IMPROVING HINDGUT HEALTH
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Dairy

The impact of calcium gluconate on volatile fatty acid levels in the hindgut

Key take-away messages

  • Selko LactiBute for dairy contains rumen protected calcium gluconate which has a prebiotic effect in the hindgut of dairy cattle
  • Feeding Selko LactiBute to cattle resulted in an increase of volatile fatty acids in the hindgut
  • Increased levels of butyrate in the hindgut can improve hindgut health and reduce the risk of "leaky gut" in dairy cows

The impact of hindgut health on lactational performance of dairy cattle

Digestive adaptation is crucial for a successful transition to lactation of dairy cows. Hindgut health can have a big impact on digestive adaptation. Hindgut fermentation of excessive carbohydrate can result in hindgut acidosis, disturbance of the gastrointestinal microbiota and a reduction of gut barrier function, leading to a phenomenon called “leaky gut” of dairy cows[1] . As a result of leaky gut, bacterial endotoxins can reach the blood circulation. This causes systemic inflammation and activation of the immune system[2] , with a significant energy cost for the dairy cow. Systemic immune activation also causes a reduction of dry matter intake[3] , which can have a further negative impact on the transition to lactation of dairy cows.

Risk factors for hindgut acidosis in dairy cattle are the same as those for ruminal acidosis. Symptoms traditionally associated in dairy cows with rumen acidosis, such as loose and frothy faeces with mucin casts are also observed in dairy cows suffering from hindgut acidosis[4] .

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Improved feed efficiency of dairy cows with Selko LactiBute

Feeding Selko LactiBute to dairy cattle improved feed efficiency because digestion of feed improved, and dairy cows had lower starch levels in the faeces. Selko LactiBute enabled the dairy cows of farmer Andrea Benatti to deal with changes in the dairy diet in a more efficient way.

Improving hindgut health of dairy cattle with rumen protected calcium gluconate

Nutritional interventions aimed at reducing the risk of hindgut acidosis in dairy cows should target the hindgut[5] . Trials with Selko LactiBute, containing rumen protected calcium gluconate have shown to improve gut barrier function of dairy cows, resulting in an increase of milk production[7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14] .

Trial to test the effect of feeding Selko LactiBute on VFA production in the hindgut

A trial[15] was carried out by Dr. Todd Callaway at the University of Georgia, to test the impact of Selko LactiBute on hindgut VFA profile of cattle.

Material and methods

Two groups of 10 steers each were included in the trial. Age of the animals at the start of the trial was around 13 months, initial bodyweight was 449 +/- 10 kg. Both groups were on a diet of 75% rolled corn, 10% corn gluten feed, 7% soyhull pellets, 6% soybean meal and 0.5% urea. After an adaptation period of 3 days, one of the 2 groups was fed Selko LactiBute at a dose of 16 grams/animal/day for a period of 7 days. The other group served as controls. At slaughter, tissue samples and digesta samples of rumen, duodenum, ileum, cecum, and colon were taken. Volatile fatty acid levels were measured and the microbiome was determined.

Gut section
Rumen Duodenum Ileum Cecum Colon Rectum
Acetate LAC 56.17 3.32 29 79.7a 56.4 52.7a
CON 57.63 2.29 24.3 61.8b 35.6 32.0b
P-val 0.88 0.24 0.69 0.01 0.08 0.02
Propionate LAC 41.5 -- 8.86 28.79a 21.2a 18.6a
CON 42.3 0.06 4.96 17.86b 11.3b 9.09b
P-val 0.90 0.19 0.43 0.02 0.05 0.01
Butyrate LAC 8.8 -- 3.59 14.1 9.13 6.82
CON 10.68 -- 4.51 13.1 4.9 6.85
P-val 0.55 -- 0.70 0.78 0.10 0.99
Isobutyrate LAC 0.98 -- 0.12 0.61 0.40 0.18
CON 1.02 -- 0.13 0.69 0.37 0.2
P-val 0.91 -- 0.88 0.38 0.90 0.85
Gut section
Rumen Duodenum Ileum Cecum Colon Rectum
Acetate LAC 56.17 3.32 29 79.7a 56.4 52.7a
CON 57.63 2.29 24.3 61.8b 35.6 32.0b
P-val 0.88 0.24 0.69 0.01 0.08 0.02
Propionate LAC 41.5 -- 8.86 28.79a 21.2a 18.6a
CON 42.3 0.06 4.96 17.86b 11.3b 9.09b
P-val 0.90 0.19 0.43 0.02 0.05 0.01
Butyrate LAC 8.8 -- 3.59 14.1 9.13 6.82
CON 10.68 -- 4.51 13.1 4.9 6.85
P-val 0.55 -- 0.70 0.78 0.10 0.99
Isobutyrate LAC 0.98 -- 0.12 0.61 0.40 0.18
CON 1.02 -- 0.13 0.69 0.37 0.2
P-val 0.91 -- 0.88 0.38 0.90 0.85

Table 1: Levels of acetate, propionate, butyrate and isobutyrate in rumen, duodenum, ileum, caecum, colon and rectum of steers fed Selko LactiBute containing rumen protected calcium gluconate vs. controls.Volatile fatty acid values in bold are statistically significant.

Results

A clear shift towards butyrate producing bacteria was seen in the ceacum and colon. Volatile fatty acid (VFA) profiles are presented in Table 1. VFA profiles in rumen, duodenum and ileum did not change, but adding Selko LactiBute to the diet resulted in an increase of acetate and propionate levels in ceacum, colon and rectum. Butyrate levels tended to be higher in the colon (p= 0.10).

Conclusion

These results indicated that rumen protected calcium gluconate has a prebiotic effect in the hindgut and can be used to manipulate the microbial population to increase VFA production. Volatile atty acids are in importat source of energy for milk production of dairy cows. Butyrate also has a signaling function in te hindgut of dairy cows.

References about improving hindgut health of dairy cows

  1. Horst, E.A, Mayorga, E.J, Rodriguez-Jimenez, S, Abeyta, M.A, Goetz, B.M, Carta, S, Al-Qaisi, M, Kvidera, S.K. and L. H. Baumgard (2019). Causes and Metabolic Consequences of Leaky Gut. 2019 Cornell Nutrition Conference Proceedings.
  2. Trevisi E., Massimo A., Cogrossi S., Bertoni G (2011). Metabolic stress and inflammatory response in high-yielding, periparturient dairy cows. Research in Veterinary Science 93(2):695-704.
  3. Kushibiki, S., Hodate, K Shingu, H, Obara, Y, Touno, E, Shinoda, M, and Y. Yokomizo. (2003). Metabolic and lactational responses during recombinant bovine tumor necrosis factor-α treatment in lactating cows. J. Dairy Sci. 86:819–827.
  4. Li, S, Khafipour, E, Krause, D.O, Kroeker, A, Rodriguez-Lecompte, J, Gozho, G.N. and J. C. Plaizier (2012). Effects of subacute ruminal acidosis challenges on fermentation and endotoxins in the rumen and hindgut of dairy cows, J. Dairy Sci. 95:294–303.
  5. Sanz-Fernandez, M.V, Daniel, J, Seymour, D.J, Kvidera, S.K, Bester, Z, Doelman, J. and J. Martín-Tereso (2020). Targeting the Hindgut to Improve Health and Performance in Cattle, Animals, 10: 1817.
  6. Watanabe, D.H.M, Doelman, J, Steele, M.A, Guan, L. and G. B. Penner (2020). Evaluating the effect of Ca-gluconate and Ca-butyrate on SCFA absorption and permeability of the gastrointestinal tract. J. Anim. Sci Vol. 97, Suppl. S3.
  7. McKnight, L.L, Doelman, J, Carson, M, Waterman, D.F. and J. A. Metcalf (2018). Feeding and postruminal infusion of calcium gluconate to lactating dairy cows. Can. J. Anim. Sci.
  8. Doelman, J, McKnight, L.L, Carson, M, Nichols, K, Waterman, D.F. and J. A. Metcalf (2019). Post-ruminal infusion of calcium gluconate increases milk fat production and alters fecal volatile fatty acid profile in lactating dairy cows. J. Dairy Sci. 102:1274–1280.3.
  9. Seymour, D. J.; Sanz-Fernandez, M. V.; Daniel, J. B.; Martin-Tereso, J.; Doelman, J. Effects of supplemental calcium gluconate embedded in a hydrogenated fat matrix on lactation, digestive, and metabolic variables in dairy cattle. J. Dairy Sci. 2021, 104(7):7845-7855.
  10. Seymour, D. J.; McKnight, L.L.; Carson, M.; Sanz-Fernandez, M.V.; Daniel, J. B.; Metcalf, J.A.; Martin-Tereso, J.; Doelman, J. Effect of hydrogenated fat-embedded calcium gluconate on lactation performance in dairy cows. Cn. J. Anim. Sci. 2022, 102: 518-527.
  11. Seymour, D. J.; Winia, P.A.; Uittenbogaard, G.; Carson, M.; Doelman, J. Supplementation of hydrogenated fat-embedded calcium gluconate improves milk fat content and yield in multiparous Holstein dairy cattle. J. Dairy. Res. 2023.
  12. Bergman, J.G.H.E., Morisset, F. and M. Hall (2023).Rumen protected calcium gluconate improves lactational performance. Proc. EAAP Congress, Lyon, August 26-September 1, Abstract 41160.
  13. Bergman, J.G.H.E. (2023). Rumen protected calcium gluconate improves milk production of cows, Proc. EAAP Congress, Lyon, August 26-September 1, Abstract 41157.
  14. Seymour, D.J, Sanz-Fernandez, M.V, Daniel, J.B, Martin-Tereso, J. And J. Doelman (2023). Evaluating lactational performance of multiparous dairy cows to prepartum and/or postpartum supplementation of fat-embedded calcium gluconate. Trans. An. Sci, 7:104.
  15. Osman, Y., Koyun, E., Rowland, J., Lourenco, J., Baloyi, F.L., Fluharty, F., Pringle, T.D., Stewart, R.L., McCarthy, K., Griswold, K.E., and T.R. Callaway (2022). Impact of calcium gluconate feeding on intestinal microbial populations in a growing steer model. University of Georgia. Osman, Y., PhD Thesis.

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