Delayed feeding of first colostrum: are there prolonged effects on haematological, metabolic and endocrine parameters and on growth performance in calves?

Abstract

To test the hypothesis that delaying first colostrum feeding of calves after birth exerts long-lasting effects on haematological, metabolic and endocrine traits and on growth performance, neonatal calves were fed first colostrum at 0-2 and 24-25 h after birth. Delayed feeding of first colostrum for 24-25 h after birth caused reduced plasma levels of total protein and globulin for up to 30 days and of insulin-like growth factor-I for up to 7 days, whereas concentrations of nonesterified fatty acids were elevated during the first day of life. There were no significant effects of delaying feeding for 24-25 h on leucocyte and erythrocyte number, packed cell volume and on haemoglobin levels and on plasma concentrations of albumin, urea, glucose, triglycerides, phospholipids, cholesterol, insulin, growth hormone, 3.5.3'-triiodothyronine and thyroxine and on growth performance. Thus, calves fed first colostrum with a delay of 24-25 h after birth were able to compensate rapidly for nutritional deficiencies on day 1 of life, i.e. there was no evidence for permanent imprinting of haematological, metabolic and of endocrine traits by starvation on the first day of life.

Endocrine And Metabolic Adaptations Of Calves To Extra-Uterine Life

“…Protein mobilization also occurs probably due to the high levels of cortisol after birth [23]. Body lipids are mobilized, as shown by the increase in plasma non esterifi ed fatty acids (NEFA) [118].…”

Nutritional physiology of neonatal calves*

“…Based on our studies, after intake of colostrum there is a rise of blood plasma concentrations of IgG 1 , Lf, total protein, albumin, essential amino acids and an impressive decrease of the glutamine/glutamate ratio. Plasma urea concentrations increase if high amounts of colostrum are fed and plasma glucose concentrations increase with a delay of several days; additionally there is a rise of plasma lipids (triglycerides, phospholipids‐lipids, total cholesterol and essential fatty acids) and of β ‐carotene, vitamins A and E. On the other hand, there are no marked or immediate changes of minerals or plasma concentrations of creatinine, lactate and nitrate (Ronge and Blum, 1988; Blum et al., 1997,2001; Hadorn et al., 1997; Hadorn and Blum, 1997; Egli and Blum, 1998; Hammon and Blum, 1998b, 1999; Hammon et al., 2000, 2002; Kühne et al., 2000; Zanker et al., 2000a,b, 2001a,b; Nussbaum et al., 2002; Schiessler et al., 2002; Muri et al., 2005). Because many other substances, especially proteins and peptides (Michanek and Ventorp, 1989) besides IgG 1 are absorbed intestinally and appear in the circulation (as shown for Lf even in the cerebrospinal fluid of neonatal calves) (Harada and Takeuchi, 2002; Talkuder et al., 2003), functional effects can be expected.…”

Dehydration as a risk factor for calf mortality in northern Australia

“…This is consistent with the study of Zanker et al (2000), where increase in calf plasma glucose concentrations generally occurred two hours after colostrum feeding.…”

“…This is consistent with infants who are born in a state of metabolic acidosis, with blood bicarbonate increasing between birth and 24 hours of life, and corresponding decreases in lactate (Koch and Wendel, 1968 Plasma globulin concentration tended to be higher for early than delayed calves, especially during the first three days of calf life. This indicates higher colostrum uptake in the early group compared to the delayed group, as colostrum consumption, and increases in plasma total protein and globulin concentrations occurred within 24 hours of feeding (Zanker et al, 2000). In addition, newborn calves are born in a practically agammaglobulinaemic state (Cabral et al, 2012).…”