Abuelo Angel, Cullens Faith, Hanes Amanda, Brester Jill L
Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.
Agriculture and Agribusiness Institute, MSU Extension, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.
Animals (Basel). 2021 Mar 11;11(3):782. doi: 10.3390/ani11030782.
Failure of transfer of passive immunity (FTPI) due to inadequate ingestion of colostral immunoglobulins by calves is associated with increased mortality and morbidity risks. Feeding calves a sufficient amount of quality-tested colostrum within the first hours of life is essential for successfully transferring passive immunity. Many farms have implemented a second meal of colostrum to maximize the opportunities for passive immunity transfer. However, excellent passive immunity can be achieved with a single feeding of sufficient quality-tested colostrum. Moreover, there is currently no evidence demonstrating the impact of a second colostrum feeding within 24 h of life in calves receiving adequate volumes of quality-tested colostrum in an initial feeding. Hence, the objective of this retrospective cohort study was to compare the risks of FPTI, pre-weaning morbidity and mortality, and growth and performance between dairy calves that received one or two feedings of colostrum. For this, the health and production records of a large dairy herd were analyzed. At this farm, newborn calves receive 3 L of quality-tested colostrum soon after birth, followed by another 2 L 5-6 h later. However, at times of shortages of colostrum, calves only receive the initial 3 L meal. The records of 2064 male and 2272 female calves were analyzed, where 4156 and 180 calves received 2 and 1 colostrum meals, respectively. Data from both sexes were included in the analysis of the risks of FTPI, morbidity, and mortality; however, only data from heifer calves were utilized for growth and performance analysis. Survival analysis, and logistic and linear regression models were used to investigate the impact of receiving two feedings of colostrum on calf FTPI status, morbidity, mortality, reproductive indices, pre-weaning average daily gain (ADG), and first lactation 305-d Mature Equivalent milk production (305ME). Calves that received two feedings of colostrum had lower odds of FTPI, a lower probability of being treated for respiratory disease, diarrhea, or any disease, and a greater pre-weaning ADG. However, there was no association between the number of colostrum feedings and pre-weaning mortality, and the probabilities of first insemination and first calving, although heifers receiving two colostrum feedings tended to receive fewer inseminations and to have a greater first lactation 305ME. Collectively, our results suggest that feeding calves a second feeding of colostrum 5-6 h after the initial feeding soon after birth could be an effective strategy to decrease FTPI and morbidity and optimize ADG in dairy calves pre-weaning.
犊牛因摄入初乳免疫球蛋白不足而导致被动免疫转移失败（FTPI），这与死亡率和发病率风险增加有关。在犊牛出生后的最初几小时内，给它们喂食足量经过质量检测的初乳对于成功转移被动免疫至关重要。许多养殖场已实施第二次初乳喂食，以最大限度地提高被动免疫转移的机会。然而，单次喂食足量经过质量检测的初乳就能实现良好的被动免疫。此外，目前尚无证据表明在首次喂食时已摄入足量经过质量检测初乳的犊牛在出生后24小时内进行第二次初乳喂食会产生何种影响。因此，这项回顾性队列研究的目的是比较接受一次或两次初乳喂食的奶牛犊牛发生FTPI的风险、断奶前的发病率和死亡率以及生长和生产性能。为此，分析了一个大型奶牛场的健康和生产记录。在这个养殖场，新生犊牛出生后不久会接受3升经过质量检测的初乳，5至6小时后再接受2升。然而，在初乳短缺时，犊牛只接受最初的3升初乳喂食。分析了2064头雄性犊牛和2272头雌性犊牛的记录，其中分别有4156头和180头犊牛接受了2次和1次初乳喂食。两性的数据都纳入了FTPI风险、发病率和死亡率的分析；然而，仅利用了小母牛犊牛的数据进行生长和生产性能分析。采用生存分析、逻辑回归和线性回归模型来研究接受两次初乳喂食对犊牛FTPI状态、发病率、死亡率、繁殖指标、断奶前平均日增重（ADG）以及首次产奶305天成熟当量产奶量（305ME）的影响。接受两次初乳喂食的犊牛发生FTPI的几率较低，因呼吸道疾病、腹泻或任何疾病接受治疗的概率较低，且断奶前ADG较高。然而，初乳喂食次数与断奶前死亡率、首次输精和首次产犊的概率之间没有关联，尽管接受两次初乳喂食的小母牛往往接受输精的次数较少，且首次产奶305ME较高。总体而言，我们的结果表明，在出生后不久首次喂食初乳5至6小时后再给犊牛喂食一次初乳，可能是降低奶牛犊牛FTPI和发病率并优化断奶前ADG的有效策略。
