Abstract
Background: Microbiota in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) consisting of the rumen and hindgut (the small intestine, cecum, and colon) in dairy calves, plays a vital role in their growth and development. This review discusses the development of dairy calf intestinal microbiomes with an emphasis on the impact that husbandry and rearing management have on microbiome development, health and growth of pre-weaned dairy calves.
Discussion: The diversity and composition of the microbes that colonise the lower GIT (small and large intestine) can have a significant impact on growth and development of the calf, through influence on nutrient metabolism, immune modulation, resistance or susceptibility to infection, production outputs and behaviour modification in adult life. The colonisation of the calf intestinal microbiome dynamically changes from birth, increasing in microbial richness and diversity until weaning, where further dynamic and drastic microbiome change occur. In dairy calves, neonatal microbiome development prior to weaning is influenced by direct and indirect factors, some of which could be considered stressors, such as maternal interaction, environment, diet, husbandry, and weaning practices. The specific impact of these can dictate intestinal microbial colonisation, with potential lifelong consequences.
Conclusion: Evidence suggests the potential detrimental effect that sudden changes and stress may have on calf health and growth due to management and husbandry practices, and the importance of establishing a stable yet diverse intestinal microbiome population at an early age is essential for calf success. The possibility of improving the health of calves through intestinal microbiome modulation and using alternative strategies including probiotic use, faecal microbiota transplantation, and novel approaches of microbiome tracking should be considered to support animal health and sustainability of dairy production systems.
Discussion: The diversity and composition of the microbes that colonise the lower GIT (small and large intestine) can have a significant impact on growth and development of the calf, through influence on nutrient metabolism, immune modulation, resistance or susceptibility to infection, production outputs and behaviour modification in adult life. The colonisation of the calf intestinal microbiome dynamically changes from birth, increasing in microbial richness and diversity until weaning, where further dynamic and drastic microbiome change occur. In dairy calves, neonatal microbiome development prior to weaning is influenced by direct and indirect factors, some of which could be considered stressors, such as maternal interaction, environment, diet, husbandry, and weaning practices. The specific impact of these can dictate intestinal microbial colonisation, with potential lifelong consequences.
Conclusion: Evidence suggests the potential detrimental effect that sudden changes and stress may have on calf health and growth due to management and husbandry practices, and the importance of establishing a stable yet diverse intestinal microbiome population at an early age is essential for calf success. The possibility of improving the health of calves through intestinal microbiome modulation and using alternative strategies including probiotic use, faecal microbiota transplantation, and novel approaches of microbiome tracking should be considered to support animal health and sustainability of dairy production systems.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Number of pages | 35 |
| Journal | Journal of Medical Microbiology |
| Publication status | Accepted/In press - 18 Dec 2024 |