Physicochemical and microbiological characterization of ruminal fluid and gastrointestinal contents of calves fed with transition milk silage

Abstract

The objective was to evaluate the ruminal characteristics and gastrointestinal microbiota of dairy calves in different milk feeding systems. In an entirely randomized design, 18 Holstein calves at 6 to 59 day of age were used randomly allotted. In the conventional treatment were provided 4 L of milk daily. In the second and third treatments, 2 L of transition milk fermented were administered to 2 L of water or 2 L of milk, respectively. At 60 days of age, it was collected approximately 15 mL of the contents of the tract digestive (rumen, abomasum, and small intestine) and feces after necropsy. The different systems of feeding did not influence the color characteristics, odor and viscosity of the ruminal juice. The pH and quantification of Enterobacteriaceae, mycelium fungi and yeast fungi did not show significant difference between treatments for the different sites studied. Aspergillus spp. was the mycelia fungi most frequent between isolates from gastrointestinal tract for both milk systems. The treatments with transition milk silage, in water or milk, did not influence the physicochemical and microbiological characteristics evaluated, corroborating studies indicate this product can be used as milk replacer for the dairy calves.