YOUNGSTOCK ▶▶▶
A healthy calf gut pays off in the long run
A healthy gut is crucial for a healthy calf, and every calf disease will leave subclinical or clinical effects that may lead to early culling or reduced milk production. Good nutrition and management routines will help ensure optimal growth and reduce disease risk in calves. Elimination of pathogens (viruses, bacteria and parasites) is a traditional focus; however, the support and promotion of the gut microbiota and gut health may be a better strategy to underpin calf health.
BY ANNA CATHARINA BERGE, BERGE VETERINARY CONSULTING BV
High-quality colostrum (high immunoglobulin concentration) hygienically harvested and fed to the calf is especially important for good gut development.
T
he calf’s digestive tract is the primary means through which invasive agents enter the body – this is why 70% of the body’s immune system is located here. The gut is responsible for ensuring that the
young calf has all the required nutrients and energy for growth and development. When the symbiosis of this critical organ and the commensal gut microbiota is damaged, the calf can suffer lifelong systemic effects. Microbial colonisation of the intestine during early life occurs through vaginal mucosa contact, colostrum, transition milk, whole milk/milk replacer and starter feeds, which all contrib- ute to developing a well-functioning gut and immune system (Amin and Seifert, 2021). Colostrum seeds the gut microbiota,
and various components in the colostrum contribute to healthy intestinal lining development (McGrath et al., 2016). High-quality colostrum (high immunoglobulin concentra- tion) that is hygienically harvested and fed to the calf is espe- cially important for good gut development. Colostrum pas- teurisation eliminates pathogens but also destroys maternal white blood cells and colostral microbiota that may improve immunity against disease. Thus, clean raw colostrum is rec- ommended when possible. Transition milk is recommended for calves in the first week of life. This milk has various gut-ac- tive components and immunoglobulins that develop the gas- trointestinal tract and improve immunity. Transition milk feeding to calves after the first colostrum feed has been shown to reduce the incidence of respiratory symptoms (Conneely et al., 2014). Colostrum supplementation to calves for the first two weeks of life can reduce diarrhoea in calves (Berge et al., 2009a), indicating that local gut immunity can be boosted through feeding strategies.
Calves Many dairy producers and clinical studies have shown that feeding whole milk compared to milk replacer may provide better growth and health. This is partly due to the higher fat and protein content of cow’s milk compared to milk replacer. Whole milk feeding may influence the gut microbiome differ- ently when compared with milk replacer, with alternative mi- cronutrient and oligosaccharide compositions. A recent study (Virgínio Júnior et al., 2021) evaluated the faecal microbiome of calves fed whole milk, acidified whole milk or milk replacer. Whole milk feeding resulted in more bacterial species associ- ated with decreased diarrhoeal disease, increased weight gain and higher feed efficiency. Waste milk is often used as a cheap available alternative to whole milk or milk replacer. The lower the concentration of antibiotic residues in the waste milk, the lower the influence on the gut microbiome. Therefore, waste milk is best used when harvested from cows after treatment is completed. Pasteurisation of waste milk is frequently used and recom- mended. It has been shown that standard pasteurisation temperatures (PAST) resulted in better calf health and growth compared to ultra-high temperatures (UHT) (Bach et al., 2017). The study also indicated that calves receiving raw milk grew more than those fed UHT, and urinary nitrogen
28 ▶ DAIRY GLOBAL | Volume 8, No. 3, 2021
PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK
PHO: HENK RISWICK
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