EFFECT OF LACTOFERRIN SUPPLEMENTATION ON BLOOD PROFILE, IMMUNITY AND GROWTH PERFORMANCE IN NEWLY BORN CALVES

A total number of 15 Friesian calves at 3 days of age with 33.47±0.42 kg live body weight were used in this study. Calves were divided into 3 equal groups. During the experimental period(28 days), calves in all groups were given a similar amount of their dam milk. All calves appeared in healthy state and free of any diseases. The first group was fed cow milk in two
meals at 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. and they were given a starter with berseem hay (BH) and were kept as normal control group (G 1), the second group was fed on the control diet with1 mg/calve supplementation of lactoferrin (G 2) and the 3rd group was fed on the control group`s diet with 2 mg lactoferrin/calve (G 3). All calves were clinically observed for 28
days; during the experimental period, live body weight (LBW) and dry matter intake (Milk, Starter, Berseem hay, concentrate feed mixture and rice straw) were recorded at weekly intervals, then total body gain was calculated every 15 days with fecal scores and respiratory scores were recorded for each calf to monitor their health throughout the trial. Finally two blood samples were collected from each calf of all groups after 2 weeks and 4 weeks post treatment for hematological and biochemical examinations. Calves received lactoferrin showed expressive elevation in serum total protein, globulin, glucose levels, IgG and IgA concentrations while expressed significant decrease in serum total lipids, cholesterol, and ALT, AST, creatinine and blood urea nitrogen levels. Body weight gain, average body weight gain and total body weight gain were significantly increased. In this study it could be concluded that lactoferrin could be a beneficial supplement in the neonatal calves` diets prior to weaning