Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Department of Animal Science, University of Zanjan, Zanjan, Iran

2 Department of Animal Science, Arak University, Arak, Iran

Abstract

In order to evaluate the effect of adding butyric acid to whole milk on growth performance and blood parameters of Holstein calves, 36 calves were used in a completely randomized design. The experimental treatments were: 1) control group without any additive (B0); 2) B0 + 4 grams per day of added butyric acid in milk (B4); and 3) B0 + 8 grams per day of added butyric acid in milk (B8). The calves had free access to feed and water during the experiment. Body weight at weaning and end of experiment tended to increase in B4 and B8 compared to B0 (P = 0.08). Average daily gain was significantly (P < 0.01) affected by treatment during the pre-weaning, so that B0 had the lowest daily gain, but no difference was observed between B4 and B8. The starter intake was less in B0 compared to the other two groups during pre-weaning period (P < 0.01), post-weaning, (P = 0.04) and throughout study (P < 0.01), but there was no difference between B4 and B8. The serum concentrations of glucose, total protein and albumin within pre-weaning were not significantly different among treatments, but BHBA concentration was lower in B0 group than in other groups (P < 0.01). There was no difference among treatments in terms of average fecal score. In general, for the first time, the results of this study showed that adding butyric acid to the whole milk can have positive effects on improving performance.

Keywords

AOAC. (1995). Official Methods of Analysis (16th Ed.). Association Official Analytical Chemists, Arlington, VA.
Araujo, G., Terré, M., Mereu, A., Ipharraguerre, I. R., and Bach, A. (2016). Effects of supplementing a milk replacer with sodium butyrate or tributyrin on performance and metabolism of Holstein calves. Animal production science. 56 (11): 1834-1841.
Blattler, U., Hammon, H. M., Morel, C., Philipona, C., Rauprich, A., Romé, V., et al. (2001). Feeding colostrum, its composition and feeding duration variably modify proliferation and morphology of the intestine and digestive enzyme activities of neonatal calves. The journal of nutrition. 131 (4): 1256-1263.
Davarmanesh, A. R., Nasri, M. F., Firouzabad, A. K., and Montazer-Torbati, M. B. (2015). Effect of Ca-butyrate and Oleobiotec (a flavouring agent) supplemented starter on the performance of Holstein dairy calves. The journal of agricultural science. 153 (8): 1506-1513.
Donkin, S. S., and Armentano, L. E. (1995). Insulin and glucagon regulation of gluconeogenesis in preruminating and ruminating bovine. Journal of animal science. 73 (2): 546-551.
Frieten, D., Gerbert, C., Koch, C., Dusel, G., Eder, K., Kanitz, E., et al. (2017). Ad libitum milk replacer feeding, but not butyrate supplementation, affects growth performance as well as metabolic and endocrine traits in Holstein calves. Journal of dairy science. 100 (8): 6648-6661.
Geiger, A. J., Parsons, C. L. M., James, R. E., and Akers, R. M. (2016). Growth, intake, and health of Holstein heifer calves fed an enhanced preweaning diet with or without postweaning exogenous estrogen. Journal of dairy science. 99 (5): 3995-4004.
Górka, P., Pietrzak, P., Kotunia, A., Zabielski, R., and Kowalski, Z. M. (2014). Effect of method of delivery of sodium butyrate on maturation of the small intestine in newborn calves. Journal of dairy science. 97 (2): 1026-1035.
Gorka, P., Kowalski, Z. M., Pietrzak, P., Kotunia, A., Kiljanczyk, R., Flaga, J., et al. (2009). Effect of sodium butyrate supplementation in milk replacer and starter diet on rumen development in calves. Development. 4 (5): 10-11.
Górka, P., Kowalski, Z. M., Pietrzak, P., Kotunia, A., Jagusiak, W., Holst, J. J., et al. (2011a). Effect of method of delivery of sodium butyrate on rumen development in newborn calves. Journal of dairy science. 94 (11): 5578-5588.
Górka, P., Kowalski, Z. M., Pietrzak, P., Kotunia, A., Jagusiak, W., and Zabielski, R. (2011b). Is rumen development in newborn calves affected by different liquid feeds and small intestine development?. Journal of dairy science. 94 (6): 3002-3013.
Górka, P., Kowalski, Z. M., Zabielski, R., and Guilloteau, P. (2018). Invited review: Use of butyrate to promote gastrointestinal tract development in calves. Journal of dairy science. 101 (6):4785–4800.
Greenwood, R. H., Morrill, J. L., and Titgemeyer, E. C. (1997). Using Dry Feed Intake as a Percentage of Initial Body Weight as a Weaning Criterion1. Journal of dairy science. 80 (10): 2542-2546.
Guilloteau, P., Savary, G., Jaguelin-Peyrault, Y., Rome, V., Le Normand, L., and Zabielski, R. (2010a). Dietary sodium butyrate supplementation increases digestibility and pancreatic secretion in young milk-fed calves. Journal of dairy science. 93 (12): 5842-5850.
Guilloteau, P., Martin, L., Eeckhaut, V., Ducatelle, R., Zabielski, R., and Van Immerseel, F. (2010b). From the gut to the peripheral tissues: the multiple effects of butyrate. Nutrition research reviews. 23 (2): 366-384.
Guilloteau, P., Zabielski, R., David, J. C., Blum, J. W., Morisset, J. A., Biernat, M., et al. (2009). Sodium-butyrate as a growth promoter in milk replacer formula for young calves1. Journal of dairy science. 92 (3): 1038-1049.
Hill, T. M., Quigley, J. D., Suarez-Mena, F. X., Bateman II, H. G., and Schlotterbeck, R. L. (2016). Effect of milk replacer feeding rate and functional fatty acids on dairy calf performance and digestion of nutrients. Journal of dairy science. 99 (8): 6352-6361.
Hill, T. M., Aldrich, J. M., Schlotterbeck, R. L., and Bateman II, H. G. (2007). Effects of changing the fat and fatty acid composition of milk replacers fed to neonatal calves. The professional animal scientist. 23 (2): 135-143.
Kato, S. I., Sato, K., Chida, H., Roh, S. G., Ohwada, S., Sato, S., et al. (2011). Effects of Na-butyrate supplementation in milk formula on plasma concentrations of GH and insulin, and on rumen papilla development in calves. Journal of endocrinology. 211 (3): 241-248.
Khan, M. A., Lee, H. J., Lee, W. S., Kim, H. S., Ki, K. S., Hur, T. Y., et al. (2007). Structural growth, rumen development, and metabolic and immune responses of Holstein male calves fed milk through step-down and conventional methods. Journal of dairy science. 90 (7): 3376-3387.
Kristensen, N. B., Sehested, J., Jensen, S. K., and Vestergaard, M. (2007). Effect of milk allowance on concentrate intake, ruminal environment, and ruminal development in milk-fed Holstein calves. Journal of dairy science. 90 (9): 4346-4355.
Mahjoubi, E., Yazdi, M. H., Afsarian, O., and Vonnahme, K. A. (2017). Evaluation of an accelerated growth program for pre-weaned Shall lambs. Livestock science. 198: 72-75.
Nazari, M., Karkoodi, K., and Alizadeh, A. (2012). Performance and physiological responses of milk-fed calves to coated calcium butyrate supplementation. South african journal of animal science. 42 (3): 296-303.
Niwińska, B., Hanczakowska, E., Arciszewski, M. B., and Klebaniuk, R. (2017). Exogenous butyrate: implications for the functional development of ruminal epithelium and calf performance. Animal. 11 (9): 1522-1530.
National Research Council. (2001). Nutrient requirements of dairy cattle: 2001. National Academies Press. Washington, DC.
Oltramari, C. E., Nápoles, G. G. O., De Paula, M. R., Silva, J. T., Gallo, M. P. C., Pasetti, M. H. O., and Bittar, C. M. M. (2016). Performance and Metabolism of Calves Fed Starter Feed Containing Sugarcane Molasses or Glucose Syrup as a Replacement for Corn. Asian-Australasian journal of animal sciences. 29 (7): 971-978.
Osorio, J. S., Wallace, R. L., Tomlinson, D. J., Earleywine, T. J., Socha, M. T., and Drackley, J. K. (2012). Effects of source of trace minerals and plane of nutrition on growth and health of transported neonatal dairy calves. Journal of dairy science. 95 (10): 5831-5844.
Palmquist, D. L., Beaulieu, A. D., and Barbano, D. M. (1993). Feed and animal factors influencing milk fat composition1. Journal of dairy science. 76 (6): 1753-1771.
Svensson, C., and Hultgren, J. (2008). Associations between housing, management, and morbidity during rearing and subsequent first-lactation milk production of dairy cows in Southwest Sweden. Journal of dairy science 91 (4):1510 – 1518
Van Soest, P. V., Robertson, J. B., and Lewis, B. A. (1991). Methods for dietary fiber, neutral detergent fiber, and nonstarch polysaccharides in relation to animal nutrition. Journal of dairy science. 74 (10): 3583-3597.
Wanat, P., Górka, P., and Kowalski, Z. M. (2015). Effect of inclusion rate of microencapsulated sodium butyrate in starter mixture for dairy calves. Journal of dairy science. 98 (4): 2682-2686.