ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to evaluate the nutritional and microbiological composition of colostrum samples collected from colostrum banks or newly calved cows on dairy farms. For this purpose, 66 colostrum samples from dairy cows were directly collected during the milking of newly calved cows or from colostrum storage bank. Samples were collected from commercial properties in the states of Minas Gerais, São Paulo, and Paraná - Brazil, which were classified according to the total daily milk yield (MY). Even though average immunoglobulin concentrations were either adequate (79.7 and 51.7 mg/mL, for farms with MY>701 L/d and <200 L/d, respectively) or marginal (48.1 mg/mL for MY between 201-700 L/d), for only 48.4% of the colostrum samples, immunoglobulin concentrations were greater than 50 mg/mL. A variety of factors such as production system, animal breed, and time of sample collection can also affect the variables studied. In addition to emphasizing nutrition, good hygiene practices during the colostrum collection and storage process also deserve attention, since 24% of colostrum samples were below the microbial quality parameters. When nutritional and microbiological quality were simultaneously analyzed, only 22.6% of colostrum samples met the recommendations. Therefore, most of the calves in this region of Brazil are likely to present failure of passive immunity transfer and are exposed to pathogens when fed maternal colostrum.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the route of administration of mannan-oligosaccharides in the diet of dairy calves and their effects on performance and plasma parameters indicative of rumen development. Following birth, twenty-four male Holstein calves were used in a completely randomized design and assigned to the following treatments: Control; 4 g/d Bio-Mos® (Alltech Biotech.) added to starter concentrate; and 4 g/d Bio-Mos® mixed into milk replacer. Animals were housed in individual hutches with free access to water, and fed 4L/d of milk replacer until weaning at six weeks. Calves also received 23g/kg crude protein of starter concentrate ad libitum. Fecal scores were evaluated daily. Body weights, growth measurements and blood samples for glucose, urea-N and β-hidroxibutyrate analyses were taken weekly until 8 weeks of age. There were no significant effects of treatment or treatment × age interactions for mean starter concentrate intake, weight gain or body growth. However, there was a significant age effect for all parameters. Fecal scores were not affected by treatments. Also, plasma concentration of glucose, urea-N or β-hidroxibutyrate were not affected by treatment or the treatment × age interaction. However, urea-N and β-hidroxibutyrate concentrations significantly increased with age, suggesting adequate rumen development. Under the conditions of this study, there were no calf performance benefits when mannan-oligosaccharides were incorporated into milk replacer or calf starter concentrate.

O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a inclusão de substâncias húmicas na dieta sobre o desempenho e o desenvolvimento ruminal de bezerros leiteiros da raça Holandesa. Foram utilizados 20 animais em delineamento experimental em blocos completos aleatorizados, distribuídos nos seguintes tratamentos: 1) controle; 2) substâncias húmicas, via concentrado inicial. Os animais receberam 4 L d-1 da dieta líquida e concentrado inicial ad libitum. Diariamente foram realizadas análise de escore fecal, e semanalmente foram realizadas pesagens, medidas de crescimento corporal e colheita de sangue para a determinação de glicose, N-ureico e β-hidroxibutirato (BHBA). Os animais foram desaleitados na oitava semana de idade e foram abatidos para análise do desenvolvimento do trato digestório superior. Não houve efeito significativo (p > 0,05) entre os tratamentos ou interação tratamento x idade para os parâmetros consumo de concentrado, ganho de peso, medidas de crescimento corporal e parâmetros sanguíneos. Entretanto, foi observado efeito de idade (p < 0,0001) para todos os parâmetros avaliados. O escore fecal e o desenvolvimento ruminal também não foram afetados pelos tratamentos (p > 0,05). Não houve efeito da inclusão de substâncias húmicas na dieta quanto ao desempenho e desenvolvimento ruminal de bezerros leiteiros.

The objective of this work was to evaluate the inclusion of humic substances in starter concentrate on the performance of dairy calves and rumen development. Twenty Holstein calves were used in a completely randomized block design and distributed in two treatments according to inclusion of humic substances in concentrate: 1) Control; 2) Humic substances. Animals received 4 L d-1 liquid diet and starter concentrate ad libitum. Fecal score analyses were carried out daily, and calves were weighed weekly and growth measurements and blood samples for glucose, urea-N and β-hidroxibutyrate (BHBA) were taken. The calves were weaned at eight weeks of age and slaughtered for evaluation of forestomach development. There were no effects (p > 0.05) between treatments or treatment x age interaction for concentrate intake, weight gain, growth measurements or blood parameters. Fecal scores and rumen development were not affected (p > 0.05) by the inclusion of humic substances. There were no benefits from the inclusion of humic substances in starter concentrate on performance or rumen development of dairy calves.