The impact of prepartum energy intake on colostrum quality and calf performance

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The Canadian beef industry generates more than $9.4 billion in cash receipts and contributes $18 billion to gross domestic product per year. For cow-calf producers, reducing calf morbidity and mortality can improve returns and increase production efficiencies. Improper nutritional management of the dam during the prepartum period influences prenatal development, as well as colostrum quality, which may have a large impact on calf health and performance. Colostrum, the first secretion produced after calving, contains a wide array of bioactive molecules that have unrealized potential to promote optimal gut function and development in young calves. Therefore, the goal of this partnership is to determine how beef cow energy intake in late gestation impacts the metabolism of the cow, colostrum quality and the performance of offspring. In addition to performing a large animal based study assessing how beef cows and calves respond to the prepartum diet, this project will also include an in depth analysis of the bioactives in colostrum and how they are absorbed by the calf intestine. These studies are expected to develop novel feeding strategies for beef cows and calves to improve beef cow and calf health and productivity, and ultimately improve the sustainability of the Canadian beef industry.