Holstein calves were fed pelleted iso-starch (25% of starter dry matter) diets containing barley (n = 16), corn (n = 16), oat (n = 16), and wheat (n = 16) starch for 12 wk of age. Feed consumption, nutrient intake, body weight (BW) gain, skeletal growth, and selected blood metabolites in calves during preweaning (d 1 to 49) and postweaning (d 50 to 84) periods were measured. Average daily starter consumption during pre-weaning and postweaning periods was the greatest in calves fed corn died followed by those fed a wheat diet and then in those fed barley and oat diets. During the preweaning period, the calves provided corn and wheat diets consumed greater amount of mixed grass hay than those fed barley and oat diets. During the postweaning period, mixed grass hay intake was the greatest in calves provided corn diet followed by those fed a wheat diet and then in those fed barley and oat diets. Nutrients (dry matter, crude protein, starch, and neutral detergent fiber) intake followed the solid feed consumption pattern in calves. Body weight and body measurements (body length, body barrel, heart girth, wither height, and hip height) at birth and at weaning (d 49) in calves fed different starch sources were similar. Body weight and body measurements at postweaning (d 84) were the greatest in calves fed a corn diet followed by those fed a wheat diet and then in those fed barley and oat diets. Overall average BW gain and total dry matter intake were the greatest in calves fed a corn diet than in those fed wheat, barley, and oat diets. Feed efficiency was greater in calves fed corn and wheat diets than in those fed barley and oat diets. Blood glucose, blood urea N, triglycerides, cholesterol, and creatinine were reduced with the advancing age of calves. Lesser blood glucose and greater blood urea N concentrations at wk 8, 10, and 12 of age were noticed in calves fed corn diet than in those fed barley, oat, and wheat diets. Occurrence of diarrhea was more frequent in calves fed oat diet than in those provided barley, corn, and wheat diets. Starch sources did not influence respiratory score, rectal temperature, and general appearance score. In conclusion, the calves on corn diet consumed more solid feed and gained greater BW than those fed barley, oat, and wheat diets.

D-psicose has been implicated in glycemic control in recent animal and human studies. In this study, the effects of D-psicose on glycemic responses, insulin release, and lipid profiles were compared with those of D-glucose and D-fructose in a genetic diabetes model. C57BL/6J db/db mice were orally supplemented with 200 mg/kg BW of D-psicose, D-glucose, or D-fructose, respectively, while diabetes control or wild type mice were supplemented with water instead. D-psicose sustained weight gain by about 10% compared to other groups. The initial blood glucose level maintained from 276 to 305 mg/dL during 28 d in the D-psicose group, whereas a 2-fold increase was found in other groups (P < 0.05) among diabetic mice. D-psicose significantly improved glucose tolerance and the areas under the curve (AUC) for glucose among diabetes (P < 0.05), but had no effect on serum insulin concentration. The plasma lipid profile was not changed by supplemental monosacchrides, although the ratio of LDL-cholesterol/HDL-cholesterol was ameliorated by D-psicose. The administration of D-psicose reversed hepatic concentrations of triglyceride (TG) and total cholesterol (TC) by 37.88% and 62.89%, respectively, compared to the diabetes control (P < 0.05). The current findings suggest that D-psicose shows promise as an antidiabetic and may have antidyslipidemic effects in type 2 diabetes.