Effect of different fat supplements on performance of dairy calves during cold season

The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the effects of starter supplementation with fat sources differing in their fatty acid (FA) profile on performance of dairy calves during cold season. Sixty Holstein calves (3 d of age; 39.7 ± 3.8 kg of body weight) were randomly assigned to 1 of 5 starter diets supplemented with (1) no fat or oil source (control), (2) 3% palm fat (PLF), (3) 3% soybean oil (SBO), (4) 3% tallow (TAL), and (5) a 3.2% mixture (MIX) of PLF, SBO, and fish oil. The fat supplements were substituted for corn in the basal starter diet. Both the control and fat-supplemented diets contained similar amounts of dietary crude protein (19.4%), but the latter had a slightly higher quantity of calculated metabolizable energy (3.17 vs. 3.07 Mcal/kg) than did the former. Calves were reared outdoor in individual pens during the cold of winter with a mean ambient temperature of 5.0°C during the study period. Whole milk was offered twice daily from d 3 to 45 and once from d 46 to 49. The animals were weaned on d 50 and monitored in their individual pens until d 70. Supplementation with SBO and MIX increased both the dietary concentration and ratio of essential FA (n-6 and n-3), whereas supplementation with TAL and PLF made no change in the essential FA profile. Starter intake and average daily gain were not affected by PLF and TAL supplements, but were reduced as a result of feeding MIX. Feeding supplemental SBO did not affect starter intake, but tended to improve average daily gain and final body weight. Fat sources had no effects on body skeletal measurements, fecal score, digestibility, ruminal pH, ammonia, and total volatile FA concentrations; however, feeding MIX increased rumen molar proportion of propionate. No differences were observed in blood metabolites across the treatments during the preweaning period. Plasma concentrations of triacylglycerol and cholesterol increased when fat sources were supplemented and glucose concentration increased when SBO was supplemented during the postweaning period. Overall, addition of 3% PLF or TAL to the diet of young calves failed to improve growth performance. Although addition of SBO and MIX increased the dietary essential FA concentration, calf performance was only improved when SBO was supplemented.