Dietary approaches to keeping calves healthy. J. D. Quigley, III Diamond V Mills Cedar Rapids, IA

Transcription

1 Dietary approaches to keeping calves healthy J. D. Quigley, III Diamond V Mills Cedar Rapids, IA

2 Keeping young calves healthy Health is a balance between exposure and resistance Newborns have little resistance Maternal colostrum is the best source of resistance (antibodies) available to the calf It s the best thing you can do for your calves A high % of preweaning death loss can be related to improper colostrum management

3 Problems with colostrum Biosecurity concerns with colostrum (Johne s) Variation in colostrum quality (low IgG) Difficult to predict IgG Timing and mass of administration Many calves are moved from the home dairy within hours of birth 40 to 60% of calves on many farms have FPT at h of age

4 Colostrum supplements Supplements (<100 g of IgG) Designed to improve the quality of colostrum or provide specific IgG First generation of products available

5 Serum IgG in calves fed CS Most early worked showed poor AEA Calves fed only CS still have FPT CS based on serum had better AEA, but still insufficient mass of IgG Many producers used as replacers Serum IgG (g/l) MC = 0.06x R2 = 0.52 CS provided 25 g of IgG MC+CS = 0.06x R2 = IgG intake (g) Hopkins and Quigley, 1997

6 CS from lacteal secretions Poor AEA may be due to low total IgG high non-igg protein lack of trypsin inhibitors Approximately 10% of protein in CS is IgG; remaining is albumin, whey protein, casein, lactalbumin, others Plasma IgG (g/l) Control CAS BSA BSA+CAS Besser et al., 1993

7 True colostrum replacers Colostrum replacers 100+ g IgG per dose Replace components of colostrum - protein, fat, vitamins and minerals Based on colostrum or fractionated plasma Goal is to achieve plasma IgG of 10 g/l at 24 hours of age Newer generation of products with greater research backing AEA = plasma IgG (g/l) x plasma volume (L) / IgG intake (g) MC CR IgG, g/l AEA, % Chelak et al., 1993

8 Colostrum replacers IgG Plasma IgG Publication n intake (g) 24 h) AEA* Author Date Quigley et al Quigley et al Quigley et al Quigley et al Jones et al.** Hammer et al *Apparent efficiency of IgG absorption = IgG in plasma (g/l) x 9% of BW / IgG intake (g) **Included Jersey calves

9 Colostrum replacers Reduced % of calves with FPT compared to MC Mortality of calves fed CR = 6 of 147 (4.1%) {3 studies} Reduced ADG to 28 d of age What effect of non-ig components of MC? % of calves with FPT n = 78 n = Mowrey et al., Poulsen et al.,2003 MC CR

10 Improving health post closure Reduce dietary stress: Feed management Balanced nutrition Sufficient energy and protein No antigens Stress redirects nutrients toward immune response away from ADG

11 Intestinal immunity Villus Intraepithelial lymphocyte Epithelium Intestinal lumen Organized tissues - induction sites M cell SED Lamina propria Lymphatic drainage Crypt Peyer s patch TDA Follicle Afferent lymphatic Mesenteric lymph node

12 Feed additives Probiotic bacteria Oligosaccharides Antimicrobial compounds Lactoferrin IgG MCT Essential oils Allicin Acidification Immune stimulation β-glucans Whether you re filling a bottle for 7 or 7,000 - proper use of feed additives is essential to their effectiveness! Responses are generally greatest in cases of immunosuppression especially when calves are stressed

13 Probiotic bacteria Goal: inhibit growth of pathogens by competitive exclusion Some data are positive others show no benefit Viability is critical Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium appear most effective new data with E. coli P < 0.05 P < 0.05 Con PB #1 PB#2 BW gain, kg G:F, g/100 g Abe et al., 1995

14 Oligosaccharides Bacterium Carbohydrates not digested or absorbed in the SI (FOS, MOS) In the LI, can be fermented to acid May influence intestinal flora, increase VFA & energy balance May reduce binding of pathogens % of control ADG Cell surface Control AB OS d Scouring Adapted from: Quigley et al., J. Dairy Sci. 80:

15 Antimicrobial peptide - lactoferrin Lactoferrin binds Fe which is required by many bacteria Cleavage of lactoferrin can produce lactoferricin which is directly antibacterial Limited data in calves Not commercially Starter DMI, kg/d N = 7/trmt; no difference in fecal score 0 g/d 1 g/d 10 g/d Week of study available yet Adapted from Joslin et al., 2002.

16 Antimicrobial peptide - IgG Sources of IgG: Colostrum & milk Blood Eggs Binds to pathogens, may inhibit binding or may activate intestinal immunity Antigen specific or broad specificity Number of calves died d Scouring Fecal wt index C-R- C-R+ LC+R+ HC+R+ Fowler et al., 1994, J. Dairy Sci., 78(Suppl. 1):235. (Abstr.)

17 Antimicrobial peptide - IgG ikes! Eggs & MC from animals vaccinated with coronavirus vaccine at 2 levels; calves challenged with coronavirus on d 0 Died % Fecal score Ig is reasonably resistant to intestinal degradation Targeted protection 0 Con Egg+ Egg++ MC+ MC++ Ikemori et al., 1997

18 Antimicrobial peptide - IgG Blood can be fractionated to collect IgG in various concentrations Relatively inexpensive Generally polyclonal but can produce specific IgG in animals are vaccinated oocysts/hpf Calves fed CMR containing soy or bovine serum, challenged with C. parvum SO C- BSC C- SO C+ BSC C+ E. Hunt, Pediatric Research 51: *

19 Other antimicrobial compounds Allicin (garlic) - inhibits growth of bacteria by binding to alcohol dehydrogenase Calves fed blends of EO in milk replacer for 42 or 56 d Control Essen. Oil in calves challenged with Cryptosporidium, researchers saw no effect of allicin Essential oils - may reduce growth of bacteria & viruses preliminary data in calves ADG (lb/d) Hill et al. Greathead et al.

20 Acidification Feeding CMR causes changes in abomasal ph High ph can allow growth of pathogens Adding organic acids may reduce gut ph, reduce growth of pathogens Results equivocal Variation in abomasal ph in response to feeding CMR by bottle or tube 2x/d Acidified CMR may be limit fed or offered for ad libitum consumption. Acidified CMR has longer reconstituted shelf life.

21 Medium chain triglycerides A blend of MCT (C8, C10, C12) fed orally to calves eliminated fecal coccidial oocyst shedding Treatment was 3 to 11 d depending on amount of shedding d of shedding Administration of ml/d in milk-fed calves; ml/d in older (3-6 mo) calves MCT are toxic to Calf # certain protozoa Sato et al., 2004

22 β-glucan in calves Purdue university has fed calves BG in challenge study: Improved immune cells Reduced clinical signs Reduced death loss Depends on the form of BG BG stimulates white blood cells Death loss % * * *P < 0.10 * 8 CON BG-1 BG-2 Cary et al., 2004

23 Which is right for you? Base your decision on: Do you understand the MOA? Can you solve problems with sanitation? Some products are specific for pathogens Projected ROI reduced morbidity / mortality vs. cost of application of product Sanitation and a dedicated labor force is almost ALWAS cheaper than investing in a band-aid solution to a pathogen problem.

24 Final shameless plug... cool! Calf Notes describe many aspects of calf raising Available in English, Spanish and Portuguese (and soon, in Japanese!) They re free!