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Effect of Fluid Intake and Dry Matter Concentration on Scours and Water Intake in Calves Fed Once Daily1
Effect of Fluid Intake and Dry Matter Concentration on Scours and Water Intake in Calves Fed Once Daily 1 B. F. J E N N Y , S. E. M I L L S , W. E. J O H N S T O N 2 , and G. D. O ' D E L L Departments of Dairy Science and Experimental Statistics Clemson University Clemson, SC 29631
ABSTRACT
Fifty-four Holstein calves were fed one of nine liquid diets once daily from 3 through 23 days of age. Diets consisted of a milk replacer (22% crude protein, 10% fat) fed at fluid intakes of 6, 8, and 10% body weight and dry matter concentrations of 10, 15, and 20%. Water was offered ad libitum and intake recorded daily. No solid feed was offered during the study. Incidence and duration of scours were recorded. Fluid intake and dry matter concentration affected average daily gain, intakes of dry matter, and total water. Average daily gain ranged from - . 1 9 kg at the lowest dry matter intake (.24 kg/day) to .59 kg at the highest intake (.93 kg/day). Intake of dry matter was the major factor influencing gain. All values increased linearly with increasing intake of fluid or concentration of dry matter. In addition, dry matter concentration also affected incidence and duration of scours and intake of water. Onethird of all calves fed at 10% dry matter developed scours whereas all calves fed at 10% body weight, 20% dry matter scoured. Dry matter concentration was o f greater importance in control of scours than was fluid intake. Liquid diets probably should range from 10 to 15% dry matter when fed once daily to calves. INTRODUCTION
There is probably an optimum rate for mixing any given milk replacer powder with water to obtain maximal calf performance. Overfeed-
ing of liquid diets has been associated with increased digestive disturbance (1, 6, 7, 8, 9). However, dilution rates of milk replacers have n o t been studied extensively to determine the effects of total volume offered versus concentration of dry matter of the replacer. Pettyjohn et al. (5) found that calves fed milk replacer ad libitum containing 5 or 10% dry matter had fewer days of moderate or severe scours than calves fed higher dry matter. Hodgson (2) fed milk replacer containing 20% dry matter at 6, 8, and 10% b o d y weight and replacer containing 10% dry matter at 12, 16, and 20% b o d y weight. Percent dry matter was the cause of scours. However, calves were allowed free (unrecorded) access to water which may have masked effects of fluid intake on scours. In both studies (2, 5) calves were not adjusted to treatments until amost 3 wk of age. This is especially relevant since calves are least resistant to intestinal disturbance during the first 2 to 3 wk of life (9, 10). More recently Stiles et al. (11) studied effects o f fluid intake and dry matter percent of milk replacer on calves from 3 to 20 days of age. They concluded that problems of calf scour were related more closely to fluid intake than to dry matter concentration. In all studies (2, 5, 11) calves were fed two or more times daily. However, the relationship between fluid intake and concentration of dry matter may be more pronounced in calves fed once daily. Therefore, the objective of our study was to determine the effects of fluid intake and concentration of dry matter of a milk replacer on incidence of scours and on water intake in calves fed once daily. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE
Received November 17, 1977. 1Technical Contribution No. 1534. Published with the approval of the Director, South Carolina Experiment Station, Department of Experimental Statistics. 1978 J Dairy Sci 61:765-770
Fifty-four female Holstein calves were assigned randomly at 2 clays of age to one of nine dietary treatments. The experiment included a 3 × 3 factorial arrangement o f the following factors: milk replacer fed once daily at 1) fluid 765
766
JENNY ET AL.
TABLE 1. Effect of fluid intake on means.
Parameter No. of calves started No. of calves finished Initial weight (kg) Dry matter intake (kg/day) Gain (kg/day) Incidence of scoursa Duration of scours (days)b Water intake (kg/day) Total water intake (kg/day) c Dry matter intake (% total water intake)
6
Fluid intake (% BW) 8
10
SE
Significance
18 15 40.03 .37 -.01 .44 1.39 2.33 4.39 9.27
18 18 42.35 .51 .13 .56 2.44 2.10 5.02 10.46
18 18 42.07 .67 .32 .67 2.67 2.75 6.52 10.70
.02 .03 .10 .41 .22 .27 .32
.01 .01 NSd NS NS .01 NS
aFor statistical purposes, calves having scours were assigned a value of 1 while those without scores were assigned a value of zero. bTotal days of scours divided by total animals on treatment. CTotal includes ad libitum water intake plus water portion of milk replacer. dp>.05.
intake of 6, 8, and 10% body weight (BW) and 2) dry matter concentrations (DM) of 10, 15, and 20%. Calves remained with their dam for 36 to 48 h and then were placed in individual elevated calf crates with an expanded metal floor in the rear half of the crate and wood slats in the front half. All animals were weighed just prior to being placed in the crates and at weekly intervals through 3 wk. A commercial milk replacer powder 3 was mixed with water immediately prior to each feeding and fed once daily via nipple pail. The milk replacer was medicated (100 g oxytetracycline and 250 g neomycin per ton) and contained 22% crude protein (all milk protein), 10% fat, and not more than .2% crude fiber. Dietary treatments were adjusted weekly according to change in body weight. Water was available ad libitum, and intake was recorded daily. No solid feed was offered during the 3 wk. Feces were observed daily, and the incidence and duration of scours were recorded. When scours was observed, fresh excreta was collected in a pan at the rear of the crate and oven dried at 100 C. Calves with less than 10% fecal dry matter (12) were confirmed as having Scours.
3Gold Kist, Inc., Atlanta, GA. Journal of Dairy Science Vol. 61, No. 6, 1978
Data were analyzed by least-squares analysis of variance for a 3 × 3 factorial experiment. Effects of treatment were compared by partitioning degrees of freedom for treatment into independent comparisons for linearity of response and deviation from linearity. For statistical purposes, calves having scours were assigned a value of 1 while those without scours were assigned a value of zero. All data are presented as averages for the entire 3 wk. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Overall means for effects of fluid intake and dry matter percent of the milk replacer are in Tables 1 and 2, respectively. Two calves fed at 6% BW containing 10% DM were removed from the study in the 3rd wk due to severe weakness, most likely the result of undernutrition. One calf fed 6% BW containing 15% DM also was removed due to severe weakness complicated with scours. All remaining animals completed the study without major health problems. Fluid intake (Table 1) affected (P<.01) average daily gain, intake of dry matter, and total water but had no effect (P>.05) on other measures. The effect on average daily gain, intake of dry matter, and total water was linear (P<.01) across the three intakes. In contrast to this, dry matter concentration (Table 2) had an effect (P<.01) on all measures. All values
REPLACER VOLUME AND CONCENTRATION FOR CALVES
767
TABLE 2. Effect of dry matter concentration of milk replacer on means. Dry matter (%) 10
15
20
SE
Significan,~e
18 16 41.74 .34 -.07 .33 1.17 1.57 4.65 7.85
18 17 41.59 .53 .19 .50 1.72 2.15 5.17 10.72
18 18 41.11 .69 .33 .83 3.61 3.40 6.17 11.86
.02 .03 .10 .41 .22 .27 .32
.01 .01 .O1 .01 .01 .01 .01
Parameter No. of calves started No. of calves finished Initial weight (kg) Dry matter intake (kg/day) Gain (kg/day) Incidence of scours a Duration of scours (days) b Water intake (kg/day) Total water intake (kg/day) c Dry matter intake (% total water intake)
aFor statistical purposes, calves having scours were assigned a value of 1 while those without scores were assigned a value of zero. bTotal days of scours divided by total animals on treatment. CTota] includes ad libitum water intake plus water portion of milk replacer.
showed a linear (P<.01) increase with increasing dry m a t t e r o f the milk replacer. Analysis o f variance revealed no significant (P>.05) interaction of fluid intake with dry matter. Effects of dry m a t t e r c o n c e n t r a t i o n at each
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FIG. 1. Effect on gain of dry matter concentration of a milk replacer fed once daily at fluid intakes of 6 ( e - - -e), 8 ( e - e L and 10 ( a - - e ) percent body weight.
n u i d intake are depicted in Fig. 1 to 5. Average daily gain (Fig. 1) was negative for calves fed at 6 and 8% BW with 10% DM, indicating t h a t these percents did n o t satisfy n u t r i e n t requirements. Positive gains ranged f r o m .02 kg/day for calves fed 6% BW, 15% DM to .59 kg/day for calves fed 10% BW, 20% DM. Calves with similar rates o f gain had similar intakes of dry m a t t e r indicating dry m a t t e r was the major factor influencing gain. P e t t y j o h n et al. (5) fed milk replacer ad libitum containing 5 to 25% dry m a t t e r to calves f r o m 29 to 56 days of age. T h e y observed a quadratic response with maxim u m gain of 1.1 kg/day at 15% dry matter. The p o o r e r growth response at higher intakes was attributed to reduced utilization of nutrients. G r o w t h rate was n o t reduced at higher intake in our trial (Fig. 1). Our rates o f gain covered a range f r o m well b e l o w to above the recomm e n d e d daily gain of .2 to .3 kg/day for calves fed milk replacer (4). The incidence of scours (Fig. 2) was 33% for all calves fed 10% dry m a t t e r and increased to 100% with calves fed 10% BW, 20% DM. Although fluid intake had a positive effect on incidence of scours, it was n o t significant (Table 1) as c o m p a r e d with the effect of concentration o f dry m a t t e r (Table 2). P e t t y j o h n et al. (5) observed an increase in incidence o f scours in calves fed ad libitum f o u r times daily as did Leaver and Yarrow (3) with calves fed a c o n s t a n t v o l u m e once daily. A l t h o u g h dry matJournal of Dairy Science Vol. 61, No. 6, 1978
768
JENNY ET AL.
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FIG. 2. Effect on incidence of scours of dry matter concentration of a milk replacer fed once daily at fluid intakes of 6 (e- - -e), 8 (e-e), and I0 ( o - - e ) percent body weight.
ter intake was linked with incidence of scours, the effect of fluid intake was not a factor in these studies. Hodgson (2) observed a slight but consistent increase in fluidity of feces as feeding increased. Their calves were not established on appropriate treatments until approximately 3 wk of age when calves are generally more resistant to digestive disturbance (9, 10). In addition calves were allowed unrecorded access to water which may have masked effects of fluid intake. This point was mentioned in a more recent study by Stiles et al. (11) which showed fluid intake was more important in control of scours than was dry matter percent. They fed calves twice daily from 3 to 20 days of age in a 3 x 3 factorial with maximum fluid intake at 12.5% BW and maximum dry matter concentration of 12%. Although all calves scoured during the study, the increased fluidity of feces was attributed to fluid intake. In contrast to this, our data indicate that dry matter concentration is of greater importance in control of scours.Possibly the dry matter used by Stiles et al. (11) were too low to exert a physiological effect. The duration of scours followed a pattern similar to incidence of scours (Fig. 2). These data on incidence and duration of scours add support to the comment of Radostits and Bell Journal of Dairy Science Vol. 61, No. 6, 1978
DRY MATTER(%)
FIG. 3. Effect on water intake of dry matter concentration of a milk replacer fed once daily at fluid intakes of 6 (o- - -e), 8 (o-e L and 10 ( e - - e ) percent body weight.
(6) that there is a widespread, but poorly documented, belief that calves which are underfed or fed at maintenance for the first 10 days of life will suffer less from digestive disturbances than calves which are fed to gain weight. Ad libitum water intake (Fig. 3) increased with increasing dry matter concentration (Table 2). This is consistent with the study of Pettyjohn et al. (5) for calves fed ad libitum. Although fluid intake did n o t have significant effect (Table 1) on ad libitum intake of water, there was a tendency for water intake to decline with increasing fluid intake. The rapid increase in water intake for calves fed 10% BW, 20% DM is unexplainable. However two calves in this group consumed approximately 7 kg/ day, contributing to extreme variation and the elevated mean intake value. Examination of individual daily water intake showed that intake generally increased 25 to 50% when calves scoured. The greatest increases were for calves fed the highest dry matter. This also may have affected the water intake for the group fed 10% BW, 20% DM since all calves in that group scoured. Total water intake (Fig. 4) increased with fluid intake and dry matter concentration. Both variables had a significant effect (Tables 1 and 2). This is in contrast to data of Pettyjohn et al. (5) which showed a decline in total water
REPLACER VOLUME AND CONCENTRATION FOR CALVES
9
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FIG. 4-. Effect on total water intake of dry matter concentration of a milk replacer fed once daily at fluid intakes o f 6 (e- - -e), 8 ( e - e ) , and 10 ( e - - e ) percent body weight.
intake as nutrient concentration increased, with a leveling off at higher concentrations of dry matter. The difference in response may have been due to the frequency of feeding. Feeding milk replacer ad libitum four times daily (5) may result in less free water intake than if it is fed once daily, regardless of dry matter concentration. Dry matter intake expressed as a percent of total water intake is in Fig. 5 for all treatments. The significant effect of dry matter concentration on dry matter intake (Table 2) is consistent with the effect observed by Pettyjohn et al. (5). Dry matter intake appeared to level off between 11 and 12.5% of total water intake at the higher concentrations (Fig. 5) indicating that physical capacity was not limiting water intake. Actual dry matter intake at t h e five highest amounts ranged from .49 kg/ day for calves fed 6% BW, 20% DM to .93 kg/ day at 10% BW, 20% DM. The relationship between dry matter and total water intake appears more variable at lower intakes of dry matter. Little work (1, 9) has been directed to factors regulating water intake, and more research in this area of management is needed. In calves fed once daily, dry matter concentration of the milk replacer is associated more closely with incidence of scours and water intake than is fluid intake. The concentration of solids in the liquid diet should probably range between 10 and 15%, with the higher dry mat-
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DRY MATTER(%)
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FIG. 5. Effect on dry matter intake of dry matter concentration of a milk replacer fed once daily at fluid intakes o f 6 (e- - - e ) , 8 ( e - e L and 10 ( e - - e ) percent body weight.
ter concentrations at lower fluid intake, for calves fed milk replacer once daily. However, calves were not offered dry feed as is common in most procedures of calf rearing. Free access to dry feed may alter the recommendations of 10 to 15% solids in the liquid diet. ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The authors are grateful to Gold Kist, Inc., Atlanta, GA for the donation of milk replacer to this study. REFERENCES 1 Appleman, R. D., and F. G. Owen. 1975. Symposium: Recent advances in calf rearing, lIl. Breeding, housing, and feeding management. J. Dairy Sci. 58:447. 2 Hodgson, J. 1971. The development of solid food intake in calves. 5. The relationship between liquid and solid food intake. Anita. Prod. 13:593. 3 Leaver, J. D., and N. H. Yarrow. 1972. Rearing of dairy cattle. I. Type and level of milk substitute offered once daily to calves. Anim. Prod. 14:155. 4 National Research Council. 1971. Nutrient requirements of domestic animals, No. 3. Nutrient requirements o f dairy cattle. NRC, Washington, DC. 5 Pettyjohn, J. D., J. P. Everett, Jr., and R. D. Mochrie. 1963. Responses o f dairy calves to milk replacer fed at various concentrations. J. Dairy Sci. 46:710. 6 Radostitis, O. M., and J. M. Bell. 1970. Nutrition of the pre-ruminant dairy calf with special reference to the digestion and absorption o f nutrients: A review. Can. J. Anita. Sci. 50:405. 7 Roy, J. H. B. 1964. The nutrition of intensivelyJournal of Dairy Science Vol. 61, No. 6, 1978
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JENNY ET AL.
reared calves. Vet. Rec. 76:511. 8 Roy, J. H. B. 1969. Diarrhea of nutritional origin. Proc. Nutr. Soc. 28:160. 9 Roy, J. H. B. 1970. The calf: nutrition and health. The Pennsylvania State University Press, University Park. 10 Smith, H. W. 1971. The bacteriology of the alimentary tract of domestic animals suffering from Escbericbia coli infection. In Neonatal enteric infections caused by Escbericbia coll. B. Tennant,
Journal of Dairy Science Vol. 61, No. 6, 1978
ed. Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci. 176:110. 11 Stiles, R. P., D. G. Grieve, D. G. Butler, and R. A. Willoughby. 1974. Effects of fluid intake level and dry matter concentration on the incidence of scours in milk replacer-fed calves. Can. J. Anita. Sci. 54:73. 12 Tennant, B., D. Harrold, and M. Reina-Guerra. 1972. Physiologic and metabolic factors in the pathogenesis of neonatal enteric infections in calves. J. Amer. Vet. Med. Ass. 161:993.
ABSTRACT
Fifty-four Holstein calves were fed one of nine liquid diets once daily from 3 through 23 days of age. Diets consisted of a milk replacer (22% crude protein, 10% fat) fed at fluid intakes of 6, 8, and 10% body weight and dry matter concentrations of 10, 15, and 20%. Water was offered ad libitum and intake recorded daily. No solid feed was offered during the study. Incidence and duration of scours were recorded. Fluid intake and dry matter concentration affected average daily gain, intakes of dry matter, and total water. Average daily gain ranged from - . 1 9 kg at the lowest dry matter intake (.24 kg/day) to .59 kg at the highest intake (.93 kg/day). Intake of dry matter was the major factor influencing gain. All values increased linearly with increasing intake of fluid or concentration of dry matter. In addition, dry matter concentration also affected incidence and duration of scours and intake of water. Onethird of all calves fed at 10% dry matter developed scours whereas all calves fed at 10% body weight, 20% dry matter scoured. Dry matter concentration was o f greater importance in control of scours than was fluid intake. Liquid diets probably should range from 10 to 15% dry matter when fed once daily to calves. INTRODUCTION
There is probably an optimum rate for mixing any given milk replacer powder with water to obtain maximal calf performance. Overfeed-
ing of liquid diets has been associated with increased digestive disturbance (1, 6, 7, 8, 9). However, dilution rates of milk replacers have n o t been studied extensively to determine the effects of total volume offered versus concentration of dry matter of the replacer. Pettyjohn et al. (5) found that calves fed milk replacer ad libitum containing 5 or 10% dry matter had fewer days of moderate or severe scours than calves fed higher dry matter. Hodgson (2) fed milk replacer containing 20% dry matter at 6, 8, and 10% b o d y weight and replacer containing 10% dry matter at 12, 16, and 20% b o d y weight. Percent dry matter was the cause of scours. However, calves were allowed free (unrecorded) access to water which may have masked effects of fluid intake on scours. In both studies (2, 5) calves were not adjusted to treatments until amost 3 wk of age. This is especially relevant since calves are least resistant to intestinal disturbance during the first 2 to 3 wk of life (9, 10). More recently Stiles et al. (11) studied effects o f fluid intake and dry matter percent of milk replacer on calves from 3 to 20 days of age. They concluded that problems of calf scour were related more closely to fluid intake than to dry matter concentration. In all studies (2, 5, 11) calves were fed two or more times daily. However, the relationship between fluid intake and concentration of dry matter may be more pronounced in calves fed once daily. Therefore, the objective of our study was to determine the effects of fluid intake and concentration of dry matter of a milk replacer on incidence of scours and on water intake in calves fed once daily. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE
Received November 17, 1977. 1Technical Contribution No. 1534. Published with the approval of the Director, South Carolina Experiment Station, Department of Experimental Statistics. 1978 J Dairy Sci 61:765-770
Fifty-four female Holstein calves were assigned randomly at 2 clays of age to one of nine dietary treatments. The experiment included a 3 × 3 factorial arrangement o f the following factors: milk replacer fed once daily at 1) fluid 765
766
JENNY ET AL.
TABLE 1. Effect of fluid intake on means.
Parameter No. of calves started No. of calves finished Initial weight (kg) Dry matter intake (kg/day) Gain (kg/day) Incidence of scoursa Duration of scours (days)b Water intake (kg/day) Total water intake (kg/day) c Dry matter intake (% total water intake)
6
Fluid intake (% BW) 8
10
SE
Significance
18 15 40.03 .37 -.01 .44 1.39 2.33 4.39 9.27
18 18 42.35 .51 .13 .56 2.44 2.10 5.02 10.46
18 18 42.07 .67 .32 .67 2.67 2.75 6.52 10.70
.02 .03 .10 .41 .22 .27 .32
.01 .01 NSd NS NS .01 NS
aFor statistical purposes, calves having scours were assigned a value of 1 while those without scores were assigned a value of zero. bTotal days of scours divided by total animals on treatment. CTotal includes ad libitum water intake plus water portion of milk replacer. dp>.05.
intake of 6, 8, and 10% body weight (BW) and 2) dry matter concentrations (DM) of 10, 15, and 20%. Calves remained with their dam for 36 to 48 h and then were placed in individual elevated calf crates with an expanded metal floor in the rear half of the crate and wood slats in the front half. All animals were weighed just prior to being placed in the crates and at weekly intervals through 3 wk. A commercial milk replacer powder 3 was mixed with water immediately prior to each feeding and fed once daily via nipple pail. The milk replacer was medicated (100 g oxytetracycline and 250 g neomycin per ton) and contained 22% crude protein (all milk protein), 10% fat, and not more than .2% crude fiber. Dietary treatments were adjusted weekly according to change in body weight. Water was available ad libitum, and intake was recorded daily. No solid feed was offered during the 3 wk. Feces were observed daily, and the incidence and duration of scours were recorded. When scours was observed, fresh excreta was collected in a pan at the rear of the crate and oven dried at 100 C. Calves with less than 10% fecal dry matter (12) were confirmed as having Scours.
3Gold Kist, Inc., Atlanta, GA. Journal of Dairy Science Vol. 61, No. 6, 1978
Data were analyzed by least-squares analysis of variance for a 3 × 3 factorial experiment. Effects of treatment were compared by partitioning degrees of freedom for treatment into independent comparisons for linearity of response and deviation from linearity. For statistical purposes, calves having scours were assigned a value of 1 while those without scours were assigned a value of zero. All data are presented as averages for the entire 3 wk. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Overall means for effects of fluid intake and dry matter percent of the milk replacer are in Tables 1 and 2, respectively. Two calves fed at 6% BW containing 10% DM were removed from the study in the 3rd wk due to severe weakness, most likely the result of undernutrition. One calf fed 6% BW containing 15% DM also was removed due to severe weakness complicated with scours. All remaining animals completed the study without major health problems. Fluid intake (Table 1) affected (P<.01) average daily gain, intake of dry matter, and total water but had no effect (P>.05) on other measures. The effect on average daily gain, intake of dry matter, and total water was linear (P<.01) across the three intakes. In contrast to this, dry matter concentration (Table 2) had an effect (P<.01) on all measures. All values
REPLACER VOLUME AND CONCENTRATION FOR CALVES
767
TABLE 2. Effect of dry matter concentration of milk replacer on means. Dry matter (%) 10
15
20
SE
Significan,~e
18 16 41.74 .34 -.07 .33 1.17 1.57 4.65 7.85
18 17 41.59 .53 .19 .50 1.72 2.15 5.17 10.72
18 18 41.11 .69 .33 .83 3.61 3.40 6.17 11.86
.02 .03 .10 .41 .22 .27 .32
.01 .01 .O1 .01 .01 .01 .01
Parameter No. of calves started No. of calves finished Initial weight (kg) Dry matter intake (kg/day) Gain (kg/day) Incidence of scours a Duration of scours (days) b Water intake (kg/day) Total water intake (kg/day) c Dry matter intake (% total water intake)
aFor statistical purposes, calves having scours were assigned a value of 1 while those without scores were assigned a value of zero. bTotal days of scours divided by total animals on treatment. CTota] includes ad libitum water intake plus water portion of milk replacer.
showed a linear (P<.01) increase with increasing dry m a t t e r o f the milk replacer. Analysis o f variance revealed no significant (P>.05) interaction of fluid intake with dry matter. Effects of dry m a t t e r c o n c e n t r a t i o n at each
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15 DRY MATTER
(%)
I
20
FIG. 1. Effect on gain of dry matter concentration of a milk replacer fed once daily at fluid intakes of 6 ( e - - -e), 8 ( e - e L and 10 ( a - - e ) percent body weight.
n u i d intake are depicted in Fig. 1 to 5. Average daily gain (Fig. 1) was negative for calves fed at 6 and 8% BW with 10% DM, indicating t h a t these percents did n o t satisfy n u t r i e n t requirements. Positive gains ranged f r o m .02 kg/day for calves fed 6% BW, 15% DM to .59 kg/day for calves fed 10% BW, 20% DM. Calves with similar rates o f gain had similar intakes of dry m a t t e r indicating dry m a t t e r was the major factor influencing gain. P e t t y j o h n et al. (5) fed milk replacer ad libitum containing 5 to 25% dry m a t t e r to calves f r o m 29 to 56 days of age. T h e y observed a quadratic response with maxim u m gain of 1.1 kg/day at 15% dry matter. The p o o r e r growth response at higher intakes was attributed to reduced utilization of nutrients. G r o w t h rate was n o t reduced at higher intake in our trial (Fig. 1). Our rates o f gain covered a range f r o m well b e l o w to above the recomm e n d e d daily gain of .2 to .3 kg/day for calves fed milk replacer (4). The incidence of scours (Fig. 2) was 33% for all calves fed 10% dry m a t t e r and increased to 100% with calves fed 10% BW, 20% DM. Although fluid intake had a positive effect on incidence of scours, it was n o t significant (Table 1) as c o m p a r e d with the effect of concentration o f dry m a t t e r (Table 2). P e t t y j o h n et al. (5) observed an increase in incidence o f scours in calves fed ad libitum f o u r times daily as did Leaver and Yarrow (3) with calves fed a c o n s t a n t v o l u m e once daily. A l t h o u g h dry matJournal of Dairy Science Vol. 61, No. 6, 1978
768
JENNY ET AL.
1001 9o
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DRY MATteR (%)
FIG. 2. Effect on incidence of scours of dry matter concentration of a milk replacer fed once daily at fluid intakes of 6 (e- - -e), 8 (e-e), and I0 ( o - - e ) percent body weight.
ter intake was linked with incidence of scours, the effect of fluid intake was not a factor in these studies. Hodgson (2) observed a slight but consistent increase in fluidity of feces as feeding increased. Their calves were not established on appropriate treatments until approximately 3 wk of age when calves are generally more resistant to digestive disturbance (9, 10). In addition calves were allowed unrecorded access to water which may have masked effects of fluid intake. This point was mentioned in a more recent study by Stiles et al. (11) which showed fluid intake was more important in control of scours than was dry matter percent. They fed calves twice daily from 3 to 20 days of age in a 3 x 3 factorial with maximum fluid intake at 12.5% BW and maximum dry matter concentration of 12%. Although all calves scoured during the study, the increased fluidity of feces was attributed to fluid intake. In contrast to this, our data indicate that dry matter concentration is of greater importance in control of scours.Possibly the dry matter used by Stiles et al. (11) were too low to exert a physiological effect. The duration of scours followed a pattern similar to incidence of scours (Fig. 2). These data on incidence and duration of scours add support to the comment of Radostits and Bell Journal of Dairy Science Vol. 61, No. 6, 1978
DRY MATTER(%)
FIG. 3. Effect on water intake of dry matter concentration of a milk replacer fed once daily at fluid intakes of 6 (o- - -e), 8 (o-e L and 10 ( e - - e ) percent body weight.
(6) that there is a widespread, but poorly documented, belief that calves which are underfed or fed at maintenance for the first 10 days of life will suffer less from digestive disturbances than calves which are fed to gain weight. Ad libitum water intake (Fig. 3) increased with increasing dry matter concentration (Table 2). This is consistent with the study of Pettyjohn et al. (5) for calves fed ad libitum. Although fluid intake did n o t have significant effect (Table 1) on ad libitum intake of water, there was a tendency for water intake to decline with increasing fluid intake. The rapid increase in water intake for calves fed 10% BW, 20% DM is unexplainable. However two calves in this group consumed approximately 7 kg/ day, contributing to extreme variation and the elevated mean intake value. Examination of individual daily water intake showed that intake generally increased 25 to 50% when calves scoured. The greatest increases were for calves fed the highest dry matter. This also may have affected the water intake for the group fed 10% BW, 20% DM since all calves in that group scoured. Total water intake (Fig. 4) increased with fluid intake and dry matter concentration. Both variables had a significant effect (Tables 1 and 2). This is in contrast to data of Pettyjohn et al. (5) which showed a decline in total water
REPLACER VOLUME AND CONCENTRATION FOR CALVES
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FIG. 4-. Effect on total water intake of dry matter concentration of a milk replacer fed once daily at fluid intakes o f 6 (e- - -e), 8 ( e - e ) , and 10 ( e - - e ) percent body weight.
intake as nutrient concentration increased, with a leveling off at higher concentrations of dry matter. The difference in response may have been due to the frequency of feeding. Feeding milk replacer ad libitum four times daily (5) may result in less free water intake than if it is fed once daily, regardless of dry matter concentration. Dry matter intake expressed as a percent of total water intake is in Fig. 5 for all treatments. The significant effect of dry matter concentration on dry matter intake (Table 2) is consistent with the effect observed by Pettyjohn et al. (5). Dry matter intake appeared to level off between 11 and 12.5% of total water intake at the higher concentrations (Fig. 5) indicating that physical capacity was not limiting water intake. Actual dry matter intake at t h e five highest amounts ranged from .49 kg/ day for calves fed 6% BW, 20% DM to .93 kg/ day at 10% BW, 20% DM. The relationship between dry matter and total water intake appears more variable at lower intakes of dry matter. Little work (1, 9) has been directed to factors regulating water intake, and more research in this area of management is needed. In calves fed once daily, dry matter concentration of the milk replacer is associated more closely with incidence of scours and water intake than is fluid intake. The concentration of solids in the liquid diet should probably range between 10 and 15%, with the higher dry mat-
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DRY MATTER(%)
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FIG. 5. Effect on dry matter intake of dry matter concentration of a milk replacer fed once daily at fluid intakes o f 6 (e- - - e ) , 8 ( e - e L and 10 ( e - - e ) percent body weight.
ter concentrations at lower fluid intake, for calves fed milk replacer once daily. However, calves were not offered dry feed as is common in most procedures of calf rearing. Free access to dry feed may alter the recommendations of 10 to 15% solids in the liquid diet. ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The authors are grateful to Gold Kist, Inc., Atlanta, GA for the donation of milk replacer to this study. REFERENCES 1 Appleman, R. D., and F. G. Owen. 1975. Symposium: Recent advances in calf rearing, lIl. Breeding, housing, and feeding management. J. Dairy Sci. 58:447. 2 Hodgson, J. 1971. The development of solid food intake in calves. 5. The relationship between liquid and solid food intake. Anita. Prod. 13:593. 3 Leaver, J. D., and N. H. Yarrow. 1972. Rearing of dairy cattle. I. Type and level of milk substitute offered once daily to calves. Anim. Prod. 14:155. 4 National Research Council. 1971. Nutrient requirements of domestic animals, No. 3. Nutrient requirements o f dairy cattle. NRC, Washington, DC. 5 Pettyjohn, J. D., J. P. Everett, Jr., and R. D. Mochrie. 1963. Responses o f dairy calves to milk replacer fed at various concentrations. J. Dairy Sci. 46:710. 6 Radostitis, O. M., and J. M. Bell. 1970. Nutrition of the pre-ruminant dairy calf with special reference to the digestion and absorption o f nutrients: A review. Can. J. Anita. Sci. 50:405. 7 Roy, J. H. B. 1964. The nutrition of intensivelyJournal of Dairy Science Vol. 61, No. 6, 1978
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reared calves. Vet. Rec. 76:511. 8 Roy, J. H. B. 1969. Diarrhea of nutritional origin. Proc. Nutr. Soc. 28:160. 9 Roy, J. H. B. 1970. The calf: nutrition and health. The Pennsylvania State University Press, University Park. 10 Smith, H. W. 1971. The bacteriology of the alimentary tract of domestic animals suffering from Escbericbia coli infection. In Neonatal enteric infections caused by Escbericbia coll. B. Tennant,
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ed. Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci. 176:110. 11 Stiles, R. P., D. G. Grieve, D. G. Butler, and R. A. Willoughby. 1974. Effects of fluid intake level and dry matter concentration on the incidence of scours in milk replacer-fed calves. Can. J. Anita. Sci. 54:73. 12 Tennant, B., D. Harrold, and M. Reina-Guerra. 1972. Physiologic and metabolic factors in the pathogenesis of neonatal enteric infections in calves. J. Amer. Vet. Med. Ass. 161:993.