Mannan oligosaccharide prepartum supplementation: effects on dairy cow colostrum quality and quantity.
Providing the neonatal calf with a sufficient quantity and quality of colostrum may optimise future health, performance and reduce the risk of morbidity. A 6-month double blind trial with 80 prepartum dairy cows was conducted to determine if supplementation with mannan oligosaccharide (MOS) influences colostrum quality, quantity and subsequent calf performance. The Holstein cross Friesian 80 cows (no heifers) were allocated into a control and treatment group at the point of drying off by previous lactation number and yield. The control and treatment group were fed the same commercial standard dry cow diet throughout the trial supplemented with a mineral concentrate without or with 1.33% MOS, respectively. Cows were milked out of colostrum within 40 min of calving prior to calf suckling, weight was recorded. Mannan oligosaccharide fed cows produced significantly more colostrum on first milking (7.5 kg, SEM±0.69) compared with cows fed without MOS (5.6 kg, SEM±0.43). The immunoglobulin G (IgG) concentrations (control 53.7 IgG g/l, SEM±5.8 and MOS of 42.7 IgG g/l, SEM±4.9) and total mass of IgG did not differ between treatments. No significant observable MOS-derived effect on calf health or weight gain occurred during the study.
['Westland|A|A|', 'Martin|R|R|', 'White|R|R|', 'Martin|J H|JH|']
D000818:Animals D000833:Animals, Suckling D001835:Body Weight D002417:Cattle D003126:Colostrum D004032:Diet D019587:Dietary Supplements D004311:Double-Blind Method D005260:Female D007074:Immunoglobulin G D007774:Lactation D008351:Mannans D009844:Oligosaccharides D011247:Pregnancy
mannan oligosaccharide prepartum dairy cow colostrum IgG