• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.51 no.4
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• pp.321-328
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• 2009

A total of fourteen, 1-wk-old male Holstein calves were allotted into two groups consisted of control (CON) and IGY which was orally administrated with immunoglobulin yolk (IgY) for 1wk. Calves in both groups were provided with milk replacer according to feeding program and had ad libitum access to timothy hay for the entire experimental period (7wks). At 0, 7 and 49 day of experiment, blood samples were collected from the jugular vein of calves to investigate blood biochemical profiles and the differential count (%) of white blood cell (WBC). We also monitored growth performance and colony forming unit (CFU) of fecal microbial population in calves. The adminstration of IgY in calves did not affect body weight and weight gain during 49 days feeding trial compared with control group. The CFU of E. coli and Lactobacilli in the feces of calves were not significantly affected by IgY treatment, whereas the score of the calf scours during day 43 to 49 in IgY group showed a significant (P<0.05) solid type. There were no differences in plasma biochemical components including total protein, albumin, immunoglobulin and the other indicators. As for WBC differential count (%), there was no statistical difference in the percentages of neutrophil, lymphocyte, monocyte, eosinophil and basophil at 0, 7 and 49 days after the oral supplementation of IgY. In conclusion, the oral supplementation of IgY as an immunostimulant did not affect growth performance, fecal microbial population, blood biochemical profile and WBC differential count in Holstein calves.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.1031-1040
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• 2024

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of feeding milk replacer (MR) with varying levels of lactose and the increased supply of total solids (from 750 to 960 g/d) on performance, blood metabolites, and health of Holstein male calves during the preweaning period. Methods: Forty newborn Holstein calves (10 per treatment) were blocked according to birth weight and date of birth and distributed in a randomized block design to different liquid diets: Whole milk powder (WMP) diluted to 125 g/L solids; MR with 48% lactose (48L), diluted to 125 g/L solids; MR with 53% lactose (53L), diluted to 125 g/L solids; 53L MR corrected to 160 g/L solids (16TS) by the inclusion of a solid corrector. Calves were individually housed in wood hutches, fed 6 L/d of the liquid diet, and had free water and starter concentrate access. The study lasted 56 days. Results: Liquid diet intake was higher for calves fed 16TS than for other treatments. Calves fed 16TS presented higher protein and fat intake, followed by those fed WMP and the 48L or 53L MRs. Lactose intake was higher for 16TS-fed calves, followed by 53L, 48L, and WMP-fed calves. Starter and total dry matter intake did not differ among liquid diets. The average daily gain was higher for 16TS than 48L-fed calves, with the other treatments being intermediary. The lowest feed efficiency was observed for calves fed 48L. No effects on health were observed, as well as on selected blood metabolites, except for albumin concentration, which was higher for calves fed 16TS and WMP. Conclusion: Higher total solids content (160 g/L) in MR increases nutrient intake and consequently improves the performance of dairy calves. Feeding MRs with levels of lactose up to 53% of the DM had no deleterious effect on the performance or health of the calves.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.13 no.10
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• pp.1461-1466
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• 2000

The use of the dairy male calf for beef production has been found to be economically unprofitable during the past due to high cost of feeds and relatively low beef price. However, due to current shortage of domestic beef supply and rising beef price, this research aimed to assess feeding methods and costs and returns in raising dairy male calves for beef production under changing economic conditions. Two diets were compared: calves on an optimal feeding level were given milk replacer for 44 d and a concentrate (with ad lib. hay) to 150 kg bodyweight that contained 16% crude protein; those given a sub-optimal diet, more appropriate for smallholder farms, received milk replacer for 30 d and 14% CP concentrate. Twelve pairs of dairy male calves (average age 32 days) of Holstein-Friesian high grades were used, each pair having similar influencing factors such as weight, age, and genotype. Each animal was kept in a separate feeding stall until reaching the final weight of 150 kg. The results from this experiment showed that the differences of traits concerning growth performance and feed efficiency of the animals raised under the two feeding regimes were statistically nonsignificant. The optimal group was just slightly better, but the cost of production of the sub-optimal group was 24 percent lower (4,667 vs. 6,144 baht per animal) and the cost difference was highly significant. The results from this investigation showed that beef production from dairy male calves can be economically viable when sub-optimal feeding method is used and market beef price is at current level.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.143-150
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• 2007

This study was carried out to develope an antibiotic substitute with some feed additive ingredients; activated charcoal, microbial products(Saccharomyces cerevisiae), sodium bentonite and pyroligneous. Sixty Holstein male calves(control 30 and tested 30 calves) were assigned to one of two diets, control(containing commercial antibiotic) and treatment diet (containing antibiotic substitute) with three replicates(10 calves each). The experiment were carried out for 30 days. The daily weight gains were similar between control(1.01kg/d) and treatment groups(1.01kg/d), however feed requirement were lower for treatment calves (2.80kg) than control calves (3.24kg) (P<0.05). Also calves were more health for treatment calves than control calves for diarrhea and respiratory diseases occurrences. The ammonia concentration of feces were lower for treatment calves(2.67 ppm) than for control calves(6.33 ppm) (P<0.05). No statistical difference were found in blood substances between control and treatment calves(P>0.05). In conclusion, the calve performances were improved by substitute without commercial antibiotic additive.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.827-830
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• 2013

To evaluate the effects of feeding four different levels of starter in male Holstein dairy calves, a completely randomized study was conducted, using 28 calves with initial body weight of $40.5{\pm}2.4$ kg. The animals were fed iso-nitrogenous starter and were weaned when they consumed 350, 500, 650 and 800 g/d of starter for 3 d consecutively. Starter and water were available ad-libitum throughout the experiment. Body weight at pre-weaning (less than 5 wk) and post-weaning (8 wk) was lower in calves that received 350 g/d of starter than in the other treatments (p<0.05). Feed conversion ratio (FCR) was the highest among all treatments in pre-weaning period (p<0.05). Dry matter intake (DMI) at weaning and total DMI was higher in that calves received 800 g/d of starter compared with other treatments (p<0.05). Calves fed 350 and 500 g/d of starter were weaned earlier (p<0.05) and showed lower milk consumption (kg, DM) compared with other treatments whereas no significant difference was observed between calves fed 350 and 500 g/d of starter (p>0.05). Dry matter, organic matter and crude protein digestibilities were lower in calves that received 350 g/d of starter compared with other treatments (p<0.05). No differences were observed in acid detergent and neutral detergent fiber digestibility among all treatments (p>0.05).Treatments had no significant effect on time of starting rumination, respiratory score, and days of drug administration for pneumonia. There were no meaningful differences in feces, fecal odor scores, body temperature, and days of drug administration for diarrhea among all treatments (p>0.05). Total dry matter intake at the end of experiment showed no significant difference among calves fed 600 and 800 g/d of starter, but calves fed 350 and 500 g/d of starter showed more dry matter (DM) intake than calves in the 600 and 800 g/d groups (p<0.05).

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.305-311
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• 1993

A total of thirty male Holstein calves were reared outdoors with simple housings or in warmed pens in three experiments conducted in three consecutive midwinters in Hokkaido. Average outdoor air temperatures during the experiments were between -5.3 and $-6.1^{\circ}C$, and average minimum air temperatures were between -9.7 and $-10.6^{\circ}C$. The age of calves at the start of the experiments were $16{\pm}6$ hours. There was no difference in the liquid feed intake, while the solid concentrate (artificial milk) intake by the calves in the simple housing systems (outdoors, calf hutch and open shed) tended to be higher than those in the warmed pen. No significant differences in the daily gain or the monthly development of wither height were observed among housing systems. There were no serious cases of diarrhea. However, coughing was observed in several of the calves reared in the poorly ventilated warmed pens.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.27-32
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• 2011

This study evaluated the effect of recipient's breed on the gestation length and birth weight of Hanwoo calves produced by Hanwoo ovum pick up (OPU) derived embryos. Embryos of OPU derived Hanwoo cows were transferred into the Hanwoo and Holstein recipients at 6~7 days of estrus cycle. Gestation length was expressed in days from the day of embryo transfer to the birth day of offspring, and birth weight of offspring was recorded within 24 h of birth. Breed of recipient cows (Hanwoo and Holstein) has no effect on overall gestation length ($280.9{\pm}6.2$ vs. $284.4{\pm}9.8$ days) and birth weight of calves ($23.56{\pm}3.75$ vs. $27.70{\pm}7.92\;kg$). The gestation length was higher (p<0.05) for male calves than female calves in both Hanwoo ($283.8{\pm}6.7$ vs. $277.3{\pm}3.3$ days) and Holstein ($287.3{\pm}8.9$ vs. $280.1{\pm}9.1$ days) recipient cows. Birth weight of Hanwoo calves did not differ when Hanwoo recipients ($26.5{\pm}1.3$ vs. $23.3{\pm}1.2\;kg$) were used for embryo transfer. However, male calves were heavier (p<0.05) at birth than that of female calves when embryos were transferred into the Holstein cow ($33.5{\pm}4.9$ vs. $27.8{\pm}4.9\;kg$). In conclusion, the present results demonstrated that breed of recipient cows have no effect on gestation length and birth weight of OPU derived Hanwoo calves. However, gestation length and birth weight of male calves were higher in both Hanwoo and Holstein recipient cows.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.22 no.7
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• pp.984-992
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• 2009

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of milk supplemented with Sel-Plex on thyroid hormones, rectal temperature, plasma glucose and cholesterol concentrations, and body weight in suckling calves. Ten Holstein suckling male calves of approximately 1 month of age were selected and randomly allocated to one of two groups and fed either unsupplemented milk (control) or milk supplemented with 0.3 mg/kg DM Se from Sel-Plex (treated). The animals received treated milk and free choice starter for two months. Dry matter intake for each individual animal was recorded daily throughout the study. The calves were weighed and blood samples were taken weekly. Plasma concentrations of triiodothyronine ($T_{3}$), thyroxin ($T_{4}$) and $T_{3}$-Uptake were determined using radioimmunoassay kits. Plasma cholesterol and glucose concentrations were determined by enzymatic-colorimetric methods. Rectal temperature was recorded at blood sampling time. During the experiment, ambient temperature and relative humidity were recorded at the time of blood sampling and every four hours. Treatment significantly (p<0.01) affected the concentration of $T_{3}$, free $T_{3}$ index ($FT_{3}I$) and ratio of $T_{3}$:$T_{4}$ in plasma. The plasma concentrations of $T_{3}$ in treated calves were 33% higher than in the control. The plasma concentrations of $T_{4}$ (p<0.05), glucose (p<0.01) and cholesterol (p<0.01) were decreased in the treated group. Calves fed Sel-Plex had higher rectal temperature (p<0.01). Plasma free $T_{4}$ index (FT4I) did not differ significantly between the two groups. An increase in body weight was observed (p<0.09) in the treated group. The results indicated that milk fortified with Sel-Plex could increase tissue conversion of $T_{4}$ to $T_{3}$ and therefore improve thermometabolism in suckling calves.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.447-451
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• 2012

The objective of this research was to determine the prevalence, risk factors and consequent effect of dystocia on lactation performance in Holstein dairy cows in Iran. The data set consisted of 55,577 calving records on 30,879 Holstein cows in 30 dairy herds for the period March 2000 to April 2009. Factors affecting dystocia were analyzed using multivariable logistic regression models through the maximum likelihood method in the GENMOD procedure. The effect of dystocia on lactation performance and factors affecting calf birth weight were analyzed using mixed linear model in the MIXED procedure. The average incidence of dystocia was 10.8% and the mean (SD) calf birth weight was 42.13 (5.42) kg. Primiparous cows had calves with lower body weight and were more likely to require assistance at parturition (p<0.05). Female calves had lower body weight, and had a lower odds ratio for dystocia than male calves (p<0.05). Twins had lower birth weight, and had a higher odds ratio for dystocia than singletons (p<0.05). Cows which gave birth to a calf with higher weight at birth experienced more calving difficulty (OR (95% CI) = 1.1(1.08-1.11). Total 305-d milk, fat and protein yield was 135 (23), 3.16 (0.80) and 6.52 (1.01) kg less, in cows that experienced dystocia at calving compared with those that did not (p<0.05).

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.93-99
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• 1987

A study was conducted to observe the effects of dexamethasone sodium 21 phosphate injection in different amounts, intervals and times on the fluctuation of the parasitized erythrocytes in the peripheral blood of the T. sergenti carrier calves. A total of 31 calves including 15 Holstein and 16 Korean native male calves aged 6-12 months (125-300kg) was used. Results observed were as follows. 1. The calves injected 0.2mg/kg body weight two and three times in 48 hour intervals and 5 times in 24 hour intervals observed that 2 out of 2 heads, 3 out of 6 heads, and 4 out of 5 heads, respectively were substantially increased parasitized erythrocytes in the blood for 3-11 days after the first injection and continued to 2-10 days. 2. However, the calves injected once with 0.1mg/kg body weight and all control calves showed no visible change of the parasitized erythrocytes in the blood during the experimental period. 3. The animals injected over 2 times with 0.2mg/kg body weight tended to be decreased the number of erythrocytes, hemoglobin concentration and PCV for 2-3 days after first injection and continued about one week. 4. All animals injected the dexamethasone were observed the neutrophilic leukocytosis, eosinopenea and lymphopenea until 48 hours after injection.