Determination of the Nutritional Requirements of the Calf's Gut

Authors

  • Germain Nappert Department of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
  • Gordon A. Zello Department of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, College of Pharmacy and Nutrition, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
  • Jonathan M. Naylor Department of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21423/aabppro19965971

Keywords:

nutritional requirements, energy source, electrolyte mix, diarrheic calves, intravenous

Abstract

Treatment of diarrheic calves mainly relies on electrolyte solutions to replace the fluid lost in the scours. Antibiotics are also used, but they only work against a few of the many causes of scours. These treatments do not promote healing of the gut. Instead, they keep the calf alive so that the body can slowly heal itself. We have shown that scouring calves have damage to the lining of the gut and reduced absorption of nutrients. We know that holding animals off feed results in atrophy of the gut. If we knew which nutrients the gut uses, we could speed healing by adding the required nutrients to an electrolyte mix. The purpose of our study was to determine the intravenous nutritional requirements of the calf's gut by infusion of several potential nutrient and energy sources.

Cover image of the 29th Conference Proceedings: A photo of the city skyline of San Diego, California. Yellow background.

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Published

1996-09-12

Issue

1996

Section

Research Summaries 1