title: Performance of Holstein calves fed whole milk with or without kefir.
abstract: A growing body of evidence suggests health-promoting effects of kefir consumption on different nonruminant species, leading to the speculation that kefir may act as a probiotic and benefit calf performance and health. Our objectives were to determine effects of feeding kefir on performance and health of calves in the first 70d of life. Thirty 3-d-old female Holstein calves (body weight=38.2±3.1kg) were blocked by initial body weight and assigned randomly to 1 of 3 treatments (1 calf per pen; 10 pens per treatment). Kefir was added to whole milk (vol/vol) at 0:1 (control; KF0), 1:3 (KF1), or 1:1 (KF2) and fed twice per day (0800 and 1600h) from d3 through 45 and then once per day until weaning, which occurred on d50. Pre- and postweaning intake of starter, daily body weight gain, and gain-to-feed ratio exhibited no difference among treatments. Adding kefir to whole milk fed directly to calves had no effect on concentration of blood metabolites collected on d20, 40, and 70. Body length on d50 (weaning) and 70 was greater in kefir-fed calves. Kefir intake improved fecal scores and reduced days with diarrhea during the first 2wk of life. Apparent digestibility of organic matter, ether extract, crude protein, and neutral detergent fiber remained unaffected by treatment. Overall, it appears that directly feeding kefir to calves during the preweaning period did not improve the performance of calves under the conditions of the current study; however, its consumption marginally improved body length and fecal consistency in the first weeks of life, which is an important concern in intensive calf-rearing systems. Feeding kefir to neonatal calves may be a viable approach to improve the health of calves in commercial calf-rearing operations, although to validate its health-promoting effects additional research is needed to investigate its effects under different calf-rearing conditions.
authors: Department of Animal Science, Isfahan (Khorasgan) Branch, Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran 81551-39998.
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Fouladgar
authors: Department of Animal Science, Isfahan (Khorasgan) Branch, Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran 81551-39998. Electronic address: foroozandeh.ad@gmail.com.
authors: A D Foroozandeh
authors: ADF
authors: Shahraki
authors: Department of Animal Science, Isfahan (Khorasgan) Branch, Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran 81551-39998.
authors: G R
authors: GR
authors: Ghalamkari
authors: Department of Animal Science, College of Agriculture, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, 84156-83111, Iran.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Khani
authors: Division of Food Biosciences, College of Medical Life Sciences, Konkuk University, Chung-Ju, Chung-Buk 380-701, South Korea.
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Ahmadi
authors: Department of Biological Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham 03824.
authors: P S
authors: PS
authors: Erickson
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed / Q000032:analysis*; D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D002417:Cattle; D004032:Diet / Q000662:veterinary*; D005243:Feces; D005260:Female; D000070716:Kefir / Q000382:microbiology*; D008892:Milk / Q000737:chemistry*; D019936:Probiotics / Q000008:administration & dosage; D014886:Weaning; D015430:Weight Gain
keywords: calf; health; kefir; performance