Xiao Jianxin, Chen Tianyu, Alugongo Gibson Maswayi, Khan Muhammad Zahoor, Li Tingting, Ma Jing, Liu Shuai, Wang Wei, Wang Yajing, Li Shengli, Cao Zhijun
Beijing Engineering Technology Research Center of Raw Milk Quality and Safety Control, State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
Metabolites. 2021 Dec 20;11(12):890. doi: 10.3390/metabo11120890.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the length of oat hay on the performance, health, behavior, and rumen fermentation of dairy calves. For this purpose, two hundred and ten healthy two-day-old Holstein dairy calves were randomly allocated into three groups: basic diet (calf starter) without hay (CON), or a basic diet with oat hay at either long (OL: 10-12 cm) or short (OS: 3-5 cm) length cut. The basic diet was fed from day 4, while the hay was offered from day 14. All calves were weaned at day 56 and remained in their individual hutches till the end of the trial (day 70). Calf starter intake and fecal scores were recorded daily. Bodyweight, body size, and rumen fluid samples were collected biweekly before weaning and weekly after weaning. Overall, providing oat hay (OS and OL) in the diet increased the body weight, starter intake, and average daily gain compared to the CON group. Similarly, feeding oat hay improved rumen fermentation. More specifically, hay enhanced the rumen pH and changed the rumen fermentation type. Hay fed calves spent more time on rumination but less time performing abnormal behaviors compared to control. As it can be concluded, feeding oat hay to calves enhances the growth performance, rumen fermentation, and normal calf behaviors, implying improved animal welfare irrespective of the hay length.
本研究的目的是评估燕麦干草长度对犊牛生产性能、健康状况、行为表现和瘤胃发酵的影响。为此，将210头健康的2日龄荷斯坦犊牛随机分为三组：不喂干草的基础日粮（犊牛开食料）组（CON），或分别饲喂长燕麦干草（OL：10 - 12厘米）或短燕麦干草（OS：3 - 5厘米）的基础日粮组。基础日粮从第4天开始饲喂，干草从第14天开始提供。所有犊牛在第56天断奶，并在各自的栏舍中饲养至试验结束（第70天）。每天记录犊牛开食料摄入量和粪便评分。在断奶前每两周、断奶后每周采集体重、体尺和瘤胃液样本。总体而言，与CON组相比，日粮中提供燕麦干草（OS和OL）可增加犊牛体重、开食料摄入量和平均日增重。同样，饲喂燕麦干草可改善瘤胃发酵。更具体地说，干草提高了瘤胃pH值并改变了瘤胃发酵类型。与对照组相比，饲喂干草的犊牛反刍时间增加，但异常行为时间减少。可以得出结论，给犊牛饲喂燕麦干草可提高生长性能、瘤胃发酵和犊牛正常行为，这意味着无论干草长度如何，动物福利都得到了改善。
