Performance and physiological responses of milk-fed calves to coated calcium butyrate supplementation

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of coated calcium butyrate (CCB) on calf performance and some blood parameters. Sixteen female Holstein calves with a mean age of 3 ± 1 d were divided into two equal groups and fed a milk replacer supplemented with 3 g of coated calcium butyrate (CCB)/day or with no coated calcium butyrate (NCB). The calves had free access to solid feed and water. Body weight was measured at days 3, 12, 24, 36 and 48 (weaning day). Respiratory rate and rectal temperature (within first 4 weeks of life), feed intake and faecal score (during the whole experimental period) were recorded daily. Rumen fluid was taken for volatile fatty acid (VFA) determination on days 33 and 48, and structural growth (rump height, withers height and hip width) was recorded on days 3, 24 and 48. Blood samples were collected on days 1, 12, 24, 36 and 48. Feed intake, average daily gain, feed conversion ratio and structural growth of calves were improved by CCB supplementation. There were no significant differences on rectal temperature, respiratory rate and faecal score between the treatments. Rumen concentration of total VFAs increased and the VFA profile was affected on days 33 and 48 by CCB supplementation. The supplementation of milk replacer of calves with coated calcium butyrate significantly increased serum concentrations of glucose, insulin and β-hydroxybutyrate. Serum concentration of cortisol in the CCB calves was numerically lower than in NCB. In conclusion, supplementation of calves' milk replacer with the coated calcium butyrate could improve calf performance. ________________________________________________________________________________

Review: Exogenous butyrate: implications for the functional development of ruminal epithelium and calf performance

“…The ruminal concentration of butyrate in neonate calves is low,~0.002 mM/l, similar to the plasma concentrations (Lesmeister and Heinrichs, 2004). The response to exogenous butyrate administration in calves aged 26 to 33 days is clearly noticeable in the elevated ruminal concentration of butyrate (Gorka et al, 2009;Nazari et al, 2012) and in the increase in the rumen area (Gorka et al, 2009;Górka et al, 2011a and2011b). In accordance with the ontogenic development, the secretion of digestive enzymes soon after birth progressively increases and the exogenous butyrate additionally stimulates both the secretion of enzymes and their activities in the digestion of DM, protein and fat (Guilloteau et al, 2009;Guilloteau et al, 2010).…”

“…Positive effects on the daily weight gain, at the probability at least 0.1, have been reported in six studies. Five of them were obtained from the calves that started receiving butyrate supplement from 3 to 5 days of age as a component of milk replacer and/or starter concentrate et the level (Gorka et al, 2009;Górka et al, 2011a and2011b;Nazari et al, 2012;Serbester et al, 2014). The results indicate that the improvement of performance is found during the 1 st week of the preweaning period in calves that started receiving butyrate supplement from the 1st day of life.…”

“…For efficient solid feed utilization, the proper and rapid functional development of rumen epithelium is needed. The acceleration of epithelium development can be achieved by the addition of butyric acid salts into a calf's diet (Gorka et al, 2009;Malhi et al, 2013); however, the practical effects in terms of improvements in calf performance have been both positive (Górka et al, 2011a and2011b;Nazari et al, 2012) and negative (Araujo et al, 2015;Wanat et al, 2015), and some results do not confirm these relationships (Kato et al, 2011). Therefore, it is equivocal as to whether exogenous butyrate could play a role as a factor stimulating the development of ruminal epithelium and that the consequences of these activities are improvements in calf performance.…”

“…Given this risk, the introduction of butyrate salts into the diet seems to be the simplest way to enhance ruminal butyrate concentration. Researchers have demonstrated a 25% to 35% increase in butyrate concentration in the rumen of 33-day-old calves as an effect of the introduction of butyrate salts in the form of sodium or calcium butyrate into diet at the level of 0.3% of ration dry matter (DM) (Gorka et al, 2009;Nazari et al, 2012). The results of studies have indicated that exogenous butyrate introduced in the form of butyrate salts in the diet contributes to an increase in the butyrate concentration in the rumen of calves.…”

Effects of butyrate supplementation in antibiotic‐free milk replacer and starter on growth performance in suckling calves

“…Sodium butyrate ingested in low doses (0.3% DM, close to the physiological range) may be an effective growth promoter in milk replacer and starter‐fed calves from 3 to 26 days of age because of its effects in improving the morphology of the gastrointestinal tract and the digestive functions of the pancreas and intestinal mucosa (Guilloteau et al., ). Supplementation with Ca‐butyrate (3 g/day, not cleared DM percentage) in milk replacer has been shown to improve the growth performance and increase the serum concentrations of glucose, insulin, and BHBA in calves from 3 to 48 days of age (Nazari, Karkoodi, & Alizadeh, ). Feeding butyrate increased the exposure of the rumen and intestine to butyrate, leading to improved metabolism and energy status.…”