prenatal choline supplementation improved health and …...time to event curves for intake of 1.4...

Prenatal Choline Supplementation Improved Health and Growth of

Neonatal Holstein CalvesM.G. Zenobi*, J.M. Bollatti, N.A. Artusso, A.M. Lopez, B.A. Barton,

J.E.P. Santos, and C.R. Staples

ADSA 2018Abstract # 274

Dairy Calf Morbidity and Mortality

Preweaned heifer calf morbidity and mortality rates are ~40% and 7.8%, respectively.

Only 40% of farms can supply their own replacement heifers.

The major calf diseases include diarrhea, pneumonia, and septicemia.

Effects of poor calf performance due to disease during the preweaning period can have long-term negative effects.

NAHMS, 2007

Effect of Prepartum Feeding of Ruminally-Protected Choline on Growth of Replacement Heifers (in utero effect only)

Age No Choline + Choline SEMn = 17 n = 18 --

Birth, kg 40.4 38.3* 0.882 months (weaning), kg 76.7 77.4 1.8512 months, kg 322 335** 4.56

*Effect of choline, P < 0.10.**Effect of choline, P ≤ 0.05. Average daily gain from weaning to yearlings:

No choline: 0.85 kg per day Choline: 0.89 kg per day**Zenobi et al., 2018. J. Dairy Sci. 101:1088.

Body Weight and Milk Yield of Primiparous Cows Exposed to Choline Prenatally

University of Florida, 2018.Unpublished results

Hypothesis and Objective

Our hypothesis was that heifers born from dams fed ruminally-protected choline (RP-Choline) during late gestation and fed colostrum produced by such dams will be more efficient in

absorption of immunoglobulins and have improved immunity, health, and overall growth.

Our objective was to evaluate the effect of choline delivery in utero or through colostrum on absorption of immunoglobulins,

health, and performance of dairy heifers.

• Parous Holstein cows (n = 107) and their offspring (n = 111; 59 females and 52 males) were enrolled in the experiment.

• Male calves were challenged with LPS and results are reported in a companion abstract (LB5).

• The prepartum diet was 1.48 Mcal of NEL/kg, 15.8% CP, 2.9% methionine as % of MP, and a Lysine to Methionine ratio of 2.55 (NDS professional).

• RP-Choline ions were top-dressed at 0 or 12.9 g/d the last 21 d of gestation.

• Calves were separated from dams within 30 min of birth and assigned randomly to receive colostrum collected and stored from experimental dams supplemented with or without RP-Choline.

• Immediately after weighing, 3.8 L of good quality (> 22 Brix units) colostrum (thawed and warmed to 36° to 38°C in hot water) was fed to each calf using an esophageal feeding tube.

Material and Methods

Experimental design

NN; n = 16

CN; n = 16

NC; n = 15

CC; n = 12

4 dietary treatments arranged in a 2 × 2 factorial design

“Utero effect (+/-)” “Colostrum effect (+/-)”

• Calf was the experimental unit and considered random.

• Data were analyzed using the MIXED procedure of SAS version 9.4 (SAS/STAT, SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC) using repeated measures. GLIMMIX procedure was used for binary data.

• Calf was nested within treatment and was the error term for testing the effects of treatment.

• Orthogonal contrasts were the following: • in utero exposure to RP-Choline ions (in utero effect), • dietary exposure to RP-Choline ions (Colostrum source), and • interaction of the two main effects

Statistical Analysis

11.8 11.8

7.08.09.0

10.011.012.013.0

DMI,

kg/d

Control Choline

The “in utero effects” Difference Observed Are Not Due to Changes on DMI of Dams

The “in utero effects” Difference Observed Are Not Due to Differences in Colostrum Composition of Birth Weight or

Colostrum Quality

RP-Choline (RPC) TreatmentsIn Utero (-RPC) In Utero (+RPC) P values1

Item Colostrum -RPC

Colostrum +RPC

Colostrum-RPC

Colostrum +RPC SEM Utero Col U × Col

Birth weight, kg 40.8 42.4 40.3 40.2 1.9 0.48 0.68 0.64ColostrumFat, % 4.46 5.32 4.59 5.02 0.43 0.84 0.15 0.63True protein, % 12.6 12.7 14.1 13.3 0.6 0.10 0.59 0.54Lactose, % 3.33 3.34 3.25 3.26 0.10 0.41 0.90 0.99Somatic cell score2 6.48 5.82 6.54 6.31 0.51 0.55 0.33 0.64

IgG intake, g 332 381 432 392 34 0.10 0.90 0.191 U = in utero effect; Col = colostrum source effect; U × Col = interaction of in utero and colostrum effect.2 Somatic cell score = Log10 (SCC/12.5)/Log10(2)

In utero effects

http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/epigenetics/nutrition/

Late Gestation Exposure to Choline Biomolecules Increased DMI of Milk Replacer and Starter During the First 21 d of Age of Heifers

StarterIn utero, P = 0.08

Milk replacerIn utero, P < 0.01

In utero × age, P < 0.01

Late Gestation Exposure to Choline Biomolecules Decreased Incidence of Fever During the First 21 d of Age of Holstein Heifers

- in utero + in utero

Late Gestation Exposure to Choline Biomolecules Increased ADG at 28 d But Not Net Gain at 56 d of Holstein Heifers

33.3

32.1

31.031.5

0.64

0.76

- in utero + in utero

Effect of Transition Feeding of RP-Cholineon Growth of Replacement Heifers (in utero effect only)

Age No Choline + Choline SEMn = 23 n = 23 --

Birth, kg 42.0 40.7 1.656 d of age, kg 73.2 73.6 2.0300 d of age, kg 274 286 5.5

*Effect of choline, P < 0.10.Average daily gain from weaning to yearlings:

No choline: 0.83 kg per day Choline: 0.87 kg per day *

Heifers Born from RP-Choline Supplemented Dams Had Increased Concentrations of Red and Select White Blood Cells

Colostrum effects

Adapted from: http://veterinaryextension.colostate.edu/menu2/Cattle/TubeDoc.pdf

Serum IgG and Serum Total Protein (n = 59)

In utero, P = 0.41Colostrum, P = 0.01Interaction, P = 0.33

In utero, P = 0.92Colostrum, P = 0.02Interaction, P = 0.23

Apparent Efficiency of IgG Absorption (n = 59)

In utero, P = 0.66Colostrum, P = 0.01

Interaction, P = 0.96

Heifers fed colostrum harvested from dams supplemented with RP-Choline consumed more starter DM during the first 21 d of age

Colostrum source × age was detected, P = 0.02 * P ≤ 0.05

0.00.10.20.30.40.50.60.70.80.91.0

36 38 40 42 44 46 48 50 52 54 56 58

Prop

ortio

n of

hei

fers

that

did

not

co

nsum

e 1.

4 kg

of s

tart

er fo

r 3

cons

ecut

ive

days

,%

Days of Age

NN NC CN CC

Time to event curves for intake of 1.4 kg/d of starter for 3 consecutive days for preweaned female Holstein calves exposed to choline biomolecules in utero or not (in utero effect) and

receiving colostrum harvested from dams supplemented with or without RP-choline (colostrum source effect).

In utero, P = 0.02Colostrum source, P = 0.03Interaction, P = 0.08

Further advantages were seen when heifers born from choline supplemented dams were fed with colostrum form such dams

A) Serum amyloid A: significant effect of in utero exposure to choline × colostrum source (P = 0.05) and interaction of in uteroexposure to choline × colostrum source × day (P < 0.01) were detected. B) Fibrinogen: tendency for the effect in uteroexposure to choline × colostrum source (P = 0.09).

Survival curve using males and females (n = 111)

0.600.650.700.750.800.850.900.951.00

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24

Surv

ival

Rat

e, (%

)

Days of Age

NN NC CN CC

In utero, P = 0.07Colostrum, P = 0.01Interaction, P = 0.49

CC = 25/0

CN = 28/5

NC = 25/3

NN = 33/10

Born/Dead

Summary

• Heifers born from dams supplemented with RP-Choline ion consumed more milk replacer and grain during the first 21 d of life resulting in greater BW gain.

• Heifers fed colostrum from dams supplemented with RP-Choline ion had better efficiency of absorption of IgG accompanied by accelerated intake of grain with increasing age during the first 21 d of life, and had increased survival rates when combined with bull calves.

Summary

• If heifers were exposed to less choline in utero and in colostrum, a lower proportion were ready for weaning by 56 d of age compared with calves exposed to choline biomolecules in either or both scenarios.

• Heifers exposed to both additional choline in utero and in colostrum had lower circulating concentrations of serum amyloid A and fibrinogen at 7 d of age and experienced 100% survival when combined with bull calves.

Acknowledgments

UF FacultiesDr. Charles StaplesDr. Jose SantosDr. Fiona MaunsellSergei Sennikov

Group membersJuan Manuel BollattiMichael PoindexterRoney ZimpelAchilles Vieira NetoAndrea MassielsNazareno ArtussoWilliam OrtizCamilo Lopera

and many more…

Financial support