine some non-infectious factors (sex of calf, calf birth weight, calving season and dam parity and dam body condition score at dry and calving) that can under control by breeders affecting calf health status (CHS) in neonatal period. A total of 517 calves (from delivery of calf until 28 days) and their dams (at dry and calving) were assessed according to study criteria. Relationship between CHS and dam parity (DP), body condition score at calving (BCSC ), body condition score at dry (BCSD ), sex of calf (SC), calf birth weight (CBW), and calving season (CS) was examined and connection between CHS and BCSD , CS, and CBW was found important. Also, influences of DP, SC BCSC , and BCSD on CBW were examined and while effects of DP and SC on CBW were found important, effects of others were not. These results show that relation between CHS and CBW, CS, and BCSD is important and CHS is higher in female calves or calves born to multiparous dams. As a conclusion, it can be said that planning the herd management practices according to these results will be beneficial for the healthier completion of the neonatal period.
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