The effects of supplementing ruminal bypass unsaturated fatty acids during late gestation on transfer of passive immunity and growth in calves

• Published in: Journal of animal science 2016-10, Vol.94, p.112-113
• Main Authors: Ricks, R E, Cook, E K, Lewis, L K, Long, N M
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Age; Beef; Beef cattle; Blood; Calves; Cattle; Colostrum; Corn; Data processing; Dietary supplements; Fatty acids; Gestation; Gluten; Immunity; Immunity (passive); Parturition; Pasture; Supplements; Variance analysis
• ISSN: 0021-8812; 1525-3163

The objective of this study was to determine if supplementation with ruminal protected unsaturated fatty acids (FA) increased unsaturated FA in both maternal serum and colostrum during late gestation and in serum from their newborn beef calves. Commercial Angus and Angus crossbred heifers and young cows all bred to a single Angus sire were blocked by breed and parity and randomly assigned to either control (1.5 kg of corn gluten feed, CON n = 29) or an isocaloric isonitrogenous supplement containing 200 mg of ESSENTIOM (EFA, n = 29) for the last 90 d of gestation. All supplements were individually fed 5 d/wk. All cows had ad libitum access to the same pastures throughout the study. Maternal blood samples were collected at 90 and 45 d before expected parturition. At parturition, blood and colostrum samples were obtained from each cow. Blood samples was collected from calves at parturition and then at 5 d of age. Serum and colostrum FA content were determined. All data were analyzed using PROC MIXED procedure of SAS either as repeated measures or ANOVA depending on parameters. Maternal serum concentrations of C16:0, C18:0 C18:1c9, C18:2, C20:4, and total FA were similar in all cows at start of supplementation but increased (treatment × day interaction P < 0.01) in the EFA cows at 45 d before and at parturition compared with CON cows. Colostrum DM was increased (P = 0.01) in EFA cows compared with CON cows (30.4 vs. 25.4%, 1.30 SEM). Colostrum concentrations on a DM basis of C18:2, total FA, and total unsaturated FA were increased (P < 0.05) in EFA cows compared with CON cows. Serum from calves at birth whose dams were supplemented with EFA had increased (P ≤ 0.01) concentrations of C16:0, C18:0, C18:1 t9, C18:2, C20:4 and total FA compared with calves whose dams were supplemented CON. At 5 d of age calves from EFA supplemented dams had increased (P ≤ 0.05) serum concentrations of C18:0, C18:2, C20:4 and total FA compared with serum from calves whose dams were supplemented CON. The results of this study indicate that supplementation of rumen protected unsaturated FA in late gestation beef cows increased circulating and colostrum unsaturated FA, and this resulted in increased unsaturated and total FA at parturition and at 5 d of age in their calves.