Growth Performance of Buffalo Calves in Response to Different Diets with and without Saccharomyces cerevisiae Supplementation.

The aim of the present trial was to evaluate the growth performance of buffalo calves fed on diets characterized by different forage/concentrate ratios, with or without Saccharomyces cerevisiae supplementation (CBS 493.94, Yea-Sacc®). Twenty-four male buffalo calves (mean age of 145.1 ± 16.1 days; mean weight of 108.0 ± 18.7 kg) were assigned randomly to 4 groups, homogeneous in age, that were fed four different diets: diet 1, F:C ratio 50:50; diet 2, F:C ratio 30:70; diet 3, F:C ratio 50:50 + Yea-Sacc®; and diet 4, F:C ratio 30:70 + Yea-Sacc®. Buffalo calves were individually weighted before the start of the experiment and the data were used as a covariate, being taken monthly until the end of the trial. Dry matter intake (DMI), daily weight gain (DWG) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were calculated. The differences in diets composition significantly (p < 0.01) affected all these parameters. In particular, the animals fed diet 1 and diet 3 showed higher values of DWG (0.91 and 0.88 g/d vs. 0.68 and 0.66 for group 2 and 4) and DMI (5.8 and 5.3 kg/d, respectively) compared to the other groups (4.3 and 4.4 kg/d for group 2 and 4), as well as a higher final body weight (370.5 and 334.1 kg for group 1 and 3 vs. 272.8 and 273.1 kg of group 2 and 4, respectively). Indeed, the supplementation with Yea-Sacc® at the dosage of 1 × 10E8 did not affect buffaloes' growth performance.

Forage:Concentrate Ratio Effects on In Vivo Digestibility and In Vitro Degradability of Horse's Diet.

Determination of digestibility represents the first step for the evaluation of the net energy content of feed for livestock animals. The aim of this study was to evaluate the in vivo digestibility and in vitro degradability of five diets characterized by different forage/concentrate ratios (F:C) in horses. The in vitro degradability was determined by the Gas Production Technique (GPT), using as an inoculum source the feces of the same subjects used for the in vivo test. Five diets consisting of poliphyte hay, straw and grains of barley and oats with a different F:C ratio [90/10 (Diet 1); 78/22 (Diet 2); 68/32 (Diet 3); 60/40 (Diet 4); 50/50 (Diet 5) were formulated and administered in succession, starting with Diet 1. In the in vivo results, no significant differences emerged, despite the different F:C content. In in vitro fermentation, four diets out of the five (2, 3, 4, 5) presented a similar trend of the curve of gas production, showing good activity of the fecal micro population during the first hours of incubation. An important correlation between gas and Volatile Fatty Acid (VFA) were found, suggesting that the processes linked to the micro population deriving from the horse's caecum follow metabolic pathways whose products can be modeled in the same way as for the rumen. The GPT could represent the correct method for studying the nutritional characteristics of feed for horses, using feces as the source of inoculum, even if further investigations must be performed to improve the technique.

Colostrum Composition, Characteristics and Management for Buffalo Calves: A Review.

In this review, the composition, characteristics, and management of dairy buffalo calves were examined and compared with bovines. The neonatal period is critical for buffalo calves and is characterized by a high mortality rate (more than 40%). The early intake of high-quality colostrum (IgG > 50 mg/mL) is the one way to improve the immune system of calves (serum IgG > 10 mg/mL after 12 h), thus increasing their chances of survival. Mainly in intensive farms, the availability of high-quality colostrum is necessary; thus, good quality colostrum is often stored to provide newborn calves which cannot be fed by their mothers. Also, the manipulation of the immunological status of animals through vaccination has been depicted since the quality of colostrum tended to be influenced by vaccination against pathogens. Buffalo breeding is constantly expanding in Italy, mainly thanks to the Mozzarella cheese production that represents the excellence of the "Made in Italy" and is exported worldwide. Indeed, high calf mortality rates directly affect the profitability of the business. For these reasons, the aim of this review was to examine specific research on buffalo colostrum that, compared with other species, are scarce. Improving the knowledge of buffalo colostrum, in terms of characteristics and management, is critical to guarantee buffalo newborns' health in order to reduce their mortality rate. Importantly, considering the knowledge on cattle valid also for buffalo is a widespread, and often erroneous, habit in several fields, including colostrum feeding. Therefore, the two species were compared in this review.

Serum Oxytocin, Cortisol and Social Behavior in Calves: A Study in the Impossible Task Paradigm.

In this study, we explored the correlations between circulating levels of oxytocin, cortisol, and different social behaviors toward humans in 26 Italian Red Pied calves (all females, with an average age of 174 ± 24 days) using the impossible task paradigm. This paradigm has proved fruitful in highlighting the effect of socialization on the willingness to interact with humans in several domesticated species. The test consists of the violation of an expectation (recovering food from an experimental apparatus) while a caregiver and a stranger are present. Immediately after the end of the test (less than one minute), blood was collected from the coccygeal vein. Statistics were performed by the Spearman's rank correlation; significant differences were adjusted according to Bonferroni's correction. Cortisol correlates positively (ρ = 0.565; p < 0.05) with the latency of behaviors directed at the caregiver, and the duration of behaviors directed at the apparatus correlates negatively with both the caregiver (ρ = -0.654; p < 0.05) and a stranger (ρ = -0.644; p < 0.05). Contrary to what is reported in the literature on cows, no correlations were found between oxytocin levels and direct behaviors toward the caregiver. This highlights a different behavioral strategy between calves and cows when placed in front of an impossible task.

Nutritional Characterization of Hay Produced in Campania Region: Analysis by the near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) Technology.

Since the dietary characteristics of hays can be very variable, it is of great importance for nutritionists to know their chemical composition in order to formulate adequate rations for the animals. Laboratory analyses are time-consuming and expensive while the Near Infrared Spectroscopy offers several advantages, including obtaining information on feeds nutritional characteristics very quickly and in situ at the farm, thanks to portable NIRS. In this trial, over 400 hay samples collected in the Campania region (Italy) were analyzed with portable NIRS device. The final aim was to analyze the differences in hay quality in different production areas, highlighting the possible factors involved and suggesting possible corrective measures. All the analyzed hays (polyphite, Gramineae and alfalfa) were significantly (p < 0.05) influenced by the area of cultivation/preservation. In particular, the polyphite and Gramineae hays produced in most of the areas of Campania region showed poor nutritional value due to the low protein content and high structural carbohydrate that significantly reduced its digestibility. The use of high-quality forages in the ration represents a pivotal factor to allow the production of high-quality products of animal origin. The use of NIRS seems to be a valuable strategy to select potential treatments that can increase feed digestibility and to avoid long chemical analysis.