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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Ithaca, New York » Robert W. Holley Center for Agriculture & Health » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #130227
Title: THE EFFECT OF RUMINAL FLUID PREPARATIONS ON THE GROWTH AND HEALTH OF NEW-BORN, MILK-FED DAIRY CALVES

Author
item Russell, James
item MUSCATO, T - CORNELL UNIVERSITY
item TEDESCHI, L - CORNELL UNIVERSITY

Submitted to: Korea-Japan Symposium on Rumen Metabolism and Physiology Proceedings
Publication Type: Review Article
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/17/2002
Publication Date: 5/17/2002
Citation: RUSSELL, J.B., MUSCATO, T.V., TEDESCHI, L.O. 2002. THE EFFECT OF RUMINAL FLUID PREPARATIONS ON THE GROWTH AND HEALTH OF NEW-BORN, MILK-FED DAIRY CALVES. KOREA-JAPAN SYMPOSIUM ON RUMEN METABOLISM AND PHYSIOLOGY PROCEEDINGS. 2002. 4:27-33.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Newborn dairy calves that were given daily doses of ruminal fluid gained more weight and had fewer scours than untreated controls. Because even autoclaved preparations gave a positive response, ruminal fluid preparations were not acting as a probiotic. The observation that autoclaved ruminal fluid preparations decrease scours as well as increase body weight gain has practical relevance: 1) ruminal fluid preparations could be given orally via the milk, 2) ruminal fluid contains naturally occurring non-pathogenic bacteria, 3) ruminal fluid can be autoclaved to eliminate the chance of disease transmission, and 4) the time needed to demonstrate a response was relatively short (as little as 5 days).