the puzzle pieces to healthy kids - sheep day
DESCRIPTION
Amanda Kerr, M.Sc., Nutrition Associate, Research and Development, Grober Nutrition Defining and exploring the pieces that create a successful kid rearing management system, and how each piece can change significance across farms. Learning how to manage and prioritize critical points of a kid’s early weeks to lead to best health and wellbeing.TRANSCRIPT
RIGHT FROM THE START
PUTTING TOGETHER THE PUZZLE
Rearing Healthy Kids
48th Annual Grey Bruce Farmers’ Week 2014January 9, 2014Amanda Kerr, M.Sc.
RIGHT FROM THE START
RIGHT FROM THE START
At Birth: Functional monogastric Abiotic rumen and intestine Intestinal cell permeable for colostrum absorption Prolific organ and intestinal growth
First Weeks: Suckling reflex
Esophageal groove Milk proteins digested by rennet – abomasal clot Beginnings of rumen development with solid food
Weaning: Maturation of enzymes, rumen and microbe population
Kid Digestive Physiology
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Intestinal Physiology and Colostrum
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6 Weeks: Milk and Grain 6 Weeks: Milk and Hay
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Digestive Enzyme Activity
RIGHT FROM THE START
Microbes grow best when:• Supply of energy and protein are in synch
Small and frequent meals for a small abomasum Reduce ruminal drinking Healthy rumen, lower chance of bloat
Enabling Rumen Growth Water intake drives grain intake
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Able to consume approximately 250g/day of a grain ration Providing free choice water will help Willing to eat roughage
Not under physiological stress from illness, social mixing
Step down weaning best Over 7-10 days is ideal
When is the kid physiologically ready for weaning?
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Digestive Physiology Questions
Rumen development takes time,and can be
encouraged by grain intake.
Water intake drives grain intake
Colostrum=
AntibodiesEnergy
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Doe colostrum Farm-specific antibodies Must be the first colostrum for highest quality
Disease risk? Low quality or limited colostrum? Poor mothering? Clean, disease-free frozen doe or cow’s colostrum
Thaw in bucket of hot water, do not microwave or heat in oven
Colostrum replacer (not a colostrum supplement) Guaranteed disease-free and level of IgG’s Broad spectrum antibodies High protein (43%), with 14% as IgG proteins, and fat (23%)
Practical Nutrition - Colostrum
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Quantity • 100 mL directly after birth• MINIMUM 150-200mL per kg of body weight
Feed every 3-4 hours - within 60 minutes of birth
Bottle, syringe, tube-feed Mindful of aspiration into lungs, or over-filling stomach
Be clean and patient
Practical Nutrition - Colostrum
RIGHT FROM THE START
Not only provides antibodies!
FAT = Survival!
A small neonate:Large surface area:volume
ratioSmall brown fat and body fat
reserves
The FUNDAMENTAL Puzzle Piece!Colostrum
http://calfcare.ca/colostrum-management/antibody-absorption/
RIGHT FROM THE START
Personal choice Management, saleable milk, herd disease status,
convenience, belief in nature’s way.
A quality milk replacer can bring: Efficiency for frequent feedings; Consistent high quality nutrition; Supplemental vitamins, minerals, and other
ingredients Consistent and easy acidification
Whole Milk or Milk Replacer?Remember the 5 C’s of Neonate Care When Making
the Choice
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• Fat in milk replacers give more energy in a smaller meal• Smaller meals more often – less potential
for bloat
• Fat is broken down in the small intestine• Bile acids, lipase• Passive transport into the blood stream,
then enter the liver for “repackaging”
• Too much fat or hard to digest fats = greasy feces (similar to scours)• Highly unsaturated fats harder to digest in
young
• Fat = satiety
Milk Replacers - Fat
RIGHT FROM THE START
Protein is broken down by a variety of enzymes Milk proteins are 90-97% digested
Unless heat damaged Quality testing for scorched particles
Whey proteins versus skim milk proteins Whey = faster enzymatic breakdown and
absorption Skim milk = forms a clot in the stomach, slow
release of protein, satiety effect Alternative proteins
Plant: hydrolyzed soy and wheat gluten, pea or bean flours Better able to digest 4-5 weeks and older
Milk Replacers - Protein
RIGHT FROM THE START
Simple to highly complex structures Lactose (lactase) = simple milk sugar, easy to digest energy Starch (amylase) = harder for a young animal to digest Fiber (rumen microbes) = mature gut Insulin regulation in body
Highly complex MOS, FOS, glucans
Pre-biotic sources Food for the “good” large intestine microbes
Milk Replacers - Carbohydrates
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Organic acid is used to lower pH of the milk replacer Health benefits by lowering pH of stomach
Slows microbial growth
Milk Replacers – 2 Acids One acid to lower the pH of the milk, one acid is
active in the stomach An acidified milk replacer is only as good as
the manager
Acidified Milk Replacers pH 5.50-5.75Native Milk pH 6.40-6.60
RIGHT FROM THE START
Dilute formic acid to preserve whole milk or milk replacer Pasteurization over a couple of hours
Not an immediate kill
Must agitate liquid at least 3x daily
pH must be lower than 4.5 Above this = bacterial growth, cottage cheese
On-Farm Acidified MilkpH 4.0-4.5
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GYADC 2011 Buck Kid TrialAcidified Milk Replacer Improves Treatment Response
Acidified
Non-Acidified
Mortality
Healthy kids
VS.
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Generalized Feeding Schedule for an Average Kid
Kid Age Amount to feed/feeding # feedings/day Milk (replacer) per kid per
day
Day 1 250 mL 4 Colostrum (or replacer)
Day 2 250 mL 4 1 L total solution150 g powder
End Week 1 300 mL (approx) 3 1 L total solution150 g powder
End Week 2 500 3 1.5 L225 g powder
Week 3-6 800 2 1.6 L240 g powder
Adjust amounts and frequency during cold weather.Always provide free choice water.
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Nutrition Questions?
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The border pieces of the kid puzzle – first 48 hours: Clean, warm, kidding area
IgG’s aren’t the only things absorbed by the gut! Prompt removal from doe if to be bottle-fed
Easier transition for the kid Clean, quick, quality colostrum Extend colostrum or supplement feeding
Winter or disease outbreak survival Warm, draft-free neonate pen Heat lamps
Number of kids, temperature
Environment and Kid Health
RIGHT FROM THE START
RIGHT FROM THE START
RIGHT FROM THE START
2 types of scours: Disease – bacterial (e.g. E.coli, clostridia), protozoan (e.g.
cryptosporidium), etc. Toxin production from bacteria = cellular water loss Attack of the gut epithelial lining
Mal-digestion, scar tissue
Nutritional – too large of a meal, improper mixing of milk powder, poor quality/hard to digest milk replacer
But wait! It is possible to manage both.
The Science of ScoursUnderstanding the Enemy
The Science of ScoursUnderstanding the Enemy
Critical Control Points of Scours: Colostrum Adequate energy, hydration Small, frequent meals Clean, dry bedding Warm pen Adequate space per kid Isolate sick kids to hospital pen Wash your hands, bottles, nipples,
buckets, use separate forks, shovels, boots between sick and healthy groups
Dehydration =
lethargy, poor
appetite, death
RIGHT FROM THE START
Health and Environment
QuestionsEarly
Intervention is Key!
Daily Health
MonitoringAttitude, Suckle Reflex,
Temperature, Fecal Score
Warm, Dry
Bedding,Space
RIGHT FROM THE START
Water Temperature Too high (60°C +)
Denature proteins, decrease solubility and digestibility Vitamins are disintegrated Poorer emulsification of fats = nutritional scours
Too low Poor solubility Improper liquefaction of fats = nutritional scours
Water hardness Hard water = flocculations (acidified milk replacers
prone)
Trouble Shooting Milk Replacers
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Mix for the indicated period of time Shear force creates behaviour issues
Very high mixing speed Very thin blade on mixer
Clean utensils, buckets Consider annual water testing - bacteria
Store opened milk replacer bags in a sealable container Not in the milk house Hot, humid environments = clumping, poor
mixability
Trouble Shooting Milk Replacers
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My kids aren’t drinking! Properly trained on feeder?
Left with doe too long? Milk left out too long? Too much formic acid added? Old milk replacer used? Improper mixing? Improper storage? Illness? Competition?
Trouble Shooting Milk Replacers
RIGHT FROM THE START
Efficient way to provide small, frequent meals Continuous nutrition = overcome illness, cold
weather
Guaranteed consistency with a milk replacer Disease-free Consistent energy, protein, fat, mineral and vitamins Supplemental ingredients for health and growth
Divert less saleable milk
Automating Kid Care
Mob Feeders
Mob feeders• Offer milk 3x a day for
first 2-3 weeks• Leave milk out no
longer than 2 hours• Bacterial growth• Separation of milk
• After 3 weeks of age, milk can be offered 2x daily
Areas to Watch: Competition Spoilage Waste
RIGHT FROM THE START
RIGHT FROM THE START
RIGHT FROM THE START
Automatic Feeder Mechanics 101
6 nipples = 120 kids capacity Programmable to drink in 40-50 minute cycles Program number of visits, minimum and maximum
meal sizes If kid does not drink minimum, refuse amount added to
next meal, visit interval reduced Program step-down weaning Software program to track intakes, drinking speed
Can pair with a scale to record weight gains Automatic calibration and clean cycles
RIGHT FROM THE START
RIGHT FROM THE START
Getting Kids on Automatic FeedersMay take up to 1 week to fully train all kids on
machine
Feed via bottle to ensure adequate colostrum and energy delivery first! Up to 4 days, avoiding human dependence
6 Training Tips: Suckling reflex established Guide kids to feeder – small groups work best Patience Tough love does not work, unlike calves Kids are individuals, flock mentality does not apply Regularly check intakes and health
RIGHT FROM THE START