Intestinal Development in Neonatal Calves: Effects of Glucocorticoids and Dependence on Colostrum Feeding¹

Abstract

The neonatal development of the gastrointestinal tract around parturition in precocious mammals is greatly affected by endocrine factors like glucocorticoids as well as by nutritional factors. We have studied the effects of glucocorticoids and colostrum supply on intestinal morphology, cell proliferation, digestive enzyme activities, and xylose absorption in neonatal calves to test the hypothesis that the intestinal development in neonatal calves is influenced by glucocorticoids, dependent on colostrum feeding. Calves designated GrFD^– and GrFD⁺ were fed a milk-based formula, whereas those designated GrCD^– and GrCD⁺ received colostrum. Dexamethasone (DEXA; 30 µg/kg/day) was injected at feeding times to calves of GrFD⁺ and GrCD⁺. On day 3, the D-xylose absorption was measured. The calves were euthanized on day 5 of life. Colostrum feeding increased villus sizes in jejunum and ileum, enhanced xylose absorption capacity, and increased peptidase activities in the ileum. DEXA treatment diminished sizes and cell proliferation rates of Peyer’s patches in the ileum, yet increased proliferation of crypt cells in the ileum of formula-fed calves. DEXA reduced aminopeptidase N activities in the jejunum of formula-fed calves, but increased the peptidase activities mainly of colostrum-fed calves in the ileum. Thus, DEXA effects depended on intestinal segment and on different feeding, resulting in stimulation of crypt cell proliferation in the less mature ileum (of formula-fed calves) and in stimulation of peptidase activities in the more mature ileum (of colostrum-fed calves). We conclude that the effects of DEXA were related to the developmental stage of the neonatal intestine and promoted the intestinal development, depending on the developmental stage.

Intestinal histology of newborn goat kids fed lyophilized bovine colostrum

“…The same feature was found in calves by Blättler et al (2001), Bittrich et al (2004), andSauter et al (2004). In this segment, in the first hours of goat kids' life it is possible to verify enterocytes containing vacuoles filled with colostrum and IgG immunostaining that are related with intense activity of IgG uptake during the passive acquisition period (Moretti et al, 2012a;Nordi et al, 2012).…”

Endocrine And Metabolic Adaptations Of Calves To Extra-Uterine Life

“…Glucocorticoids enchance the maturation of the somatotropic axis around birth. Namely, the increased cortisol concentration during the perinatal period of life plays an important role in initiating the prenatal switch of the somatotropic axis from the fetal (when growth is indipendent of growth hormone) to the postanatal status and function [26]. Literature data indicate that in farm animal species cortisol stimulates the development of immature enterocytes, and causes enhanced immunoglobulin absorption [9].…”

Intestinal Glucose Absorption but Not Endogenous Glucose Production Differs between Colostrum- and Formula-Fed Neonatal Calves

“…With suckling, lactose reaches the intestine and its products, glucose and galactose, are absorbed and delivered by the portal blood to the liver and other tissues (3). The intestinal absorptive capacity for xylose, a pentose sugar that is absorbed by the same transporters as glucose (13), responded to colostrum feeding and was lower in calves fed milk replacer or a milk-based formula with fewer bioactive components (8,14,15). Moreover, splanchnic tissues may extract a substantial amount of dietary glucose as a fuel for energy supply (16).…”