Effect of Megasphaera elsdenii NCIMB 41125 dosing on rumen development, volatile fatty acid production and blood β‐hydroxybutyrate in neonatal dairy calves

Abstract

Thirty calves were randomly assigned to two treatments and fed until weaning [42 days (d) of age]. Treatments were a control group (n = 15), which did not receive Megasphaera elsdenii (Me0) and a M. elsdenii group, which received a 50-ml oral dose of M. elsdenii NCIMB 41125 (10(8) CFU/ml) at day 14 day of age (Me14). Calves were given colostrum for the first 3 day followed by limited whole milk feeding. A commercial calf starter was offered ad libitum starting at day 4 until the end of the study. Fresh water was available throughout the study. Feed intake and growth were measured. Blood samples were collected via jugular venipuncture to determine β-hydroxybutyrate (BHBA) concentrations. Fourteen male calves (seven per group) were euthanised on day 42 and digestive tracts harvested. Reticulo-rumen weight was determined and rumen tissue samples collected from the cranial and caudal sacs of the ventral and dorsal portions of the rumen for measurements of papillae length, papillae width and rumen wall thickness. Dosing with M. elsdenii NCIMB 41125 improved starter dry matter intake (DMI), weaning body weight (BW) and tended to improve average daily gain. Calves in Me14 group had greater plasma BHBA concentration than Me0-calves during the last 3 weeks of the trial and had at day 42 greater reticulo-rumen weight, papillae width and papillae density compared to Me0. No differences in rumen wall thickness or papillae length were observed between the two groups. Total volatile fatty acids, acetate and propionate production did not differ between treatments, but butyrate production was greater in Me14 than Me0. Dosing M. elsdenii NCIMB 41125 showed benefit for calves with improved feed intake and rumen development suggesting increased epithelium metabolism and improved absorption of digestive end products.

Performance of Holstein calves having free access to milk and dosed with Megasphaera elsdenii

“…On d 7 (prior to treatment administration), BHBA concentrations tended (p = 0.09) to be greater for Meg0 calves compared to Meg14 calves; however, BHBA concentration increased The potential of M. elsdenii to increase the proportion of rumen propionate and butyrate was previously reported (Marounek et al, 1989;Cruz et al, 2001;Henning et al, 2010;Muya et al, 2015). The particular role of these two VFA on stimulating rumen epithelial cells and papillae development and thereby, increasing the capacity of solid feed intake, has been previously discussed (Tamate et al, 1962;Coverdale et al, 2004;Lane and Jesse, 1997).…”

“…As it is oxidized by the rumen epithelial cells and passes through the rumen wall, butyric acid is converted to BHBA (Quigley, 1991;Lesmeister and Heinrichs, 2004), which is used as an indicator of the rumen development (Suarez et al, 2006). Dosing M. elsdenii could have positive effects on rumen papillae development and function, as previously showed in calves (Kristensen et al, 2007;Górka et al, 2011), through increased rumen butyrate (Muya et al, 2015) and, thus, improve calves intake and growth. The increase rumen butyrate could have allowed for continuous exposition of rumen epithelial cells to its preferred energy source, and consequently stimulated rumen development.…”

“…These effects were associated with increasing ruminal butyrate concentration (Muya et al, 2015). Possibly M. elsdenii also plays a positive role in rumen development under condition where starter intake is suppressed due to ad lib or high volume milk feeding in accelerated growth-feeding systems.…”

“…In the study of Muya et al (2015), calves fed restricted milk and dosed with M. elsdenii had greater reticulum-rumen weight and papillae density, with greater papillae width compared to control calves. These improvements were associated with greater ruminal butyrate concentration and plasma BHBA.…”

“…Greater early starter intake by Meg14 calves could be adequate to initiate rumen function development and stimulate starter intake in the later age (Górka et al, 2011;Muya et al, 2015). These Meg14 calves consumed an average of 0.14 ± 0.011 kg d -1 starter DM during the pre-weaning period, representing 40 % more starter feed than control calves did.…”