TY - JOUR
T1 - Feeding heat-treated colostrum to neonatal dairy heifers
T2 - Effects on growth characteristics and blood parameters
AU - Elizondo-Salazar, J. A.
AU - Heinrichs, A. J.
N1 - Funding Information:
Partial funding for this research was provided by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture Animal Health Commission .
PY - 2009/7
Y1 - 2009/7
N2 - Newborn Holstein heifer calves were studied to compare absorption of immunoglobulin G (IgG1 and IgG2), total serum protein concentration, lymphocyte counts, health scores, growth, and starter intake after receiving unheated or heat-treated colostrum. First-milking colostrum was collected from Holstein cows and frozen at -20°C to accumulate a large batch. After thawing and mixing, half of the colostrum was transferred into 1.89-L plastic containers and frozen at -20°C until needed for feeding. The remaining half was heated at 60°C for 30 min, transferred into 1.89-L plastic containers, and then frozen at -20°C until needed for feeding. Forty heifer calves weighing ≥32 kg at birth were enrolled into 1 of 2 treatment groups before suckling occurred. For the first feeding, 3.8 L of colostrum was bottle fed by 1.5 to 2 h of age. For the second and third feedings, pasteurized whole milk at 5% of birth body weight (BW) was fed. Subsequently, calves received milk replacer containing 20% crude protein and 20% fat at 10% of birth BW/d until wk 5. Milk replacer was reduced to 1 feeding of 5% birth BW until weaning at 6 wk of age. Blood samples and growth data were collected through wk 8. Batch heat-treatment of colostrum at 60°C for 30 min lowered colostrum bacteria concentration while maintaining colostral IgG concentration and viscosity. Calves fed heat-treated colostrum had significantly greater IgG concentrations at 24 h and greater apparent efficiency of IgG absorption (IgG = 23.4 g/L; apparent efficiency of absorption = 33.2%) compared with calves fed unheated colostrum (IgG = 19.6 g/L; apparent efficiency of absorption = 27.7%). There was no difference between treatment groups in growth measurements, calf starter intake, lymphocyte counts, or health scores.
AB - Newborn Holstein heifer calves were studied to compare absorption of immunoglobulin G (IgG1 and IgG2), total serum protein concentration, lymphocyte counts, health scores, growth, and starter intake after receiving unheated or heat-treated colostrum. First-milking colostrum was collected from Holstein cows and frozen at -20°C to accumulate a large batch. After thawing and mixing, half of the colostrum was transferred into 1.89-L plastic containers and frozen at -20°C until needed for feeding. The remaining half was heated at 60°C for 30 min, transferred into 1.89-L plastic containers, and then frozen at -20°C until needed for feeding. Forty heifer calves weighing ≥32 kg at birth were enrolled into 1 of 2 treatment groups before suckling occurred. For the first feeding, 3.8 L of colostrum was bottle fed by 1.5 to 2 h of age. For the second and third feedings, pasteurized whole milk at 5% of birth body weight (BW) was fed. Subsequently, calves received milk replacer containing 20% crude protein and 20% fat at 10% of birth BW/d until wk 5. Milk replacer was reduced to 1 feeding of 5% birth BW until weaning at 6 wk of age. Blood samples and growth data were collected through wk 8. Batch heat-treatment of colostrum at 60°C for 30 min lowered colostrum bacteria concentration while maintaining colostral IgG concentration and viscosity. Calves fed heat-treated colostrum had significantly greater IgG concentrations at 24 h and greater apparent efficiency of IgG absorption (IgG = 23.4 g/L; apparent efficiency of absorption = 33.2%) compared with calves fed unheated colostrum (IgG = 19.6 g/L; apparent efficiency of absorption = 27.7%). There was no difference between treatment groups in growth measurements, calf starter intake, lymphocyte counts, or health scores.
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U2 - 10.3168/jds.2008-1667
DO - 10.3168/jds.2008-1667
M3 - Article
C2 - 19528603
AN - SCOPUS:68149126474
SN - 0022-0302
VL - 92
SP - 3265
EP - 3273
JO - Journal of dairy science
JF - Journal of dairy science
IS - 7
ER -