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Background: Previous investigations into the effect of dietary forage on calf performance have been inconsistent, and there is a paucity of information exploring the effect of age on the growth performance and rumination of calves. Eighty-four female Holstein calves (41.5 ± 4.2 kg) were enrolled at birth, a subset of the calves were fed calf starter only (CON, n = 21) while the rest (n = 63) were classified into three treatment groups: the early (EHAY, n = 26, 5.1 ± 0.8 d), the middle (MHAY, n = 21, 7.9 ± 0.8 d) and the late (LHAY, n = 16, 12.1 ± 1.4 d) hay consumers. The short-term effect of the age at first forage consumption (AFF) on calves' feed intake was monitored until d 84. In addition, the long-term effects of AFF on body weight, structural growth and rumination behavior were recorded until d 196. Rumen samples were collected on d 1, 7, 35, 84 and 196 to analyze the rumen fermentation, while fecal samples were collected from d 78 to 84 to estimate digestibility parameters. Results: Treatment had no effect on feed intake. While, the EHAY calves tended to have lower BW and ADG compared to LHAY and CON calves. Several total-tract apparent digestibility parameters and digestible nutrients intake were significantly lower in EHAY calves compared with CON and LHAY calves. Calves in the EHAY group tended to begin ruminating ealier, while CON calves were the latest (12.3 vs. 15.5 days of age). A treatment and time interaction was present for rumination time due to greater rumination in calves consuming hay compared to CON calves in week 10 to 12, the differences in rumination disappeared afterwards, no long-lasting significant differences in the rumination and rumen fermentation parameters were found between treatments. Conclusions: In conclusion, this study showed that hay consumption earlier in life (in the first week, around 5 days of life) could negatively affect the growth of the calf in the short and long term. Compared to consuming hay from the second week (around 12 days of life) or feeding concentrate only without hay, starting to consume hay from the first week could compromise nutrient digestibility and digestible nutrient intake independent of developing rumination behaviour and rumen fermentation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current review is designed with aims to highlight the impact of heat stress (HS) on calves and heifers and to suggest methods for HS alleviation. HS occurs in animals when heat gain from environment and metabolism surpasses heat loss by radiation, convection, evaporation and conduction. Although calves and heifers are comparatively heat resistant due to less production of metabolic heat and more heat dissipation efficiency, they still suffer from HS to some degree. Dry matter intake and growth performance of calves and heifers are reduced during HS because of redistributing energy to heat regulation through a series of physiological and metabolic responses, such as elevated blood insulin and protein catabolism. Enhanced respiration rate and panting during HS accelerate the loss of CO2, resulting in altered blood acid-base chemistry and respiratory alkalosis. HS-induced alteration in rumen motility and microbiota affects the feed digestibility and rumen fermentation. Decreased luteinizing hormone, estradiol and gonadotrophins due to HS disturb the normal estrus cyclicity, depress follicular development, hence the drop in conception rate. Prenatal HS not only suppresses the embryonic development by the impaired placenta, which results in hypoxia and malnutrition, but also retards the growth, immunity and future milk production of newborn calves. Based on the above challenges, we attempted to describe the possible impacts of HS on growth, health, digestibility and reproduction of calves and heifers. Likewise, we also proposed three primary strategies for ameliorating HS consequences. Genetic development and reproductive measures, such as gene selection and embryo transfers, are more likely long-term approaches to enhance heat tolerance. While physical modification of the environment, such as shades and sprinkle systems, is the most common and easily implemented measure to alleviate HS. Additionally, nutritional management is another key approach which could help calves and heifers maintain homeostasis and prevent nutrient deficiencies because of HS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: High-altitude pulmonary hypertension (HAPH) is a life-threating condition for animals in high altitude, and disturbance of endothelial nitric oxide (NO) synthesis contributes to its pathogenesis. N-carbamylglutamate (NCG), which enhances arginine synthesis, promotes endogenous synthesis of NO. In this study, we determined the effects of NCG on alleviating HAPH in Holstein heifers that ascended to Tibet (Lhasa, 3,658 m). Methods: Exp. 1, 2,000 Holstein heifers were transported from low elevation (1,027 m) to Lhasa. After being exposed to hypoxia for 1 yr, Holstein heifers were assigned to a healthy group (Control, n = 6) with mean pulmonary hypertension (mPAP) < 41 mmHg, and an HAPH affected group (HAPH, n = 6) with mPAP > 49 mmHg. Lung tissues were collected to evaluate histopathological changes and the expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS). Exp. 2, ten healthy heifers and 10 HAPH affected heifers were supplemented with NCG (20 g/d per heifer) for 4 wk. Physiological parameters were determined and blood samples were collected on d − 1 and d 28 of the feeding trial. Results: Expression of eNOS in small pulmonary arteriole intima was higher in the healthy than HAPH group (P = 0.006), whereas HAPH group had significantly thicker media and adventitia than healthy group (all P < 0.05). The mRNA of eNOS and protein level of eNOS were higher in the lungs of heifers in the healthy group than in the HAPH group (both P < 0.001), whereas endothelin-1 protein levels were higher in HAPH group than in the healthy group (P = 0.025). NCG supplementation decreased mPAP and ammonia (both P = 0.001), whereas it increased the expression of eNOS, arginine, and plasma NO (all P < 0.05). Conclusions: The expression of eNOS was decreased in Holstein heifers with HAPH. NCG supplementation decreased mPAP through the restoration of eNOS and endogenous NO synthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]