suckling calves

Newborn calves have special needs to accelerate their growth performance and improve their immune systems. Minerals are one of the most important metabolic improvers that can help the health of calves at overnutrition levels. Manganese is a necessary trace mineral that is a key ingredient in the metabolism of carbohydrates, lipids and, proteins, as well as playing an important role as a cofactor in the activity of several enzyme systems such as superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) activity, bone development (mucopolysaccharide synthesis) and blood cell regeneration. Manganese plays several important roles in the immune system, including its involvement in antioxidant pathways, its contribution to phagocytic activity, and its role in maintaining the structural integrity of epithelial barriers against infections. Manganese can be supplemented in both inorganic and organic forms, each with differing levels of bioavailability and absorption. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate the impact of milk enrichment with manganese supplements, in both organic and inorganic forms, on the performance, biochemical and antioxidant parameters, and feeding behavior of suckling calves.  24 newborn calves were randomly divided into 3 groups with 8 replications. Experimental treatments include: 1) control group (without manganese supplementation), 2) Adding mineral manganese supplement to milk consumption and 3) Adding organic manganese supplements to milk consumption. The amount of manganese used in the milk of each calf was 30 mg per day. Manganese is dissolved in milk and consumed by calves. Calves were milked twice in the morning and evening and had free access to water and starter feed during the day. The length of the trial period was 63 days. Calves were weighed every 21 days. The amount of feed consumed and post-feed was recorded daily. To measure blood metabolites including biochemical parameters, concentration of blood elements, antioxidant status and activity of liver enzymes, blood samples were taken from calf vein on day 60. Finally, during the 61st to 63rd days of the experimental period, nutritional behaviors were measured for a duration of 48 hours. Data analysis was done using SAS statistical software version 9/1 (2004) and comparisons of means were done with Tukey's test at a significance level of 5 percent. The obtained results showed that the calves fed with milk enriched with manganese in organic and inorganic forms compared to the calves of the control group, a significant improvement in final weight, period weight gain, daily weight gain and dry matter consumption was observed. The use of organic and inorganic forms of manganese in the feeding of suckling calves did not have a significant effect on the feed conversion ratio of the calves. There was no significant effect on the amount of iron, zinc, copper, calcium and phosphorus of different treatments. The amount of plasma manganese in the treatment using organic manganese was associated with a significant increase compared to the treatment using inorganic manganese and the control treatment. The use of organic and mineral sources of manganese in the feeding of calves had no significant effect on triglyceride, cholesterol, urea, globulin and the ratio of albumin to globulin in the blood of calves. Organic and mineral sources of manganese increased the amount of glucose, total protein and albumin in the blood, so that the most significant increase was seen in the treatment of organic manganese users. Inorganic and organic forms of manganese did not cause significant changes in the amount of malondialdehyde, aspartate aminotransferase, and alkaline phosphatase in the blood of supplement consuming groups. In treatments using manganese, there was a significant decrease in total antioxidant status and a significant increase in the amount of catalase, superoxide dismutase, and alanine aminotransferase. The use of manganese supplement in organic and inorganic forms had no effect on the nutritional behaviors of calves such as milking, feeding, rumination, jaw rest, drinking water, unusual behavior, standing and lying down. Enriching milk with manganese supplement in organic and inorganic forms improved performance, weight gain, dry matter intake, total antioxidant status, and catalase and alanine aminotransferase and biochemical status in groups consuming milk containing manganese. Based on the results of this study, it is recommended to supplement the milk of newborn calves with 30 mg of organic manganese. Organic manganese showed improved effects on key parameters, including plasma manganese concentration, glucose levels, total protein, and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity.

Prior to weaning, dairy calves are vulnerable to various pathogens and nutritional challenges. For many years, antibiotics have been employed to address these issues while also providing economic advantages by enhancing calf performance and lowering medication expenses. However, the use of antibiotics in livestock management is under scrutiny due to concerns about microorganisms developing antibiotic resistance. To eliminate antibiotics from animal feed, numerous alternatives have been suggested, including probiotics, prebiotics, and Synbiotics. Prebiotics and probiotics, along with their combinations, can serve as alternatives to treat gastrointestinal tract (GIT) disorders and enhance the host's immune system. Prebiotics are non-digestible oligo-and polysaccharides that cannot be broken down by digestive enzymes, allowing gut microbes to utilize them for growth and development. Common prebiotics, such as oligosaccharides and dietary fibers, are employed for their health benefits. Oligosaccharides may also play a role in regulating rumen fermentation by raising protein and volatile fatty acid levels while lowering ammonia nitrogen. Probiotics, which are beneficial live microorganisms, help protect the GIT from pathogens and encourage the production of substances that combat these harmful microbes. Recently, probiotics have been recognized for their ability to improve animal health, growth performance, nutrient digestibility, gut microbial balance, and immune responses. Synbiotics, a combination of prebiotics and probiotics, may offer synergistic health benefits, improving the survival and colonization of beneficial microorganisms in the GIT more effectively than either prebiotics or probiotics alone. However, there is a lack of research on the impact of synbiotic supplementation on suckling calves. Therefore, the present study was carried out to investigate the effect of synbiotic DiPro Plus on growth performance, health status and some blood parameters of Holstein suckling calves. This study was conducted in Animal Husbandry dairy herd of Moghan Agro-Industrial (Parsabad, Ardabil province, Iran). Thirty-two newborn Holstein calves with an average age of 1 to 5 days and an average weight of 37±1 kg were randomly divided into four experimental groups in a completely randomized design (8 calves / group) for 63 days. The experimental treatments include: 1) Basal diet without additives, 2) Basic diet with 1.5 g of synbiotic per day, 3) Basic diet with 3 g of synbiotic per day, 4) Basic diet with 4.5 g of synbiotic per day. The diet containing feed and milk was given at two times a day i.e. in the morning (8:00 am) and evening (18:00 pm). Daily feed intake (DFI) was measured by measuring daily feed offered and refusal. Body weight change was determined on 42 and 63 of experimental period before the morning feeding. The morphometric measurements related to skeletal growth in calves were taken at birth, 42 days, and at the end of the study using a tape measure. Blood samples were taken from all calves from jugular veins puncture on the 30 and 63th of trial to measure blood metabolites concentrations. The fecal scores and overall health status of the calves were assessed daily according to the rating system developed by the University of Wisconsin (Health Score Chart, Wisconsin). In this system, a score of zero was assigned for optimal health and fecal condition, while a score of three indicated the worst health and fecal quality. Statistical analysis was performed based on ANOVA, general linear model procedure by SAS software. The results showed that the addition of 4.5 g of synbiotic in the milk of scukling calves increased the final weight and average daily gain compared to the control group (P < 0.05). The feed conversion ratio was not affected by different synbiotic levels. At the end of the experiment, the calves receiving synbiotic had greater height from the withers and body length compared to the control group (P < 0.05), but Heart girth and hip width were not affected by different levels of symbiotic (P > 0.05). Calves receiving 3 and 4.5 g of synbiotic in milk caused a significant increase in glucose and total protein concentration compared to 1.5 g of synbiotic and the control group on day 35 and 63 (P < 0.05). But the concentration of triglyceride could not be affected by different levels of synbiotic. The results showed that the use of 4.5 g of synbiotic improved the feces consistency compared to the control group, and the health condition of the calves receiving synbiotic was better than the control group (P < 0.05).Supplementing with synbiotics is an important strategy for enhancing growth and mitigating the adverse effects associated with raising calves. Synbiotics are recognized for their positive influence on feed intake, growth performance, and gastrointestinal health. Our results demonstrated a favorable impact on nutrient consumption, average daily gain, and a decrease in fecal scores. The findings of this study indicated that synbiotic formulations significantly influenced the daily weight gain of calves by positively affecting the beneficial microbiota in the gastrointestinal tract, leading to improved nutrient absorption and, consequently, better growth rates. In conclusion, the findings of this study indicate that 4.5 g of Synbiotic (DiPro Plus) as fermented milk was beneficial in terms of average daily gain, average daily gain, and reduced faecal score and diarrhea incidence. Additionally, suckling calves showed improvements in Withers height Abd body length. However, further research is required to fully understand the fundamental aspects of future synbiotics research on structure and gut microbiota, as well as host-microbe relationship. Similarly, there is a need to investigate the feasibility of developing a commercial synbiotic formulation for use as prophylaxis in pre-ruminant calves. In summary, the supplementation of 4.5 g of synbiotic in the diet of suckling calves provided benefits in terms of feed intake, average daily gain, reduced fecal scores, and decreased incidence of diarrhea. But the feed conversion ratio of suckling calves was not significantly affected by supplementation of synbiotic. Additionally, suckling calves exhibited improvements in withers height and body length. However, further research is needed to comprehensively understand the essential aspects of future synbiotic studies, particularly regarding the structure and gut microbiota, as well as the host-microbe relationship.

Milk contains a relatively small amount of iron, and one of the most important negative aspects of milk nutrition is the occurrence of digestive diseases, such as diarrhea. Its iron concentration is in the range of 0.3-0.6 mg/kg. Calves are prone to iron deficiency. Iron is an essential component of hemoglobin, myoglobin, and several enzymes such as catalase, peroxidase, and cytochrome oxidase. In the early stages of life, calves do not have a functional rumen, and it seems that they are more like monogastric animals that must obtain the nutrients they need. They also suffer from a lack of immune systems. Therefore, this condition exposes them to critical challenges, mainly the risk of disease and death. Iron requirements of animals vary depending on their age, sex, and physiological stages. The iron requirement for calves is estimated to be around 100 ppm, and it is generally believed that young cows need more iron than mature animals. In most dairy farms, iron supplements are added to the diet from an inorganic source, which can undergo oxidation and react with other substances, thereby decreasing solubility. For the purposes of animal nutrition and increasing bioavailability, this research focuses on the use of chelates or preparations of protein iron. By using additives containing iron compounds, bioavailability can be increased by chelation, which consists of a double covalent bond of the metal with amino acids. To solve this problem, the desired elements should be added to the diets of livestock in the form of chelated supplements. This research was designed to investigate the effect of a chelated iron supplement containing organic acids and amino acids on the performance, digestibility of nutrients, feeding behaviors, and blood parameters of weanling calves.

Thirty-six newborn male calves (with an average weight of 35.1 ± 2.7 kg) were randomly divided into three groups with 12 replications. Experimental treatments were a control group (without iron supplementation), diets supplemented with 50 mg of chelated iron based on organic acids per calf per day, and diets supplemented with 50 mg of chelated iron based on amino acids per head of calf per day. First, all the calves were carefully examined to ensure their health and performance. The duration of the experiment was 63 days. Calves were weighed every 21 days, and the amount of consumed feed was recorded daily after 16 hours of starvation after feeding using a digital scale. The feed consumption of each animal was also calculated from the difference in the given diets and the remaining manger of each animal. The increase in the amount of feed given to the animals was determined based on the feed of each animal on the following day. The feed of the animal would increase if the animal left less than 10% feed on three consecutive days. Diets were adjusted based on NRC (NRC, 2001) completely mixed, and provided to the calves two times: 8 in the morning and 4 in the evening. Animals had free access to water. Calves were also milked twice in the morning and in the evening (at the rate of 10% of body weight). For the samples of digestibility, the samples of feed, residues, and feces were first collected from each animal on days 58 to 63 for 5 days. To measure blood metabolites, blood was sampled from the calf's jugular vein on day 63. Blood samples were transferred into anticoagulant-containing tubes. To prepare plasma, blood samples were centrifuged at 3000 rpm for 10 min, and plasma samples were transferred to -20 °C until analysis. During days 61 to 63 of the experimental period, nutritional behaviors, including eating, resting, chewing, standing, and ruminating activities, were measured visually for all animals every 5 min for 48 hours.

The calves receiving chelated iron supplements containing amino acids showed increases in final weight (P = 0.0496), total period weight (P = 0.0198), and daily weight (P = 0.0212) and a decrease in feed conversion ratio (P = 0.0413) compared to the control group and the treatment receiving chelated iron supplements containing the organic acids. There were no significant differences in dry matter and milk consumption among different treatments. Nutrient digestibility and feeding behaviors were not affected by experimental treatments. The consumption of iron supplements by calves in both chelated forms containing organic acids and amino acids increased the amount of blood iron (P = 0.0379), ferritin (P=0.0011), unsaturated iron binding capacity (P=0.0428), transferrin (P = 0.0331), red blood cells (P = 0.0333), hemoglobin (P = 0.0290), and hematocrit (P = 0.0001). Receiving chelated iron supplements decreased the total antioxidant index (P = 0.0001) and total iron binding capacity (P = 0.0001) compared to the control group.

According to the results of this research, it is recommended to provide chelated iron containing amino acids due to improving the performance of suckling calves.

Minerals play a crucial role in maintaining the characteristics of the rumen environment in cattle, enhancing the fermentation process. Selenium, a rare yet essential mineral, is particularly important for improving immunity and reducing the incidence of certain diseases. By contributing to the structure of the enzyme glutathione peroxidase, selenium is vital for the antioxidant system. This study aimed to compare the effects of selenium-enriched probiotic supplements on the growth performance, feed intake, hematological parameters, and health status of suckling calves. For this purpose, a total of 80 newly born Holstein calves (35±1 kg) were selected immediately after birth and before the first milk feeding. They were randomly assigned to four treatment groups. Each treatment group received one of the following diets randomly: the first group served as the control group and received a starter without selenium supplementation. The second, third, and fourth groups received probiotics enriched with selenium at concentrations of 0.15, 0.30, and 0.45 ppm, respectively (SE0.15, SE0.3, and SE0.45). The feeding period, based on the dairy farming schedule and the feeding period for each treatment, was considered 75 days mixed in the starter. Throughout the experimental period, growth-related parameters such as average weight gain, height, average daily dry matter intake, as well as the health condition of the calves were evaluated by evaluating the health of the calves using the Wisconsin scoring index were recorded. The results of this experiment indicated that the SE0.45 treatment, which received a starter supplemented with 0.45 ppm selenium-enriched probiotic, exhibited a higher average weight compared to the control group (linear and quadratic, P<0.05). The experiment also demonstrated that selenium supplementation led to an improvement in average feed intake during the trial period, with SE0.45 treatment showing the best performance compared to the control group (linear and quadratic, P<0.05). According to the reported results in Table 7, the blood albumin concentration in the selenium-supplemented treatment groups was higher than that in the control group (linear, quadratic, and cubic, P<0.05). Additionally, the average concentration of glutathione peroxidase in the selenium-receiving treatment groups was higher than in the control group (linear, P<0.05). The results of this experiment indicated that adding selenium-enriched probiotics at levels of 0.30 and 0.45 ppm to the diet of suckling calves resulted in an increase in average height at the end of the experimental period compared to the control group (linear and quadratic, P<0.05). The daily height gain of the calves in the selenium-receiving groups was higher than the control group before weaning (linear, quadratic, and cubic, P<0.05). Microbial culture results of fecal samples indicated that the total bacterial count in the 0.45 ppm selenium-supplemented group was lower than that in the control group (linear, P<0.05). However, the population of Lactobacillus species in this treatment group was higher than in the control group (linear and quadratic, P<0.05). The addition of selenium to the diet of suckling calves not only affected height and weight gain but also improved the antioxidant system in the blood and enhanced the intestinal microflora conditions of the calves. Based on the regression results obtained, the optimal selenium supplement dose in the diet of suckling calves until weaning was calculated to be between 0.11 to 0.41 ppm. The average optimal doses obtained for all significant traits are equivalent with 0.3 ppm on selenium in the supplement.

Minerals are a small part of the diet, but their deficiency has major consequences for the health and reproduction of animals. Iron is not only one of the most abundant elements on Earth (it is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust), but it is also a vital component of living things and an essential nutrient for all animal species. The main source of iron for calves and other newborn ruminants is milk or milk replacer. Milk contains relatively small amounts of iron, and calves are prone to iron deficiency. In most dairy farms, iron supplements are added as an inorganic source to the diet, which can undergo oxidation and react with other substances, causing a decrease in solubility. To solve this problem, the desired elements should be added to the ration of livestock in the form of chelated supplements. Research shows that iron plays an essential role in several metabolic processes and is necessary for the synthesis of DNA, RNA, and proteins in the body. Dietary supplements with iron have increased hematology parameters and improved growth. In addition, the presence of iron in the diet is effective in increasing appetite and glucose metabolism. Based on this, this study was conducted to investigate the effect of chelated iron supplement containing organic acid and amino acid on the performance, skeletal growth indices, fecal score, and blood parameters of suckling calves.
36 newborn male calves (with an average weight of 35.1±2.7 kg) were randomly divided into three groups with 12 replicates. The treatments included the control group (basic diet without iron supplement), basic diet with chelated iron supplement containing organic acid, and basic diet with chelated iron supplement containing amino acid. The length of the trial period was 63 days. During the experiment, calves were kept in separate locations. The rations were based on the National Research Council (NRC) report which was published in 2001. The rations were provided by total mixed ration (TMR) in calves at 8 am and 4 pm and animals had free access to water. Milk feeding was also performed in the morning and evening (10% of body weight). Calves were weighed every 21 days. The amount of feed consumed and post-feed was recorded daily. Skeletal growth in the body was measured using a standard measuring device and caliper. Three days a week, the calves' feces were randomly evaluated. On the last day, three hours after the morning meal, calves were sampled from the veins and blood parameters were determined. Sampling was done using venoject tubes with and without heparin and the samples were immediately centrifuged at 3000 rpm for 10 minutes to separate the plasma and kept at -20ºC until the day of the experiment. Glucose, urea, triglyceride, cholesterol, total protein, albumin, and globulin were determined using a Pars Test automated analyzer and kit. The measurement of mineral elements in blood serum (iron, zinc, copper, calcium, and phosphorus) was done by atomic absorption device.
The results showed that calves receiving chelated iron supplements with amino acids had an increase in the final weight, total period weight, and daily weight, and a decrease in feed conversion rate compared to the control group and treatment receiving chelated iron supplements with organic acids (P<0.05). Also, there was no significant difference in terms of dry matter and milk consumption among different treatments. There was no significant difference in terms of skeletal growth indices among different treatments. Fecal score and diarrhea status improved in both treatments receiving iron supplements (P<0.05). Consumption of iron supplements by calves in both chelated forms containing organic acids and amino acids increased blood glucose and iron and decreased blood copper and phosphorus (P<0.05). However, cholesterol, triglyceride, urea, total protein, albumin, and blood globulin were not affected.
In general, according to the results of this research, the intake of chelated iron with amino acids is recommended due to the improvement in the performance of suckling calves.

The management of suckling calves guarantees health and performance in their productive life. The sensitivity and low immune system in newborn calves increase the odds ratio of some disorder incidence and sometimes it is associated with the death. Therefore, the use of antibiotics in suckling calves became popular. Laws prohibiting the use of antibiotics in raising domestic animals led to the use of natural alternatives with similar properties. These compounds cause positive effects on the reduction of intestinal infections, and disorders and increase the absorption of nutrients by creating intestinal microbial balance. Prebiotics have the same feature that changes the microflora population in the digestive system. It has been proven honey has prebiotic characteristics that improve the immune system in mammals. This product and its by-products are used for different goals in human feed. This prevents intestinal infection, modifies intestine microflora population, and improves health situation and lipid metabolism. Honey is a natural product that is thickened from saturated or supersaturated sugar solutions. It usually consists of 17% water, 38% fructose, 31% glucose, 10% other sugars, and a wide range of micronutrients, vitamins, minerals, and amino acids, with a pH below 4. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of milk enrichment with natural honey on the performance, digestibility, blood parameters, and skeletal growth indices of suckling Holstein calves.
Eighteen Holstein suckling male calves with an average weight of 58±4.2 kg were used. Treatments were divided into three groups which contained zero, 2.5, and five g per day of natural honey to the milk consumed. The duration of the experiment was 30 days evaluated in a completely randomized design. Calves were kept in individual pens and fed based on NRC requirements. Starter provided to total mixed ration (TMR) form which is given at 8:00 am and 4:00 pm daily. Calves fed milk based on 10% of body weight in the morning and evening. The amount of milk consumed by calves is measured, and to calculate the milk solids, it is multiplied by a coefficient of 12.5%. Dry matter (DM) digestibility, blood samples, average daily gain, dry matter intake, stool score, and skeleton growth were evaluated during 30 d and compared treatment by the general mixed model in SAS software.
The results of this study showed that adding natural honey to milk significantly improved the feed conversion ratio and increased the final weight, average daily gain, and dry matter digestibility of the calves (P<0.05). The group of calves that consumed five g of natural honey per day had the highest final weight and average daily gain, as well as the lowest feed conversion ratio. However, the milk and starter intakes were not affected by the experimental treatments, and there was no significant difference observed between the control group and the groups that received natural honey (P<0.05). Supplementing milk with honey improved the growth rate and feed conversion ratio of the calves, likely due to the presence of enzymes and other substances in honey that aid in breaking down polysaccharides into usable energy for the animals. Blood glucose concentration decreased in the calves that received natural honey (P<0.05), but the concentrations of cholesterol, triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein, and very low-density lipoprotein were not significantly different among the treatments (P>0.05). The reduction in blood glucose can be attributed to the antioxidant compounds present in honey, which can reduce intestinal glucose absorption by inhibiting the digestive enzymes of alpha-amylase or delaying the emptying of stomach contents into the small intestine. The stool consistency score increased with increasing levels of natural honey in the milk, and the group that received five g of natural honey per day had the best stool score, while the control group had the lowest stool consistency score (P<0.05). However, there was no effect of treatment on the number of animals with diarrhea or the number of days involved with diarrhea (P>0.05). Natural honey is rich in antioxidants and has prebiotic properties, which promote the growth of beneficial microorganisms and decrease harmful microflora in the gut. There was no significant difference observed in skeletal growth indices between the different experimental treatments (P>0.05).
The experiment's findings indicated that incorporating natural honey (up to five g/day) into the milk given to Holstein calves can improve their performance and health, making it a recommended practice.

The future of any dairy farm depends on the success of its calf and heifer-raising programs. Regarding the risk of gastrointestinal diseases and the prevalence of diarrhea, suckling calves are among the most sensitive animals in dairy herds. Gastrointestinal diseases are most prevalent in the first two weeks of calves' life and are the reason for 32% of deaths. In addition to short-term economic losses, diarrhea in female calves will delay sexual maturity and reduce milk production performance in the first lactation period. The use of antibiotics to prevent and treat diarrhea in suckling calves is always limited due to antibiotic resistance and some side effects. Research shows that between different anti-diarrhea feed additives, prebiotics and probiotics have the most positive effects in the first weeks of suckling calves' lives. In addition, it has been demonstrated that immunoglobulin Y can be effectively used to inhibit calves' gastrointestinal pathogens such as Escherichia coli and Salmonella species. Also, the use of electrolytes during diarrhea to prevent dehydration in young animals has been known to be positive. However, the synergistic effects of the simultaneous use of the mentioned additives are not clearly defined. Therefore, the present study was conducted to investigate a combination of immunoglobulin Y, probiotics, and electrolytes' effect on growth performance, feed intake, fecal consistency, health status, and blood parameters of Holstein suckling calves.
In this study, 24 suckling Holstein calves from birth to 28 days old were divided into two experimental groups (12 replications in each group) in a completely randomized design. The experimental groups included: 1) the control group (without additive) and 2) the group that received 10 grams per day of an anti-diarrheal feed additive contained 1.2 grams of probiotics with 5×108 cfu/g, 1 g IgY, and 7.8 g electrolytes. All animals had free access to clean water and the ad libitum basal starter feed. The anti-diarrheal additive was dissolved in the calves' morning meal colostrum or milk. Feed intake, growth performance, and Escherichia coli fecal count were measured weekly. Rectal temperature and calves' fecal scores were evaluated daily (according to the method provided by Wisconsin University). Also, at birth, 14 and 28 days, blood samples were taken from the jugular vein. The repeated measurement data were analyzed by the MIXED procedure of the SAS version 9.4 statistical software. The means were reported as LSMEANS, and the significance level was considered as P<0.05. Also, for the statistical analysis of the fecal scores data, the days of each score were counted.
The results showed that the average daily weight gain in the third week in the anti-diarrhea group was significantly higher than the control group (P<0.05). As a result, the live weight of the third and fourth weeks in the anti-diarrhea group was significantly higher than the control group (P<0.05). The starter intake in the anti-diarrhea group was 25% higher in the third week and 12% higher in the whole period than in the control group (P<0.05). Also, the feed conversion rate in the anti-diarrhea group in the second and third weeks was significantly lower than the control group (P<0.05). No significant difference was observed in the blood urea nitrogen, glucose, albumin, cholesterol, and triglyceride concentrations. Also, the anti-diarrheal additive had no significant effect on the count of white blood cells and the percentages of lymphocytes, neutrophils, monocytes, and eosinophils. According to the results, the anti-diarrhea additive had no significant effect on the calves' rectal temperature. The count of fecal Escherichia coli in the anti-diarrhea group was significantly lower than the control group in the first week, the first two weeks, and the whole period (P<0.05). The anti-diarrhea additive led to a significant increase in the number of days with zero scores (improvement of feces consistency) and a significant decrease in scores two and three (reduction of diarrhea prevalence) in calves (P<0.05). The results showed that in the first, second, and third weeks, the number of days with diarrhea significantly decreased in the anti-diarrhea group (P<0.05). In addition, the anti-diarrheal additive led to a significant decrease (58%) in the diarrhea length period. According to the period length and hardness of diarrhea, the cost of treating diarrhea in 28 days was estimated to be 830000 Rials and 470000 Rials in the control and anti-diarrhea groups, respectively. Therefore, the anti-diarrhea additive resulted in a 43% reduction in treatment costs.
The results of the present study showed that the supply of an anti-diarrheal additive containing probiotics, immunoglobulin Y, and electrolytes to suckling calves led to a significant increase in growth performance, starter intake, improvement in feed conversion rate, reduction in the count of fecal Escherichia coli, and shortening of the diarrhea duration period. However, this additive did not affect rectal temperature, white blood cell status, and blood parameters such as glucose, cholesterol, triglyceride, albumin, total protein, and blood urea nitrogen. Therefore, the anti-diarrheal additive can reduce the prevalence, duration, and grade of diarrhea and its harmful effects and improve suckling calves' growth performance and health status.

Suckling calves are exposed to different stressors such as birth, pathological factors and environmental factor stress which cause increase of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and oxidative stress. Trace minerals are a part of some antioxidative enzymes which are necessary for health maintenance. Trace mineral amount of colostrum and milk is not optimal and usage of trace mineral supplements are necessary for suckling calves. Therefore, the aim of this study was evaluation of adding a mixed supplement of trace minerals including copper, iron, zinc and manganese on growth performance, biochemical, enzymatic, antioxidant, hormonal and hematological parameters.

A total of 20 day-old male and female suckling Holstein calves were randomly divided in to two equal groups (ten calves per group) based on initial body weight (40±5 Kg) and until weaning (day 63) they were kept in individual pens. the control group calves were fed with milk and starter diet including whey protein as trace mineral career and treatment group were fed with milk including 15 part per million (ppm) iron sulfate (FeSo4), 6 ppm zinc sulfate (ZnSo4), 6 ppm manganese sulfate (MnSo4) and 1.5 ppm copper sulfate (CuSo4) supplements and basal starter diet including 100 ppm FeSo4, 40 ppm ZnSo4, 40 ppm MnSo4 and 10 ppm Cuso4 supplement until weaning on day 63. During entire experimental period calves accessed starter diet and water ad libitum. Feed intake was calculated daily and calves were weighed weekly to calculate feed conversion ratio (FCR) and average daily gain. Blood samples were collected on days 0, 21, 42 and 63 to determine plasma trace mineral levels and biochemical, enzymatic, hormonal, antioxidant and hematological parameters.

The results indicated that growth performance, catalase and superoxide dismutase activity, total antioxidant capacity, and thyroxine (T4) concentration were not affected by trace mineral supplement. Although, plasma zinc concentration and high density lipoprotein concentration were recorded higher in animals received supplemented trace minerals (P<0/05), low density lipoproteins concentration was lower in the calves fed with trace mineral supplement (P<0/05). In addition to the parameters listed above, alkaline phosphatase concentration, red blood cells count, hemoglobin and hematocrit and triiodothyronine (T3) concentrations were significantly increased in the calves received trace minerals supplement (P<0/05).

Totally, supplemental trace minerals could not improve growth performance and enzymatic antioxidant activity of suckling Holstein calves; however, some biochemical, hormonal and enzymatic parameters related to inflammation, ossification, and cellular basal metabolism were improved in suckling calves.

 Before weaning, dairy calves are susceptible to many pathogens and nutritional problems. For several years antibiotics have been used to overcome these problems also to obtain economic benefits in terms of improved calves performance and reduced medication costs. However, the use of antibiotics in animal husbandry is in question because of antibiotic resistance of microorganisms. In an effort to replace antibiotics from animal feeds, many additives have been proposed. Probiotic, prebiotics and Organic and inorganic mineral salts are examples of these additives. Prebiotics are non-digestible carbohydrates which are not metabolized in the small intestine and fermented in large intestine. Mannan oligosaccharides and β-glucan are prebiotics which derived from saccharomyeces cereviciae cell wall and are able to block fimbriae of patho genic bacteria, and thus prevent their adhesion to the mucous epithelium. The administration of prebiotic to calves can decrease coliform population of large intestine and colon of calves. More recently, prebiotics have been shown to have immune-enhancing characteristics Also, Copper is a microelement that is present in many important processes in the body and plays a vital role. Copper deficiency in some parts of the world is a major problem in ruminants. For this reason, dietary supplements are commonly used to regulate the diet of calf to compensate for copper deficiency. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of copper nanoxide and prebiotics on blood cell count and growth performance in Holstein suckling calves.

Twenty-eight Holstein calves with an average age of 1 to 8 days and an average weight of 39±1 kg were used in a factorial experiment as a completely randomized design with 4 treatments and 7 replications. Experimental treatments include: 1) Basal diet without additives, 2) Basic diet with 4 gr of prebiotic per day, 3) Basic diet with 15 ppm nanoparticles of copper per day, 4) Basic diet + 4 gr of prebiotic + 15 ppm nanoparticles of copper per day. The diet containing feed and milk was given two times a day i.e. in the morning (8:00 am) and evening (18:00 pm). Water was offered adlibitum. Whole blood samples were collected from jugular veins on d 60, approximately 3 h after the morning feeding. Samples were sent to the laboratory under refrigeration (4°C) till analyzed for WBC count, neutrophil, lymphocyte and monocyte concentration.Results and Discussion The results showed that the copper nanoxide, prebiotics and the interaction of copper nanoxide and prebiotics could not affect the final weight of suckling calves. The results showed that feed intake, daily weight gain and feed conversion ratio of suckling calves were not significantly affected by supplementation of prebiotic and copper nanoxide in the diet during the first, second month and experimental period. Also, Body length, Wither height and Heart girth of Holstein suckling calves were not affected by copper nanoparticles and prebiotics supplementation. Prebiotic, copper nanoxide and their interaction had no significant effect on white blood cells, red blood cells, hemoglobin and hematocrit. In contrast, copper nanoxide and prebiotics significantly increased the neutrophil percentage (P <0.05).

has shown that probiotic consumption had no significant effect on functional parameters of Baluch sheep including final weight, daily gain, feed intake and dietary intake. However the result of the other study suggests that prebiotic can be supplemented to the calves for better performance. In contrary to the results of the present study, other researchers have indicated that copper nanoparticles could improve growth performance and modulate intestinal microflora and intestinalmucosal morphology in weaned piglets. In the study addition of pro- prebiotic and symbiotic to the whole milk of dairy female calves increased average daily gain but dry matter intake and blood parameters related to immune system and cell-mediated immune response were not affected. However, when a combination of probiotic and prebiotic added to the milk a better improvement in average daily gain was observed. A study reported that haematological traits (WBC count, neutrophil, monocyte, lymphocyte and hemoglobin) were unaffected by prebiotic and synbiotic in weaned pigs. However, the other study showed that immune parameters such as lymphocytes, leukocyte and neutrophils tended to increase in supplementation of symbiotic.

In general, results of this experiment indicated that using prebiotics and copper nanoxide did not improve growth performance and blood cell count except neutrophil percentage.

Considering that trace elements play an important role in growth performance and immune system in livestock. Nowadays, inorganic forms (mineral salts) of these minerals are added to mineral supplements. Because of mineral interaction, inorganic forms have lower bioavailability in gastrointestinal tract. One of the ways to increase the availability of trace minerals in the digestive tract of livestock is to replace their organic form (chelate with peptides and amino acids) in mineral supplements. For this purpose, the effects of organic sources of trace minerals on livestock performance have been studied. The objective of this experiment was to investigate the effect of replacement of inorganic form of zinc, copper, manganese and selenium with organic source on starter intake and growth performance of Holstein suckling calves.

30 Holstein calves (42 ± 2 kg of birth weight) were equally assigned to two groups of 15 (5 male and 10 female) control and treatment. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design and lasted for 80 days. The experiment was started at 4 days of age and calves were weaned at 70 days of age and were kept up to 80 days in individual hutches. All calves were equally fed with same starter. Chelated copper, zinc, manganese and yeast selenium in treatment group and copper sulfate, manganese oxide, zinc oxide and sodium selenite in control group were added to the starter. Weight and starter intake of calves were measured weekly and daily, respectively. Blood parameters and serum levels of zinc, copper, manganese, and glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase enzymes were measured at the start of experiment and at the time of weaning. Calf feces were collected at the end of the experiment and after preparing the samples by wet ash method (AOAC, 984.27); fecal excretion of copper, zinc and manganese elements was analyzed.

Results showed that starter intake and feed efficiency increased significantly by 85.6g and 6.44% respectively in treatment group. Calves were fed with organic form showed higher average daily gain (p < 0.001). No significant difference was found in blood parameters, serum levels of copper and zinc. However, level of manganese in blood serum was significantly higher in treatment group. It was not found significant changes in level of glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, β hydroxybutyrate and immunoglobulin G in both groups (P≥0.05). In this study, Fecal excretion of manganese, zinc, and copper decreased significantly by 25%, 16%, and 22% respectively for calves were fed the organic form (P≤0.01).

This study showed that replacing inorganic forms of manganese, zinc, copper and selenium with their organic source had positive effects on growth performance and feed efficiency of suckling Holstein calves. Therefore, total replacement of copper, manganese, zinc and selenium with their organic form in mineral supplements of calf starter is recommended.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast and butyrate monoglycerides on the performance, blood parameters and nutrients digestibility in suckling Holstein calves. For this experiment, 32 newly-born Holstein calves (average age 1-8 days; average weight 38±1 kg) were used in a completely randomized design with 2×2 factorial arrangement, 4 treatments and 8 replications. The experimental treatments were: 1) Basal diet without any additive (control), 2) Basal diet with 5 g per day of butyrate monoglycerides, 3) Basal diet with 2 g per day of saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast, 4) Basal diet + 2 g of saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast + 5 g per day of butyrate monoglycerides. Feed intake was measured daily. Body weight changes were recorded at birth, d 30 and 60 after birth and d 75 on the weaning time and feed conversion ratio was calculated for each group. Nutrient digestibility was measured by using acid insoluble ash as the internal marker. For determination of blood parameters, blood samples were taken from jugular vein on d 30 and 60. The results showed that the addition of saccharomyces cerevisiae and butyrate glycerides did not affect feed intake in the first and second months, and in the whole experimental period. Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast and butyrate glycerides interaction had no significant effect on the final weight of calves. Daily weight gain of calves in the first and second months were not affected by the addition of yeast and butyrate supplements or their interaction. Total daily weight gain affected significantly by effects of feeding saccharomyces cerevisiae (P=0.05) and butyrate glycerides (P=0.01). The results showed that the addition of saccharomyces cerevisiae and glycerides of butyrate did not influence blood concentrations of glucose, cholesterol, triglyceride, albumin, total protein, blood urea and globulin whereas blood beta-hydroxy butyrate concentration increased by feeding butyrate supplement (P=0.02). Feeding butyrate supplement increased significantly protein digestibility (P=0.05). Based on the positive effects of butyrate monoglycerides on average daily gain, blood beta-hydroxy butyrate concentration and crude protein digestibility and the effects of saccharomyces cerevisiae on daily weight gain, use of these two feed additives can be recommended for Holstein suckling calves.

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of milk supplementation (Roumak Extra) on performance of infant Holstein calves. Roumak Extra supplement was prepared from Soha Aghrin Tech Co. which consists of vitamins (water soluble and fat soluble), Micro minerals and probiotics. The average birth weight of calves was 36.76 ± 5.80 kg. Each treatment consisted of 10 calves which were examined in individual boxes for 60 days (4 periods of 15-day). This research was carried out in a completely randomized design with three treatments as follows: 1-control treatment without supplementation of Roumak Extra 2- Treatment A by adding15 grams Roumak Extra supplement per liter of milk 3- Treatment B with the addition of 25 grams Roumak Extra supplement per liter of milk. Whole milk was fed to calves at two meal at 900 and 1700. Starter were identical in terms of crude protein (%20) and Metabolizable energy (3.3 Mcal/kg). Calves had free access to starter and water from the beginning of the plan. All data were analyzed by Mixed procedures of SAS software. Body weight changes and daily gain were not significant between the supplemental calves and the control group (P˃0.05). Consumption of starter was significantly higher in control group when compared with supplement recieved treatments (P<0.05). Dry matter digestibility increased in supplemented treatments when compared to control group (P<0.05). However, feed conversion ratio were improved in supplemented treatments (P<0.05). Roumak Extra supplementation has no significant effect on water and straw consumption time (P˃0.05). However, here is no significant difference between treatments in terms of lying, standing and ruminating time (P˃0.05). However, the time of starter consumption was higher in control group when compared with supplemented treatments (P<0.05). Blood concentration of albumin, glucose and betahydroxybutyrate were not affected by supplementation (P˃0.05). But, blood total protein and urea concentration was higher in control group when compared with supplement received calves. The effect of vitamin and mineral supplementation of Roumak Extra on the growth of the skeletal system (round the chest, widther height and loin height) was also were not significant between treatments (P˃0.05). In general, despite the decrease in feed intake and the time spent on it in supplement received calves in this experiment, due to higher dry matter digestibility and improvement in feed conversion ratio, the final weight and daily weight gain of the receiving calves on supplemented were same as control group representing an improvement in calves' performance.

This study was conducted to compare the influence of two kind of multi species probiotic on growth performance and biochemical and hormonal blood parameters. 21 male and female animals were used in thrid day of age. They were randomly allocated to 1 of 3 treatments including: control (without probiotic), probiotic Protexin and probiotic Di-pro. Dry mater intake was daily determined and body weight was measured on days 0, 20, 40 and 60. Blood samples were obtained on days 0, 30 and 60 to assess biochemical and hormonal parameters. Feed conversion ratio was lower (P<0.05) in Di-pro but there were no differences in average daily gain and dry mater intake compared to the other groups. Plasma cortisol level decreased in Di-Pro (P<0.05), and plasma T3 concentration increased in Protexin (P<0.05) compared to the other groups, while other blood parameters did not have any significant differences. The results suggest that probiotic Di-pro may improve growth performance by decreasing the feed conversion ratio in suckling Holstein calves.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of soybean hull as fiber source on growth performance, some blood metabolites, and nutrients digestibility in Holstein suckling calves. Thirty-two Holstein (male and female) calves (average weight 40 kg ± 0.5) were selected and allocated to one of the four treatments with 8 replicates in a completely randomized design for 75 days. Treatments were: 1) Basal diet with 10% alfalfa from 40 days old, 2) Basal diet with 10% alfalfa hay from 1 day of old, 3) basal diet with 5% alfalfa + 5% soybean hull from 1 day old and 4) Basal diet with 10% soybean hull from 1 day of old. The results showed that experimental treatments had a significant effect on final body weight of calves on the end of the period. Daily weight gain was highest for treatment 4 (Basal diet with 5% soybean and 5% alfalfa from 1 day) in the second month and total period of breeding and for treatment 3 (Basal diet with 10% soybean hull from 1 day old) in the first month (P <0.05). The use of forage and non-forage fibers in the basal diet of calves had not significant effect on feed intake and feed conversion ratio. Experimental diets did not affect significantly body growth parameters (breast, body length and body height) (P < 0.05).The experimental diets had no effect on blood cholesterol, albumin, total protein and urea.

Based on studies conducted in response to concerns about the use of antibiotics and other growth promoters, the demand for the use of natural growth stimulants in the livestock feed industry has increased in the last 5 to 10 years because, unlike antibiotics There is no tissue residue from the use of natural growth stimulants by livestock and poultry and does not produce microbial resistance. Other additives, including sodium humate, are obtained from organic matter decomposition, were raised. The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of sodium humate on the performance, rumen parameters and Blood parameters included glucose, total protein and cholesterol, and ammonia nitrogen rumors and volatile fatty acids of Holstein calves.

Fourtyeight newborn Holstein calves with mean birth weight was 37 ± 2 were studied in four treatments in a completely randomized design for 75 days. Calves received 4 liters of milk replacer (10% of birth weight) from day 4 of birth twice a day at 8 and 16 hours. Treatments were included as1) control (milk replacer supplement without supplementation), 2) milk replacer feeding with addition of 5 grams of sodium humate, 3) milk replacer feeding with addition of 10 grams of sodium humate, and 4) milk replacer feeding by adding 15 grams of sodium humate. In addition to milk replacer, each animal had free access to water and starter. Blood samples were taken at 30, 60 and 75 days of age, as well as rumen fluid sampling in 35 and 75 days of day after 3 to 4 hours after feeding using a vacum pump for sampling from the abdominal fluid Feed intake and calves weight were measured daily and weekly respectively.

Feed intake, Feed conversion, apparent digestibility cofficients of nutrients, volatile fatty acid concentrations, ruminal pH and growth parameters were affected by treatments (p <0.05). In the entire period, there was no significant difference in feed conversion among treatments. The effect of adding sodium humate to milk were different on blood and rumen parameters. Total volatile fatty acids in the group consuming 5 grams of sodium humate daily was significantly higher than other treatments (P<0.05). The amount of ammonia nitrogen concentration was affected by treatments at the end of the period (P = 0.04). In the end of the period, the lowest amount of ammonia nitrogen was related to treatment 2 (5 gr sodium humate). The prevalence of diarrhea was 8.33, 3, 4and 4.66 percentage respectively. General health score for calves consuming 5 grams of sodium humate was significantly higher than other treatments.

In this experiment, calves consuming 5 g of sodium humate of body weight gain, health status, blood and rumen parameters were in more favorable. The consumption of 5 grams of sodium humate had positive effects on blood and rumen parameters.

To evaluate the effect of feeding yeast probiotic in milk or starter on growth, fecal score, health, blood and rumen parameters, 30 female Holstein calves with average 40.4±1.8 kg birth weight in Taliseh Nemouneh dairy farm used from 14 until 65 days old. Calves randomly divided to 3 treatments including: 1) control (without probiotic) 2) yeast probiotic in starter 3) yeast probiotic in milk. Average daily gain, body weight and feed efficiency were not significantly different between treatments. Dry matter intake was significantly lower in treatment 2 than control (P<0.01). Digestibility of feed nutrients, ammonia nitrogen concentration, rumen fluid pH and blood parameters did not affected by treatments. Fecal score and health in treatment 2 and 3 were better than control. Generally, calves were fed with yeast probiotic in milk had the best fecal score and health

Today, use of feed and vitamin additives has been prevailed to improve immune system of ruminants and their growth performance. Conjugated linoleic acid is a general name for some fatty acids with 18 carbons and conjugated double bond. Vitamin C is a water soluble vitamin that has antioxidant property and can remove free radicals from the cells. Both conjugated linoleic acid and vitamin C involve in several physiologic processes and their supplementation for suckling calves may have some health effects. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of conjugated linoleic acid and vitamin C supplements on growth performance, concentration of some blood metabolites and blood cell counts of Holstein suckling calves.
Material and For this experiment, 28 newly-born Holstein (average age of 1-8 days, and body weight 39±2 kg) were allocated to four treatments and 7 replications for each treatment in a randomized complete design with 2×2 factorial arrangement of treatments. The experimental treatments were: 1) Basal diet (starter and whole milk), 2) Basal diet + 10 g per day of rumen protected conjugated linoleic acid, 3) Basal diet + 600 mg per day vitamin C, 4) Basal diet + 600 mg per day Vitamin C + 10 g per day of rumen protected conjugated linoleic acid. The results showed that vitamin C supplement increased starter intake in first month significantly (P<0.05). Starter intake was not affected by feeding conjugated linoleic acid. Vitamin C supplementation improved significantly daily weight gain of calves in the first month (P<0.05). Dairy weight gain of calves in the second month was affected by the interaction effect of vitamin C by conjugated linoleic acid so, calves received vitamin C and conjugated linoleic acid supplements had higher weight gain during second month of life (P <0.05). Final body weight and feed conversion ratio were not affected by the addition of conjugated linoleic acid and vitamin C during rearing periods. The results showed that adding conjugated linoleic acid and vitamin C did not affected blood parameters (glucose, cholesterol, triglyceride, total protein, albumin) of claves (P>0.05). The addition of conjugated linoleic acid increased significantly red blood cells and lymphocytes counts (P <0.05). Calves fed 600 mg of vitamin C had higher white blood cell counts than control group (P <0.05). Based on the results of this study, supplementation of vitamin C and conjugated linoleic acid could have beneficial effects on the growth and health of suckling calves

Future of dairy herds greatly depends on a standard and suitable calf rearing. Improving health and welfare parameters of calves will be resulted in rearing potent heifers in milk production and calving. Moreover, it is better to approach a maximum efficiency of calf rearing with hazardless methods and minimum side effects. Considering antibiotics resistance and growth hormones remnants in animal bodies, prebiotics are fascinating alternatives to be evaluated.
Twenty-four female Holstein calves, aging 18±3 days and body weight of 36±4 kg, were randomly assigned to groups including milk without additive, milk plus 3.5 g/day inulin and milk plus 7 g/day inulin so as to evaluation effect of using inulin as a prebiotic on growth performance, blood parameters and colonic microbial population of suckling calves. Experiment was carried out in a one-week adaptation followed by a six weeks measuring and recording period. Claves were weaned when they consumed 900 grams of starter (dry matter). Dry matter intake and feces score monitoring were recorded daily, and calves were weighed weekly. Feces sampling and blood sampling were done in (third and sixth) and (second, fourth and sixth) weeks of experiment, respectively.
There were no significant differences among groups in dry matter intake, average daily gain and feed conversion rate. Adding inulin prebiotic had no significant effect on blood parameters, although cholesterol and triglyceride concentration showed a trend toward reduction in groups receiving inulin. Feces pH and lactobacillus and coliform bacteria count did not differ among treatments.
Results of present study showed that supplemented milk with inulin oligosaccharide for six weeks had no significant effect on grows performance, dry matter intake, feed conversion rate, lactobacillus and coliform bacteria count, feces pH and blood parameters of Holstein suckling calves.

In order to surveying the effect of feeding propolis on blood sugar and triglyceride, feed intake in Holstein suckling calves, the experiment was designed in a completely randomized design with 4 treatments (diet) and 10 replicates (cattle) during 52 days. Treatments included: 1) Control (without monensin in starter and without propolis in milk). 2) Starter without monensin and 500 ppm soluble propolis powder in milk. 3) Starter without monensin and 1000 ppm soluble propolis powder in milk and 4) Monensin in starter and without propolis in milk. Statistical analysis was done with SAS software and PROC MIXED and GLM. There was significant difference between treatments for dry matter intake both in whole period and after suckling In whole period treatment 1 had the highest and treatment 4 had the lowest dry matter intake. There was not significant difference between treatments for blood glucose and triglyceride. According to positive effect of propolis (biological antibiotic) on the performance of calves in compare of monensin (synthetic antibiotic), it is recommended to use 1000 ppm propolis in per kg milk in suckling calves.

In order to surveying the effect of feeding propolis on performance، feed intake and digestibility in Holstein suckling calves، the experiment was designed in a completely randomized design with 4 treatments (diet) and 10 replicates (cattle) during 52 days. Treatments included: 1. Control (without monensin in starter and without propolis in milk); 2. Starter without monensin and 500 ppm soluble propolis powder in milk; 3. Starter without monensin and 1000 ppm soluble propolis powder in milk; and 4. Monensin in starter and without propolis in milk. Statistical analysis was done with SAS software and PROC MIXED and GLM. There was significant difference between treatments for means body weight during suckling (P<0. 05) and whole period (suckling and after suckling) (P<0. 01). Treatment 3 had the highest and treatment 2 had the lowest body weight. The wither height in treatment 3 had significant difference with other groups (P<0. 01). Both treatment 3 and 2 had the highest wither height in order. There was significant difference between treatments for dry matter intake both in whole period and after suckling (P<0. 05). In whole period treatment 1 had the highest and treatment 4 had the lowest dry matter intake. There was no significant discrepancy in terms of feed efficiency and digestibility of dry matter، organic matter and neutral detergent fiber. According to positive effect of propolis (biological antibiotic) on the performance of calves in compare of monensin (synthetic antibiotic)، it is recommended to use 1000 ppm propolis in per kg milk in suckling calves.