Effect of different levels of lipidol supplement on growth performance, blood and rumen parameters of Holstein suckling calves

Lipidol contains a number of active lysophospholipids, which because of its unique structure, increases the absorption of nutrients by changing the cell membrane and stimulating absorption channels. Due to the similarity of the structure of lipidol and absorption areas of the intestine, this increase in absorption takes place without spending excess energy and can facilitate the absorption process and thus reduce the feed cost. Regarding the use of lipidol supplement in the starter of suckling calves, no report was found in scientific sources. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of 0.5% and 1% levels of lipidol supplementation on growth performance, blood and rumen parameters of Holstein suckling calves.

18 male calves aged 3 to 5 days (44±3 kg) were randomly divided into 3 equal groups and each group was assigned to one of the treatments. The experiment lasted for 60 days. Experimental treatments included 1- basal diet (control), 2- basal diet plus 0.5% lipidol supplement, and 3- basal diet plus 1% lipidol supplement. Lipidol supplement was added daily to the milk consumed by calves. During the experiment, the amount of feed intake was determined daily. Weighing using a digital calf scale, and measuring skeletal growth indices including withers height, hip height, hip to pin distance, hip to hip distance, pin to pin distance, heart girth, and body length using meter and caliper, were done every three weeks. At the end of the experiment, 3 hours after the morning feeding, blood samples were taken to measure the plasma concentration of total protein, urea, glucose, triglyceride and cholesterol (Pars Azmoon kit, auto-analyzer), and rumen fluid was collected to measure pH and ammonia nitrogen concentration (phenol hypochlorite method, spectrophotometer device). The data related to growth performance, and blood and rumen parameters were analyzed according to completely randomized design, and those related to skeletal growth indices were analyzed in accordance with the repeated measure design in SAS software.

Performance traits were not affected by the use of lipidol supplement (P>0.05). Hip height in calves receiving 1% lipidol showed a tendency to decrease compared to the control group (P=0.074). Other skeletal growth indices were not affected by the treatments (P<0.05). The use of 1% level of lipidol increased the level of total protein (P=0.041). Lipidol decreased blood urea level (P=0.050). Adversely, blood cholesterol level tended to increase due to the use of this supplement (P=0.072). The highest amount was observed at the level of 0.5% lipidol. Levels of 0.5 and 1% lipidol decreased ammonia nitrogen (P<0.0001) and pH (P=0.025) of rumen fluid compared to the control.

In general, the use of 0.5 and 1% levels of lipidol supplement did not have a significant effect on the performance of Holstein suckling calves. It is suggested that higher levels of this supplement be investigated in future studies.