Trace minerals source in calf starters interacts with birth weights to affect growth performance

Abstract

The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of partial replacement of inorganic minerals (IM) with trace minerals in advance chelate components form in starter diets for calves of different birth weights on performance, health, and behavior of Holstein calves. Fifty-two calves were assigned to 1 of 4 treatments in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement with two mineral sources (IM or advanced chelated minerals (ACMS)) and two birth weights (low or normal birth weight; LBW or NBW). Calves were weaned on d 56 and remained until d 71 of the study. Results showed that NBW calves had higher feed intake, withers and hip height, larger heart girth and lower fecal score than LBW calves throughout the study. Calves receiving ACMS tended to have higher feed intake, larger hip width, lower eye and nose scores, and lower rectal temperature throughout the study than IM calves. In addition, ACMS calves had larger abdominal girths at d 56 of the study compared to IM calves. Interactions between birth weights and mineral sources for preweaning average daily gain (ADG) and weaning and final BW showed that ACMS supplementation improved ADG and BW in LBW calves. Non-nutritive oral behavior was lower in ACMS calves compared to IM calves during all periods. Overall, ACMS feeding decreased non-nutritive oral behavior and improved calf health status during the study. In addition, feeding ACMS to dairy calves with LBW increased their ADG to a similar extent as to NBW calves, suggesting an improvement in their efficiency.

Intrinsic calf factors associated with the behavior of healthy pre-weaned group-housed dairy-bred calves

“…In turn, birthweight had a significant effect on live-weight in a mixed model (p < 0.001, Supplementary Table 5). Interestingly a recent study found that as well as starting at a smaller size, calves with a smaller birthweight also grow more slowly (52). A larger study size may allow examination of interactions between the factors examined in this study, but this was not possible with only thirty-one calves.…”

“…Only one previous study has examined the association of birthweight with milk drinking behaviors and activity variables. It found that calves born at a normal (42.7 ± 2.6 kg) birthweight spent more time drinking milk and had a greater daily standing time than their lighter (34.9 ± 2.4 kg) counterparts (52). In contrast the current study found that calves that were born heavier had fewer lying (Figure 3B) and standing (Supplementary Figure 1) bouts each day, a longer mean standing bout length (Figure 3C) and drank less milk per feed (Figure 5B).…”