Effects of physical form of starter and forage provision to young calves on blood metabolites, liver composition and intestinal morphology. Issue 4 (3rd February 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Moeini, H.; Mahdavi, A. H.; Riasi, A.; Ghorbani, G. R.; Oskoueian, E.; Khan, M. A.; Ghaffari, M. H.
• Is Part Of: Journal of animal physiology and animal nutrition. Volume 101:Issue 4(2017)
• Page Start: 755
• Page End: 766
• Publication Date: 2016-02-03
• Subjects: textured -- pelleted -- calf starter -- gut development -- alfalfa hay; Animal nutrition -- Periodicals; Feeds -- Periodicals; 636.085
• DOI: 10.1111/jpn.12485
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0931-2439

Abstract

Summary: This study evaluated the effects of physical form of starter feed and forage provision on the performance, blood metabolites, liver composition and intestinal morphology of dairy calves. Individually housed calves ( n = 52; body weight = 41.5 ± 2.5 kg) were randomly allocated ( n = 13 per treatment) to one of the following four treatments: (i) ground starter feed (GS; mean particle size = 0.72 mm in diameter), (ii) textured starter feed (TS; mean particle size = 3.61 mm in diameter, including steam‐flaked corn and barley), (iii) pelleted starter feed (PS; mean particle size = 4.53 mm in diameter) and (iv) ground starter feed with chopped alfalfa hay (GS + AH; mean particle size = 1.02 mm in diameter). The calves fed GS + AH diets had greater (p < 0.01) starter intake, final body weight and average daily gain compared with the other groups, while GS and TS groups both had greater (p < 0.01) starter intake than the PS group. Feed efficiency was found to be better (p < 0.05) in the TS group than in the GS or PS group, but not different from the GS + AH one. Compared with the other groups, the GS + AH group had the highest (p < 0.01), while the PS one had the lowest (p < 0.01) concentrations of blood glucose and triglyceride. The calves fed GS + AH had the highest blood concentrations of total protein, globulin, triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxin (T4), T3 : T4 ratio (p < 0.05) and levels of fat and glycogen in the liver (p < 0.01) compared with the other groups. The highest (p < 0.05) liver glycogen contents were observed in the GS + AH and TS groups. The duodenum, ileum and jejunum in the calves fed GS + AH exhibited a greater muscle layer thickness (p < 0.05) compared with the other groups. Based on the results obtained, the addition of dietary forage to starter diets positively influenced performance, liver composition and intestinal morphology in developing calves.