Analysis of the developing gut microbiota in young dairy calves\u2014impact of colostrum microbiota and gut disturbances

Bui Phan Thu Hang,Ewa Wredle,Johan Dicksved

doi:10.1007/s11250-020-02535-9

Abstract

The aim of this study was to characterize the colostrum and fecal microbiota in calves and to investigate whether fecal microbiota composition was related to colostrum microbiota or factors associated with calf health. Colostrum samples were collected in buckets after hand milking of 76 calving cows from 38 smallholder dairy farms. Fecal samples were taken directly from the rectum of 76 calves at birth and at 14 days age. The bacterial community structure in colostrum and feces was analyzed by terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism for all samples, and the microbial composition was determined by 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing for a subset of the samples (8 colostrum, 40 fecal samples). There was a significant difference in fecal microbiota composition between day 0 and day 14 samples, but no associations between the microbiota and average daily gain, birth weight, or transfer of passive immunity. At 14 days of age, Faecalibacterium and Butyricicoccus were prevalent in higher relative abundances in the gut of healthy calves compared to calves with diarrhea that had been treated with antimicrobials. Colostrum showed great variation in composition of microbiota but no association to fecal microbiota. This study provides the first insights into the composition of colostrum and fecal microbiota of young dairy calves in southern Vietnam and can form the basis for future more detailed studies.

Highlights

Colostrum is a source of IgG but can be a source of bacteria for early establishment of the gut microbiota
One source of bacteria and nutrients that could help to shape the initial composition of the gut microbiota is colostrum
A recent study showed an association between the colostrum microbiota and fecal microbiota where Streptococcaceae, Enterococcaceae, and Enterobacteriaceae constituted up to 90% of the relative abundance in colostrum samples, whereas these groups were present in about 30% relative abundance in fecal samples at 7-days-old dairy calves (Liu et al 2019)

Summary

Introduction

Colostrum is a source of IgG but can be a source of bacteria for early establishment of the gut microbiota. Development of the gut microbiota is suggested to be important for proper development of the immune system, and it has been shown in a study on pigs that early management is critical for shaping early gut microbial composition (Mulder et al 2011). Knowledge about early management and factors of importance for colonization of the gut microbiota in calves is limited. The purpose of this study was to analyze the microbiota in colostrum and calf feces, and to investigate the relationship with calf health, diarrhea, and antimicrobial exposure

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