Effects of different rearing systems and fatty acid types on calf growth performance， ruminal internal environment and blood serum indices

doi:10.11686/cyxb2025286

Abstract

Abstract:

The aim of this experiment was to investigate the effects of different rearing systems and fatty acid types on calf growth and development， with a view to providing theoretical data to support further research. Thirty healthy Holstein male calves with similar body weight （41.21±4.99 kg） and age （16±6 d） were selected and randomly divided into six groups of five calves each. The experiment used a two-factor experimental design， with factor 1 being different rearing systems （single pen feeding and group feeding）， and factor 2 being different types of fatty acids （long-chain fatty acids： corn oil and short-chain fatty acids： tributyrate）， and the experimental groupings were as follows： single-pen feeding+basal ration （SCON）， single-pen feeding+basal ration+supplemental corn oil 20 mL·d^-1（SCO）， single-pen feeding+basal ration+supplemented with tributyrate 8 g·d^-1 （STB）， group feeding+basal ration （GCON）， group feeding+basal ration+supplemented with corn oil 20 mL·d^-1（GCO）， and group feeding+basal ration+supplemented with tributyrate 8 g·d^-1 （GTB）. The experimental period was 59 d， including a pre-feeding period of 14 d and a formal-feeding period of 45 d. Body weights were measured at the beginning and end of the experiment and daily weight gain was calculated. Feed intake was measured daily during the trial period and used to calculate the average dry matter intake and feed-to-weight ratio. At the end of the trial， rumen fluid was collected through a rumen catheter to measure rumen fermentation parameters and rumen enzyme activity， and blood was collected from the jugular vein to measure blood parameters. The results showed that the feeding mode and fatty acid type resulted in significant differences in dry matter intake and the feed-to-weight ratio of calves （P<0.05）， especially in the treatment including addition of fatty acids （P<0.05）. There was also a significant interaction observed between rearing system and fatty acid type with respect to isovalerate （IVA） and NH₃-N concentrations （P<0.05）. Compared with single pen rearing， group rearing with tributyrin supplementation significantly increased IVA concentration. A significant interaction between rearing system and fatty acid type was also observed for α-amylase activity， xylanase activity， and glucose （GLU） levels （P<0.05）. Supplementation with corn oil and tributyrin significantly enhanced carboxymethyl cellulase activity in the rumen （P<0.05） and increased albumin （ALB） concentration in calf serum（P<0.05）. Under single pen rearing conditions， the addition of tributyrin significantly elevated GLU concentration （P<0.05）. In conclusion， under the conditions of this trial， supplementing calves with 20 mL·d^-1 of corn oil and 8 g·d^-1 of tributyrin improved feed intake， enhanced rumen development， increased serum albumin levels， and thereby promoted calf growth and development.

Key words: calves, tributyrin, corn oil, growth and development

Xiao-qiang ZHAO, Yue-jiao ZHANG, Dan-dan ZHANG, Kai-ning CAO, Yuan-qing ZHANG. Effects of different rearing systems and fatty acid types on calf growth performance， ruminal internal environment and blood serum indices[J]. Acta Prataculturae Sinica, 2026, 35(4): 211-220.

Figures/Tables 6

References 42

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营养成分 Nutrient	犊牛开食料 Starter	犊牛奶粉Milk replacer	燕麦干草 A. sativa
干物质Dry matter （DM， %）	92.51	95.74	89.13
粗蛋白Crude protein （CP， %）	19.42	22.74	8.50
粗纤维Crude fiber （CF， %）	-	-	31.30
粗脂肪Ether extract （EE， %）	-	15.54	1.60
粗灰分Crude ash （Ash， %）	7.51	-	7.45
钙Calcium （Ca， %）	0.91	1.17	1.15
磷Phosphorus （P， %）	0.66	0.99	0.36

营养成分 Nutrient	犊牛开食料 Starter	犊牛奶粉Milk replacer	燕麦干草 A. sativa
干物质Dry matter （DM， %）	92.51	95.74	89.13
粗蛋白Crude protein （CP， %）	19.42	22.74	8.50
粗纤维Crude fiber （CF， %）	-	-	31.30
粗脂肪Ether extract （EE， %）	-	15.54	1.60
粗灰分Crude ash （Ash， %）	7.51	-	7.45
钙Calcium （Ca， %）	0.91	1.17	1.15
磷Phosphorus （P， %）	0.66	0.99	0.36

项目 Item	处理Treatment						标准误 SEM	P值 P-value
项目 Item	SCON	SCO	STB	GCON	GCO	GTB	标准误 SEM	RS	FA	RS×FA
初重Initial weight （IW， kg）	46.00	43.50	46.00	46.33	45.33	42.50	1.483	0.721	0.389	0.223
末重Final weight （FW， kg）	88.33	92.17	96.50	93.17	94.50	88.00	2.891	0.854	0.681	0.091
平均日增重Average daily gain （ADG， kg·d^-1）	0.94	1.08	1.12	1.04	1.09	1.01	0.054	0.983	0.132	0.113
干物质采食量Dry matter intake （DMI， kg·d^-1）	1.71c	2.22b	2.26ab	1.88c	2.33ab	2.47a	0.069	0.018	0.005	0.803
料重比F/G	1.82b	2.07ab	2.02ab	1.81b	2.15ab	2.45a	0.122	0.108	0.012	0.189

项目 Item	处理Treatment						标准误 SEM	P值 P-value
项目 Item	SCON	SCO	STB	GCON	GCO	GTB	标准误 SEM	RS	FA	RS×FA
初重Initial weight （IW， kg）	46.00	43.50	46.00	46.33	45.33	42.50	1.483	0.721	0.389	0.223
末重Final weight （FW， kg）	88.33	92.17	96.50	93.17	94.50	88.00	2.891	0.854	0.681	0.091
平均日增重Average daily gain （ADG， kg·d^-1）	0.94	1.08	1.12	1.04	1.09	1.01	0.054	0.983	0.132	0.113
干物质采食量Dry matter intake （DMI， kg·d^-1）	1.71c	2.22b	2.26ab	1.88c	2.33ab	2.47a	0.069	0.018	0.005	0.803
料重比F/G	1.82b	2.07ab	2.02ab	1.81b	2.15ab	2.45a	0.122	0.108	0.012	0.189

项目 Item	处理Treatment						标准误 SEM	P值P-value
项目 Item	SCON	SCO	STB	GCON	GCO	GTB	标准误 SEM	RS	FA	RS×FA
总挥发性脂肪酸Total volatile fatty acids （TVFA， mmol·L^-1）	71.99	93.40	85.91	71.23	76.00	80.06	10.082	0.351	0.399	0.712
乙酸Acetic acid （AA， mmol·L^-1）	34.54	44.18	41.55	38.33	36.68	40.46	4.828	0.699	0.612	0.531
丙酸Propionic acid （PA， mmol·L^-1）	26.37	31.07	30.02	27.53	28.03	27.31	4.131	0.654	0.812	0.849
异丁酸Isobutyric acid （IBA， mmol·L^-1）	0.54	0.54	0.41	0.86	0.41	0.59	0.009	0.122	0.051	0.052
丁酸Butyric acid （BA， mmol·L^-1）	5.40	7.64	8.05	4.04	5.29	7.22	1.402	0.202	0.128	0.873
异戊酸Isovaleric acid （IVA， mmol·L^-1）	0.36ab	0.41ab	0.26b	0.31ab	0.29ab	0.54a	0.081	0.198	0.604	0.021
戊酸Valeric acid （VA， mmol·L^-1）	3.81	5.78	5.62	3.01	3.58	5.01	0.953	0.143	0.151	0.672
乙酸/丙酸AA/PA	1.40	1.47	1.44	1.47	1.30	1.44	0.109	0.668	0.854	0.469
氨态氮NH₃-N （mg·L^-1）	5.91b	8.76ab	8.10ab	5.32b	11.49a	9.17ab	1.824	0.242	0.318	<0.001