Effect of oak acorn level on colostrum composition and plasma immunoglobulin G of late-pregnant goats and their kids

Review: Feeding strategies for rearing replacement dairy goats - from birth to kidding

Goat kid rearing is a key profit driver and the cornerstone of future herd productivity in dairy systems. As goat kids get older, and progress from liquid (i.e., colostrum, milk) to solid feed (i.e., concentrate, hay, pasture), there is a reduction not only in feed cost but also in labour cost, disease susceptibility and mortality rates. Hence, research on rearing dairy goats has traditionally focused on improving early neonatal performance. However, recent research reveals that early-life nutrition may have long-term effects, and consequently, impact the lifetime productive performance and health of dairy goats. Therefore, this literature review has collected research on the various aspects of rearing replacement dairy goat kids in different production systems. It summarises research on areas such as colostrum management (i.e., colostrum quality, time, volume and frequency of colostrum feeding), liquid feeding in preweaned kids (i.e., maternal suckling vs artificial, restricted vs unrestricted), weaning strategies (i.e., abrupt vs step-down), and postweaning to postpubertal nutrition in replacement dairy goats, whilst highlighting gaps in the existing literature, and areas where it would be beneficial to refine and validate current recommendations. Such information can be used in the development of management plans to maximise the benefits of early-life nutrition on the long-term productivity of dairy goats.

Tannic Acid Induces Intestinal Dysfunction and Intestinal Microbial Dysregulation in Brandt's Voles (Lasiopodomys brandtii)

Brandt's vole (Lasiopodomys brandtii) is a small herbivorous mammal that feeds on plants rich in secondary metabolites (PSMs), including tannins. However, plant defense mechanisms against herbivory by Brandt's voles are not clearly established. This study aimed to investigate the effects of dietary tannic acid (TA) on the growth performance, intestinal morphology, digestive enzyme activities, cecal fermentation, intestinal barrier function, and gut microbiota in Brandt's voles. The results showed that TA significantly hindered body weight gain, reduced daily food intake, changed the intestinal morphology, reduced digestive enzyme activity, and increased the serum zonulin levels (p < 0.05). The number of intestinal goblet and mast cells and the levels of serum cytokines and immunoglobulins (IgA, IgG, TNF-α, IL-6, and duodenal SlgA) were all reduced by TA (p < 0.05). Moreover, TA altered β-diversity in the colonic microbial community (p < 0.05). In conclusion, the results indicate that TA could damage the intestinal function of Brandt's voles by altering their intestinal morphology, decreasing digestive ability and intestinal barrier function, and altering microbiota composition. Our study investigated the effects of natural PSMs on the intestinal function of wildlife and improved our general understanding of plant-herbivore interactions and the ecological role of PSMs.

Effects of lactation number and litter size on the chemical composition and immune components of goat colostrum

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of the number of lactations and litter size on the chemical composition, immunoglobulins, and cytokines of goat colostrum. The experiment was conducted at the Animal Research Base, Mianyang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, from February to March 2021. After delivery, 48 colostrum samples were obtained every 24 h by manual milking from both udders. The contents of colostrum proteins, IgA, and IgM increased markedly up to 48 h postpartum, reaching 250 and 1250 μg/mL, respectively (p < 0.01 compared with 0 h). However, the total Ig and IgG contents dropped quickly at 48 h postpartum to around 4.5 and 6 mg/mL, respectively, and continued to do so until 96 h postpartum (p < 0.01). As for litter size, the colostrum DM, fat, total Ig, IgG, INF-γ, and IL-2 of twin-birth goats were higher than those of single-birth goats at 0 h postpartum. Moreover, the colostrum of multiparous goats contained higher total Ig, IgA, IgG, and INF-γ concentrations than that of primiparous goats at 0 h postpartum (p < 0.01). However, the colostrum INF-α and IL-5 contents of multiparous goats were lower than those of primiparous goats at 0 h postpartum (p < 0.05). Available information indicates that colostrum secretion takes place until 48 h postpartum and that the effect of litter size and lactation number on colostrum quality is observed at 0 h postpartum.

Effects of chestnut tannins supplementation of prepartum moderate yielding dairy cows on metabolic health, antioxidant and colostrum indices

This study investigated the effects of dietary supplementation with chestnut tannins (CNT) on metabolic and antioxidant status of prepartum cows along with their colostrum quality. Pregnant multiparous Holstein cows were paired according to parity and body condition score, and assigned either to a diet supplemented with 20 g/d of commercially available product containing chestnut tannins (CNT, n=20) or to an unsupplemented control diet (CON, n=20) for the last 25±2 d of pregnancy. Serum metabolite, insulin and antioxidant capacity indices were measured in blood samples taken at d 25 and d 5 before expected parturition. Chemical composition and IgG concentration were determined in colostrum samples collected from the first milking postpartum. The addition of CNT led to lower BUN (P=0.02) and consequently higher serum glucose (P=0.02) and insulin (P<0.01) concentrations which were associated with lower circulating NEFA (P<0.01) and BHBA (P<0.01) in CNT group than those of CON. The serum paraoxonase 1 (PON 1) activity and total antioxidant capacity (TAOC) were higher at -5 d in CNT than in CON (P<0.01, P=0.03; respectively). Close-up CNT improved lactose percentage and IgG concentration (P=0.03, P=0.04; respectively) and tended to improve percentage of protein and SNF (Solid Not Fat) in primary colostrum (P=0.06, respectively), without affecting colostrum fat and total solid (P=0.98, P=0.43; respectively). Supplementation of CNT in the diet during close-up period did not have adverse effects on metabolic profiles prepartum. Instead, this feeding regimen was more beneficial to antioxidant capacity and colostrum quality than feeding the control diet.

Effect of diets containing oak kernel on the rumen fermentation and digestibility, blood metabolites and liver enzymes in Khuzestani buffalo

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of different levels of oak kernel on rumen digestibility and fermentation, blood metabolites and liver enzymes of Khuzestani buffalo. Sixteen male buffaloes, one year old were fed with experimental diets containing different levels of oak kernel (0, 15.8%, 31.58% and 47.37% equal to 0, 1.5, 3 and 4.5% tannin, respectively) in a completely randomized design for 35 days. In end of experiment, dry matter intake, digestibility, rumination behaviour, rumen and blood parameters were measured. The results showed that oak kernel increased dry matter intake and digestibility of dry matter and organic matter but the digestibility of protein, NDF and ADF was decreased. Incorporation of 47.37% oak kernel in the diet caused significant decrease in ammonia- N and protozoa population of buffalo rumen, but pH and total fatty acids were not affected. The rumination activity in diet containing 47.37% oak kernel was the lowest. With the increasing oak kernel in the buffalo diet, blood cholesterol level decreased, but there were no significant changes in blood glucose, urea, triglycerides, alkaline phosphatase, aspartate and alanin amino transferase enzymes between the experimental treatments. Therefore, even if the digestibility of ADF and CP decreased by adding of oak kernel but the using of oak kernel up to 47.37% in buffalo diet had no negative effect on the rumen fermentation characteristics, digestibility and blood metabolites, hence it may be used in buffalo’s diet.