A study of the effect of zeolite on the absorption of antibodies against Escherichia coli, on the health status and on the productive characteristics of suckling calves, following its addition to colostrum and milk

Doctoral thesis

Author

Pourliotis, Konstantinos D., Supervisor: Karatzias, Charilaos, Professor, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, School of Veterinary Medicine.

Subject

The aim of this experimental study is to investigate the effect of adding clinoptilolite to the feed on the absorption of E.coli on the health and performance of suckling calves. A total of 84 newborn Holstein calves were used; these were examined prior to the start of the experiment and found to be healthy. The animals were divided into three equally sized, homogeneous groups (groups A, B and C). Group C served as the control group, whilst groups A and B consisted of calves whose feed hadclinoptilolite added to it. The three experimental groups were as follows: Group A: This group comprised 28 newborn calves which were initially fed colostrum and subsequently milk replacer, clinoptilolite at a dose of 1 g/kg body weight per 24 hours. Group B: This group comprised 28 newborn calves that were initially fed colostrum and subsequently milk replacer, clinoptilolite at a dose of 2 g/kg body weight per 24 hours. Group C: This control group comprised 28 newborn calves that were initially fed colostrum, and milk replacer until the end of the experiment, without the addition of clinoptilolite.

Results

The results of the study show that the addition of clinoptilolite in amounts of both 1 and 2 g/kg body weight to colostrum and the milk of suckling calves significantly improves (P ≤ 0.05) the absorption of E. coli-specific antibodies and significantly reduces the incidence of colibacillary diarrhoea (P ≤ 0.05), whilst not significantly affecting (P > 0.05) the concentrations of Ca, P, K, Na, Zn, Cu and Fe

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