Effect of medium-chain fatty acids on growth, health, and immune response of dairy calves

Abstract

It is necessary for the dairy industry to reduce calf morbidity and mortality, and the reliance on antibiotics to treat sick calves, to address the growing concern regarding antibiotic resistant bacteria. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the effect that feeding dairy calves medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA) has on growth performance and health, and the secondary objective was to evaluate the effect of MCFA on energy status around weaning and the adaptive immune response following a vaccine challenge. Thirty-three Holstein bull calves (5 ± 1.6 d of age) were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 treatments. Control (CON) calves were fed milk replacer with no C8:0 or C10:0 oil added and MCFA calves were fed milk replacer with 0.5% of a combination of C8:0 or C10:0 oil added. Body weight and average daily gain were measured weekly. Feed efficiency (gain/feed) and the change in body condition score, hip width, hip height, heart girth, and paunch girth were calculated for the duration of the study. Fecal scores were recorded daily and all medical treatments were documented for the duration of the trial. On d 42, 49, and 56 of the study, a serum sample was collected from each calf and used to measure nonesterified fatty acids, β-hydroxybutyric acid, insulin, and glucose concentrations to evaluate energy status around weaning. A subset of 11 calves per treatment were enrolled in a vaccine challenge. At 21 ± 1.9 d of age (mean ± standard deviation) calves were vaccinated intramuscularly with 1 mL of endotoxin-free ovalbumin (OVA) mixed with aluminum hydroxide adjuvant. At 42 d of age (±1.9 d), blood samples were collected and used to analyze OVA-specific IgG 1 and IgG 2 , and calves were vaccinated a second time. At 56 d of age (±1.9 d), blood samples were collected to analyze IgG 1 and IgG 2 as well as IFN-γ and IL-4 secreted from pe-ripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) treated with OVA or phytohemagglutinin. Data were analyzed as a completely randomized design with repeated measures when applicable. A tendency for greater daily fecal score was observed for MCFA calves compared with CON. At d 42 of the study, nonesterified fatty acid concentrations were greater in CON calves compared with MCFA. At 42 and 56 d of age, anti-OVA IgG 1 concentrations for CON and MCFA calves were greater than prevaccination samples. This study suggests that feeding MCFA to calves affects the energy status of calves around weaning and vaccinating dairy calves with ovalbumin combined with an aluminum hydroxide adjuvant is an effective way to evaluate the adaptive immune responses.

Effects of Coconut Oil and Palm Oil on Growth, Rumen Microbiota, and Fatty Acid Profile of Suckling Calves

“…The correlation between the concentrations of blood GLU, BHBA, and NEFA and the energy status of calves had been reported [ 44 ]. In the present study, the serum concentration of GLU in the PLO group decreased compared with the CCO and CON groups, which might be explained by the starter intake that tended to be lower in the PLO group than in the other groups.…”

Effect of Ca-octanoate supplementation on concentrations of ghrelin and ghrelin-related hormones in plasma and milk of beef cattle

“…It was previously reported that feeding octanoate to cachectic patients increased concentrations of acylated ghrelin in plasma [ 18 ]. Octanoate is easily absorbed [ 19 ] and used as a supplementary energy source to improve performance in calves [ 20 , 21 ]. Furthermore, calcium salts of fatty acids bypass the rumen without fermentation [ 22 ].…”