Authors
1
Department of Animal Science, Moghan College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil,
2
Department of Animal Science, Moghan College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil
3
Associate professor, Department of Animal Science, Moghan College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran
4
Assistant professor, Department of Animal Science, Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Gorgan,
5
Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran
Abstract
Background and objectives: The preweaning phase is a critical period in the life of a substitute heifer, and optimal rearing will guarantee its longevity on a farm. The growth rate has a profound impact on age at first service as well as body weight and milk production at first lactation. Numerous factors including passive immune transfer through colostrum, nutrition and environment, affect the growth rate during the preweaning period. Despite the recent advances in the dairy industry, morbidity and mortality rates are still high and further measures are required. Using antibiotics to improve growth and prevent disease has been prohibited. Thus, finding an appropriate compound that is also safe and has fewer side effects has been the subject of various studies during the last decades. In the current experiment, the potential benefit of Nigella sativa on the skeletal growth performance and blood variables of dairy calves was assessed during the preweaning period.
Materials and methods: Thirty-two male healthy calves with 39 kg BW in their 3rd day of life were randomly allocated to the control (CON, no supplement), NSP2 (2 g/d Nigella Sativa powder), NSP4 (4 g/d Nigella Sativa powder), and NSP6 (6 g/d Nigella Sativa powder) groups. Calves were stored in individual pens and fresh wood shavings was used as bedding. Calves were offered milk 5 L/d from d 2 to 20, 7 L/d from d 21- 60, 3.5 L/d from d 61-64 and weaned at d 65. Starter was provided from the beginning till end of the experiment and water provided adlibtum. Starter intake was measured daily. Body weight and skeletal growth performance, including body length, heart girth, body barrel, hip width and height, were recorded at birth and every ten days afterward. Blood samples were collected from all calves at the start of the experiment, d 35 and at the end of the experiment. Data from this study was analyzed in repeated measured design and using a MIXED PROC of SAS software.
Results: Growth data shows that the final body weight was significantly higher in NSP2 compared to NSP4 and body weight gain and daily weight gain were significantly higher compared to the control and NSP4 groups. Starter intake and total feed intake were not significantly affected by NSP levels. However, feed efficiency was significantly higher in NSP2 compared to NSP4 and CON groups. Calves fed with different NSP levels had higher body length increases compared to the non-supplemented group. Other parameters including heart girth, body barrel, and hip height, were not significantly affected by treatments. However, hip-width was significantly lower in NSP4 compared to the CON group. Blood concentrations of total protein, glucose, triglyceride, cholesterol and urea nitrogen did not significantly change in the current study.
Conclusion: In the current study adding 2 g/d NSP to the liquid feed of dairy calves showed a promising impact on the growth performance of dairy calves. However, the same effect was not observed at the higher levels (4 and 6 g/d NSP).
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