Effects of Photoperiod and Glucose-Supplemented Drinking Water on the Performance of Dairy Calves

Abstract

Long-day photoperiods (LDPP) have been shown to increase milk production in lactating dairy cattle. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of supplemental light and glucose-supplemented drinking water on starter dry matter intake (DMI), water intake, serum and rumen metabolites, and growth performance of calves from birth to 8 wk of age. The experiment was conducted as a completely randomized design with a 2×2 factorial arrangement of treatments. The calves were assigned at birth to 1 of 4 treatments: 1) 10h of light, 14h of dark (short-day photoperiods; SDPP), ad libitum intake of water, and no glucose supplementation; 2) 10h of light, 14h of dark, and ad libitum intake of water supplemented with 50g of glucose/L; 3) 18h of light, 6h of dark (LDPP), and ad libitum intake of water, and no glucose supplementation; and 4) 18h of light, 6h of dark, and ad libitum intake of water supplemented with 50g of glucose/L. Fluorescent lights were used to provide lighting at an intensity of approximately 600 lx at the eye level of calves. The calves were bucket-fed 2L of whole milk offered twice daily at 0700 and 1600h and had a free access to a textured calf starter. The calves on LDPP were heavier at d 56 than SDPP calves regardless of level of glucose supplementation. The average daily gain of the calves on LDPP from d 29 to 42 and from d 43 to 56 was greater than for SDPP calves regardless of the level of glucose supplementation. The greater average daily gain of LDPP calves from d 29 to 56 coincided with the greater calf starter DMI of these calves. Body widths through hooks were highly (r=0.72) correlated with body weights, which in turn were related to calf starter DMI. Calves on LDPP had greater ruminal osmolarity and greater concentrations of acetate, propionate, butyrate, and total volatile fatty acids than SDPP calves regardless of the level of glucose supplementation. Calves on LDPP had lower Ca:P ratio than the SDPP calves regardless of level of glucose supplementation. The concentrations of serum glucose and sodium for the glucose-supplemented calves were greater than for nonsupplemented calves regardless of lighting regimen. These results suggest that LDPP encouraged greater consumption of calf starter, which stimulated faster rumen development in the LDPP calves as evidenced by greater volatile fatty acid concentrations.