Different milk feeding intensities during the first 4 weeks of rearing dairy calves: Part 2: Effects on the metabolic and endocrine status during calfhood and around the first lactation

Abstract

Feeding dairy calves at high intensity has been demonstrated to increase milk yield in later life. We investigated the effect of 3 different feeding regimens in the preweaning period on the metabolic and endocrine status during calfhood and in heifers at the onset of the first lactation. In trial 1, 57 German Holstein calves were allocated to 3 different feeding groups: milk replacer restricted to 6.78 kg/calf per day, 11.5% solids (MR-res, n = 20), milk replacer 13.8% solids, ad libitum (MR-ad lib, n = 17), and whole milk ad libitum (WM-ad lib, n = 20). All calves received ad libitum colostrum for 3 d postnatal (p.n.). From d 4 to 27, all calves were fed according to their respective feeding regimen, resulting in average intakes of 6.38, 9.25, and 9.47 kg/d in MR-res, MR-ad lib, and WM-ad lib, respectively. Thereafter, all calves were fed according to the MR-res regimen until weaning at d 55 (gradually until d 69 p.n.). Blood samples were collected on d 0 before colostrum intake and on d 1, 3, 11, 22, 34, 43, 52, 70, 90, and 108 p.n. Liver biopsies were taken on d 19 and 100, and on d 22, 52, and 108 p.n. intravenous glucose tolerance tests were performed. The male calves (n = 8 to 10 per group) underwent also an insulin tolerance test on d 24, 54, and 110 p.n. The females (n = 28) from trial 1 were further reared and bred as common practice, and were enrolled in trial 2 when beginning the last trimester of pregnancy. Blood samples were collected monthly antepartum starting 91 d before calving and weekly (0-70 d) postpartum. Trial 1 was subdivided into 4 phases (P): P0 (d 0-1), P1 (d 2-27), P2 (d 28-69), and P3 (d 70-110 p.n.). In trial 1, the leptin and adiponectin concentrations increased with colostrum intake. Differences in fatty acids, insulin, adiponectin, revised quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (RQUICKI), and variables from the glucose tolerance tests were largely limited to P1. The MR-res group had greater RQUICKI and fatty acid values, and lower insulin and, as a trend, adiponectin concentrations than in 1 or both ad lib groups. These differences were partly sustained in P2 (fatty acids, adiponectin, and RQUICKI) and in P3 (adiponectin). The hepatic mRNA abundance of the gluconeogenic enzymes phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase and pyruvatcarboxylase increased from d 19 to 100. None of the blood variables were different between the groups when tested in pregnancy and lactation. Our results do not support a sustained deflection of metabolic regulation by rearing at different feeding intensities; nevertheless, the differences observed during rearing might influence nutrient utilization in later life or the cellular development of organs, such as the mammary gland, and thereby affect milk yield. Further studies involving greater animal numbers and, thus, improved power will help to sort out the mechanisms of programming body function in later life via nutrition in early life.

Effects of colostrum instead of formula feeding for the first 2 days postnatum on whole-body energy metabolism and its endocrine control in neonatal calves

“…However, postprandial time changes in plasma leptin and adiponectin after first feed intake behaved differently-both hormones increased after first colostrum feeding-showing the same postprandial time pattern as that observed for plasma concentrations of total protein and immunoglobulins. Both hormones are highly concentrated in first colostrum (Kesser et al, 2015(Kesser et al, , 2017, and the absorption of adiponectin from first colostrum was recently shown in neonatal calves (Kesser et al, 2015). Leptin absorption from colostrum was less clear in previous studies, but an elevated plasma concentration of leptin was also associated with colostrum feeding (Blum et al, 2005;Schäff et al, 2014;Kesser et al, 2017).…”

“…Both hormones are highly concentrated in first colostrum (Kesser et al, 2015(Kesser et al, , 2017, and the absorption of adiponectin from first colostrum was recently shown in neonatal calves (Kesser et al, 2015). Leptin absorption from colostrum was less clear in previous studies, but an elevated plasma concentration of leptin was also associated with colostrum feeding (Blum et al, 2005;Schäff et al, 2014;Kesser et al, 2017). Absorption of colostral leptin occurs in rats and humans (Szymeczko et al, 2009;Woliński et al, 2014;Palou et al, 2018).…”

“…Absorption of colostral leptin occurs in rats and humans (Szymeczko et al, 2009;Woliński et al, 2014;Palou et al, 2018). Previous studies indicated lower leptin and adiponectin concentrations in milk or milk-based formulas than in colostrum (Kesser et al, 2015(Kesser et al, , 2017. The lack of time changes in leptin and adiponectin in blood plasma of formula-fed calves on d 1 of life makes it very clear that the increase in leptin and adiponectin plasma concentrations after first colostrum feeding resulted from intestinal absorption of both hormones and that both hormones behaved differently than colostral IGF-I.…”

Invited review: Metabolic challenges and adaptation during different functional stages of the mammary gland in dairy cows: Perspectives for sustainable milk production

“…Recently, ad libitum feeding of milk and milk replacer to calves in early life was recommended to stimulate mammary gland development and to achieve a better lifetime performance (Davis Rincker et al, 2011;Geiger et al, 2016). However, epigenetic effects caused by feeding level are assumed to be effective only in early life (Schäff et al, 2016;Kesser et al, 2017;. Still, restricted prepubertal feeding is recommended to achieve a high degree of development of parenchymal structures and a low portion of adipocytes in the mammary gland, with direct effect on later lactational performance (Sejrsen and Purup, 1997;Purup et al, 2000).…”

Symposium review: Macronutrient metabolism in the growing calf

“…It seems therefore that insulin sensitivity in calves is quite high at birth, and decreases independent of feeding strategy in early age to very low levels when compared with other species. In agreement, Kesser et al (2017) recently concluded that even though slight changes in insulin sensitivity may be provoked by early life nutrition, these effects are rather transient and they found no evidence for sustained effects. In heavy calves, insulin sensitivity is invariably low, being rather insensitive to the carbohydrate source in the CMR (Pantophlet et al, 2016c) or to an exchange of lactose for fat (euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic clamp; Pantophlet et al, 2016a).…”