Volume 16, Issue 3 (9-2025)
Res Anim Prod 2025, 16(3): 118-129 |
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Poormirza M, Mirzaei Aghjehgheshlagh F, Asadi Alamouti A, Navidshad B. (2025). The Effects of Lysophospholipid and Carnitine in Rations Containing Saturated Fatty Acids on the Performance and Health Status of Nursing Holstein Calves. Res Anim Prod. 16(3), 118-129. doi:10.61882/rap.2025.1495
URL: http://rap.sanru.ac.ir/article-1-1495-en.html
URL: http://rap.sanru.ac.ir/article-1-1495-en.html
1- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Mohghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran
2- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agricultural Technology (Aborihan), University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
2- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agricultural Technology (Aborihan), University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
Abstract: (1040 Views)
Extended Abstract
Background: Achieving proper growth and health during the pre-weaning period is the main goal in raising calves. However, high mortality can reduce the profit-loss ratio. The health and growth of a calf, as well as its functional characteristics and economic life in the future, are affected by milk feeding in the pre-weaning period. Due to the high price of milk and milk substitutes, the commercial calf management program focuses on limiting the consumption of milk and milk substitutes. Calves are encouraged to consume more pellets and wean earlier, which reduces the potential for diarrhea and other illnesses. Any strategy that reduces the consumption of liquid feed and increases the consumption of starter will reduce each of these cases. The feeding procedure of calves before and after weaning is one of the most important stages of livestock breeding to have a regular and forward-looking program. Early feeding or intensive feeding programs, where more milk or milk substitutes are used, probably have the potential to improve growth rates and reduce age at first calving. Consumption of calf starter improves rumen development and causes weight gain in days before weaning and decreases weight loss in days after weaning. In general, management of replacement heifers focuses on factors that increase physiological processes and subsequently maturity and production potential. Considering the role and importance of lysophospholipid in fat metabolism and limited studies regarding the mutual effects of these two additives, this experiment aims to investigate the possibility of increasing the digestibility of fats in the intestines of Holstein calves using the addition of lysophospholipid.
Methods: The present study was conducted on 48 calves with an average birth weight of 39.9 ± 4 kg and an average age of 3 ± 1 days in a completely randomized design with four treatments and 12 replications for 85 days. Experimental treatments were 1) control treatment, 2) control treatment with 3% fat rich in saturated fatty acids, 3) control treatment with 2 g of lysophospholipid daily, and 4) control treatment with 2 g of lysophospholipid + 3% fat rich in saturated fatty acids. Lysophospholipid was added to milk from 6 to 40 days and to the starter from 41 to 85 days. Calves had free access to feed and water throughout the experiment. The starter was mixed with 7% and 10% dry alfalfa before and after milking, respectively, and offered to the calves. Feed consumption was measured for each calf once every 10 days. Calves were weighed at the beginning of the experiment and once every 10 days until the end of the project using a digital scale. All parameters in the whole design were measured at 14:00. Skeletal growth parameters, including breast circumference, hip width, hip height, withers height, and calf body length, were measured at the moment of entering the project and once every 10 days. To measure the apparent digestibility of feed nutrients by collecting all feces (9,10) in the last week before weaning and one week before the end of the project, a special bag for collecting feces was connected to the male calf, and the amount of feces excretion corresponding to 24 hours (for 3 days of feces collection) was measured for each animal. Data were analyzed statistically using mixed models and considering the effect of treatment as a fixed effect and initial weight as an auxiliary variable.
Results: The results showed no significant differences between the experimental treatments in terms of starter consumption, mean daily weight gain, feed efficiency, solids consumption, and dry matter consumption. The experimental treatments were significantly different in body weight on day 85, and the treatment containing 3% saturated fat with the highest weight (109.2) was statistically different from the treatment containing 2 g of lysophospholipid with the lowest weight (105.3). Differences between the experimental treatments in the digestibility of dry matter, organic matter, crude protein, and crude fat, as well as biometric scores including wrist circumference, hip width, body length, chest circumference, height from the joint, and height from the hip, were not significant.
Conclusion: It can be concluded that the use of saturated fatty acids, along with lysophospholipid, did not significantly affect the growth performance of Holstein calves until the age of 85 days. The different results in different tests can be related to the amount, age of the calf, and spatiotemporal conditions, which can be attributed to the type of saturated fatty acids and phospholipids, as well as the simultaneous use of fatty acids with lysophospholipid and the amounts used in the experiment. Therefore, it is recommended to consider different amounts and origins of these materials. Overall, the results of the present experiment show that the simultaneous daily use of 2 g of lysophospholipid and 3 g of saturated fatty acids has no significant effect on the performance of Holstein calves.
Background: Achieving proper growth and health during the pre-weaning period is the main goal in raising calves. However, high mortality can reduce the profit-loss ratio. The health and growth of a calf, as well as its functional characteristics and economic life in the future, are affected by milk feeding in the pre-weaning period. Due to the high price of milk and milk substitutes, the commercial calf management program focuses on limiting the consumption of milk and milk substitutes. Calves are encouraged to consume more pellets and wean earlier, which reduces the potential for diarrhea and other illnesses. Any strategy that reduces the consumption of liquid feed and increases the consumption of starter will reduce each of these cases. The feeding procedure of calves before and after weaning is one of the most important stages of livestock breeding to have a regular and forward-looking program. Early feeding or intensive feeding programs, where more milk or milk substitutes are used, probably have the potential to improve growth rates and reduce age at first calving. Consumption of calf starter improves rumen development and causes weight gain in days before weaning and decreases weight loss in days after weaning. In general, management of replacement heifers focuses on factors that increase physiological processes and subsequently maturity and production potential. Considering the role and importance of lysophospholipid in fat metabolism and limited studies regarding the mutual effects of these two additives, this experiment aims to investigate the possibility of increasing the digestibility of fats in the intestines of Holstein calves using the addition of lysophospholipid.
Methods: The present study was conducted on 48 calves with an average birth weight of 39.9 ± 4 kg and an average age of 3 ± 1 days in a completely randomized design with four treatments and 12 replications for 85 days. Experimental treatments were 1) control treatment, 2) control treatment with 3% fat rich in saturated fatty acids, 3) control treatment with 2 g of lysophospholipid daily, and 4) control treatment with 2 g of lysophospholipid + 3% fat rich in saturated fatty acids. Lysophospholipid was added to milk from 6 to 40 days and to the starter from 41 to 85 days. Calves had free access to feed and water throughout the experiment. The starter was mixed with 7% and 10% dry alfalfa before and after milking, respectively, and offered to the calves. Feed consumption was measured for each calf once every 10 days. Calves were weighed at the beginning of the experiment and once every 10 days until the end of the project using a digital scale. All parameters in the whole design were measured at 14:00. Skeletal growth parameters, including breast circumference, hip width, hip height, withers height, and calf body length, were measured at the moment of entering the project and once every 10 days. To measure the apparent digestibility of feed nutrients by collecting all feces (9,10) in the last week before weaning and one week before the end of the project, a special bag for collecting feces was connected to the male calf, and the amount of feces excretion corresponding to 24 hours (for 3 days of feces collection) was measured for each animal. Data were analyzed statistically using mixed models and considering the effect of treatment as a fixed effect and initial weight as an auxiliary variable.
Results: The results showed no significant differences between the experimental treatments in terms of starter consumption, mean daily weight gain, feed efficiency, solids consumption, and dry matter consumption. The experimental treatments were significantly different in body weight on day 85, and the treatment containing 3% saturated fat with the highest weight (109.2) was statistically different from the treatment containing 2 g of lysophospholipid with the lowest weight (105.3). Differences between the experimental treatments in the digestibility of dry matter, organic matter, crude protein, and crude fat, as well as biometric scores including wrist circumference, hip width, body length, chest circumference, height from the joint, and height from the hip, were not significant.
Conclusion: It can be concluded that the use of saturated fatty acids, along with lysophospholipid, did not significantly affect the growth performance of Holstein calves until the age of 85 days. The different results in different tests can be related to the amount, age of the calf, and spatiotemporal conditions, which can be attributed to the type of saturated fatty acids and phospholipids, as well as the simultaneous use of fatty acids with lysophospholipid and the amounts used in the experiment. Therefore, it is recommended to consider different amounts and origins of these materials. Overall, the results of the present experiment show that the simultaneous daily use of 2 g of lysophospholipid and 3 g of saturated fatty acids has no significant effect on the performance of Holstein calves.
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