Effect of a rumen-protected choline supplementation on bodyweight gain in Japanese Black steer calves transported with feed and water deprivation
2019
Takemoto, S. ((Central Research Institute for Feed and Livestock ZEN-NOH (National Federation of Agricultural Cooperative Associations), Kasama, Ibaraki (Japan)), (Kyoto University, Kyoto (Japan). Graduate School of Agriculture)) | Matsui, T.
Long-distance transportation has negative impacts on production in cattle. Long-distance transportation has been proposed to cause a shortage of choline. We investigated the efficacy of a rumen-protected choline supplementation on transportation-induced adverse effects in Japanese Black steer calves. Steer calves were assigned to 1.5-day transportation with feed and water deprivation, or the transportation with feed and water deprivation, but with supplementation of rumen-protected choline at 100 g/day/head. The choline supplementation group had higher serum choline concentration than the control group between day 1 and day 7 (P < 0.05). Serum methionine concentration was higher in the choline supplementation group than in the control group between day 0 and day 1 (P < 0.05); choline supplementation is known to reduce utilization of methionine as methyl donor. Average bodyweight gain in the experimental period was higher in the choline supplementation group than in the control group (P < 0.05). These results suggested that supplementation with rumen-protected choline mitigates, at least partly, adverse effect of transportation with feed and water deprivation on bodyweight gain and serum methionine concentration in steer calves.
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