Effect of milk feeding strategy and lactic acid probiotics on growth and behavior of dairy calves fed using an automated feeding system1

Cantor, Melissa C.; Stanton, Amy; Combs, D.K.; Costa, J.H.C.

doi:10.1093/jas/skz034

Cited by 17 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 41 publications

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“…The average drinking speed found in this study (744 ± 274 mL/min) was very similar to what was found by Cantor et al (2019) (730 ± 500 mL/min); however, Knauer et al (2017) reported an average drinking speed of 844 ± 344 mL/min across the entire study period. This difference in drinking speed could be a result of competition at the feeder as greater competition is associated with faster drinking speeds (Jensen, 2004).…”

Section: Association Of Feeding Behaviors With Diseasesupporting

confidence: 87%

Associations between feeding behaviors collected from an automated milk feeder and disease in group-housed dairy calves in Ontario: A cross-sectional study

Conboy

Winder

Medrano-Galarza

et al. 2021

Journal of Dairy Science

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The adoption of automated milk feeders and group housing of preweaning dairy calves has become more common in Canada; however, disease detection in group-housed calves remains a challenge. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to assess whether feeding behavior data collected from a single point in time could be used to aid in the detection of neonatal calf diarrhea (NCD), bovine respiratory disease (BRD), and general disease, in preweaning group-housed calves being fed via an automated milk feeder. The data used was collected in an earlier study. A total of 8 dairy farms recruited from an online survey of calf-management practices were enrolled into the study. There was a total of 523 observations with 130 events of NCD, 115 events of BRD, and 210 events of general disease. Each farm was visited once in each of the fall, winter, spring, and summer, when the calves' health was scored, and the data were collected from the automated milk feeders. Mixed linear regression models were used to identify associations between feeding behavior data (milk consumption, time spent at the feeder, drinking speed, and the number of rewarded and unrewarded visits) and the presence of NCD, BRD, or general disease (having one or more of NCD, BRD, or umbilical infection), on the day of health scoring. Generalized linear mixed models were used to analyze the percentage of milk the calf consumed from their daily milk allotment. Calves with BRD consumed 63% less of their daily allotment of milk, had 2 fewer unrewarded visits to the automated milk feeder, and drank milk 152 mL/min slower compared with calves without BRD. Calves with NCD consumed 57% less of their daily milk allotment, consumed 758 mL less per day, and drank 92 mL/min slower than calves compared with calves without NCD. Calves with general disease drank 50% less of their daily milk allowance, consumed 496 mL less per day, drank 80 mL/min slower, and had 2 fewer unrewarded visits to the automated milk feeder, when compared with calves without disease. No significant associations were found between the presence of NCD, BRD, or general disease and time spent at the feeder or number of rewarded visits. Sensitivity and specificity values for disease identification were low when evaluating the feeding behaviors individually, so parallel testing was completed. To do so, if any significant feeding behavior was below the optimal cut point for disease detection as determined using a ROC curve, the calf was considered positive for disease and the sensitivity and specificity were recalculated. Parallel testing resulted in a sensitivity of 0.82, 0.78, and 0.84, and a specificity of 0.26, 0.23, and 0.21, for BRD, NCD, and general disease, respectively. This suggests that automated milk feeders may serve as a useful preliminary tool in the detection of diseased calves. For example, producers could use feeding behavior data to identify calves requiring further inspection; however, they should not use feeding behavior data as a sole disease detection method.

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Section: Association Of Feeding Behaviors With Diseasesupporting

confidence: 87%

Associations between feeding behaviors collected from an automated milk feeder and disease in group-housed dairy calves in Ontario: A cross-sectional study

Conboy

Winder

Medrano-Galarza

et al. 2021

Journal of Dairy Science

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“…Milk flow and meal size also have important effects on feeding behavior; limited flow (300 mL/min) in 2-L meal sizes decreased daily milk intake in calves offered 8 L of milk/d (Nielsen et al, 2018), and large milk meal sizes (compared with smaller meals) reduced competition and improved feeder efficiency for calves housed in large groups (24 calves per nipple; Jensen, 2004). Moreover, one study suggested that the timing of offering peak milk is important: calves had higher milk intake when peak milk (12 L/d) was offered at 3 wk compared with 4 wk of age, but postweaning weight and time at the solid feed bunk was not affected (Cantor et al, 2019). This work together suggests that restricting milk leads to abnormal meal patterns and increased unrewarded visits, which may indicate hunger in calves, and that milk feeding strategy affects how calves use the system.…”

Section: Automated Feeders For Individualized Feeding Programsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Symposium review: Precision technologies for dairy calves and management applications

Costa

Cantor

Neave

2021

Journal of Dairy Science

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“…at the onset of diarrhea had faster resolution of diarrhea, but there was no difference in average daily weight gain (ADG) compared to placebo-treated control calves, suggesting only a short term effect of supplementation (18). Another study supporting the previous finding showed that probiotics had little to no impact on ADG or feeding behavior (19). Studies have also shown that probiotic supplementation resulted in a transient increase in abundance of Bifidobacterium spp.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 80%

Parenteral Antimicrobial Treatment Diminishes Fecal Bifidobacterium Quantity but Has No Impact on Health in Neonatal Dairy Calves: Data From a Field Trial

et al. 2021

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There is evidence that neonatal calves are over treated with antimicrobials that may disrupt colonization of their gastrointestinal tract (GIT) microbiota. The study objectives were to assess the decision-making process of antimicrobial use on a commercial dairy and impacts of parenteral antibiotics on dairy calves' GIT Bifidobacterium and calf health. Unhealthy pre-weaned dairy calves were enrolled based on farm personnel identification with age-matched healthy calves. Half the calves in each group were treated with a 3-day course of IM ampicillin and half were given supportive therapy as needed. Health scores (appetite, fecal consistency, attitude, and temperature) were recorded twice daily throughout the study. Because of inconsistency in employee health decisions, the 121 enrolled calves were reassessed using objective clinical observations plus fecal dry matter and placed into 1 of 3 health categories: healthy, uncomplicated diarrhea (bright attitude and good appetite but with diarrhea), and sick. Accounting for treatment group allocation, this resulted in six post-enrollment health and treatment categories. Calves were followed daily for 14 days post-enrollment and fecal samples collected at 6 time points and Bifidobacterium was quantified from these samples using quantitative PCR. The objective criteria for disease definition reclassified many “unhealthy” calves as uncomplicated diarrhea. Including all calves, on average, the quantity of Bifidobacterium decreased from the day of enrollment (median 8 days of age) across time to 14 days post-enrollment. Calves given an antibiotic the day of enrollment had a greater decrease in Bifidobacterium 4 and 9 days later relative to enrollment Bifidobacterium compared to untreated calves. At enrollment, sick calves and those categorized as uncomplicated diarrhea were more likely to have low Bifidobacterium counts and less likely to be categorized as healthy following antimicrobial treatment. Our results indicate that relying on farm personnel to identify morbidity may lead to some clinical misclassification. There was no indication that antimicrobials affected subsequent health outcomes, but antimicrobials did impact Bifidobacterium dynamics. These results highlight the importance and difficulty in assigning appropriate illness classification on farms and point to a need to develop better point of care diagnostics that improve calf husbandry and stewardship of antimicrobials.

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Effect of milk feeding strategy and lactic acid probiotics on growth and behavior of dairy calves fed using an automated feeding system1

Cited by 17 publications

References 41 publications

Associations between feeding behaviors collected from an automated milk feeder and disease in group-housed dairy calves in Ontario: A cross-sectional study

Associations between feeding behaviors collected from an automated milk feeder and disease in group-housed dairy calves in Ontario: A cross-sectional study

Symposium review: Precision technologies for dairy calves and management applications

Parenteral Antimicrobial Treatment Diminishes Fecal Bifidobacterium Quantity but Has No Impact on Health in Neonatal Dairy Calves: Data From a Field Trial

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