Micellized conjugated linoleic acid as an immune modifier feed additive for suckling calves

This study attempted to assess the effects of micellized conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) as a feed additive for suckling calves on their growth performance and blood metabolic, oxidative, and immune parameters. Forty-eight Holstein calves were divided among four experimental groups (12 calves/treatment), including 1) calves with no CLA supplementation (CON), 2) calves supplemented with 1 gr CLA/d as micellized form by dissolving 5 mL/d of a CLA-contained emulsion in milk (CLA1), 3) calves supplemented with 2 gr CLA/d as micellized form by dissolving 10 mL/d of a CLA-contained emulsion in milk (CLA2), and 4) calves supplemented with 3 gr CLA/d as micellized form by dissolving 15 mL/d of a CLA-contained emulsion in milk (CLA3). Calves in the CON group received 10 mL of the emulsion medium with no CLA. Feeding micellized CLA via whole milk resulted in a linear increase in blood glucose concentration on day 40 (P=0.04) and total protein (P<0.01), albumin (P<0.01), and triglyceride (P=0.02) concentrations on day 20 of the experiment. The inclusion of micellized CLA resulted in a linear decrease (P<0.05) in blood malondialdehyde concentration at both periods but had no effect on blood total antioxidant status. On day 20, tumor necrosis factor-alpha level in the blood of suckling calves exhibited a quadratic effect with micellized CLA inclusion; however, interleukin-6 concentration was not affected. The use of 3 g per day of micellized CLA, via daily milk has the potential to reduce inflammation in young calves during the pre-weaning period.