Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Ruminal microbial development in conventionally or early-weaned calves.

K L Anderson, T G Nagaraja, J L Morrill

    Journal of Animal Science
    |April 1, 1987
    PubMed
    Summary

    Early weaning in bull calves promotes higher ruminal volatile fatty acid concentrations and microbial activity sooner. This study compared conventional (6-week) and early (4-week) weaning programs in calves, observing significant microbial shifts.

    Related Concept Videos

    You might also read

    Related Articles

    Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

    Sort by
    Same author

    Blood cell counts and chemistry in steers with experimentally induced liver abscesses with or without ruminal acidosis.

    Journal of animal science·2026
    Same author

    Prevalence and concentrations of major bacterial pathogens in liver abscesses and ruminal and colonic epithelial tissues in relation to abscess severity in feedlot cattle.

    Journal of animal science·2026
    Same author

    Effects of dietary starch concentration and feeding management regimen on bacterial pathogens in liver abscesses and ruminal and colonic epithelial tissues in feedlot steers.

    Journal of animal science·2026
    Same author

    The IMAP-Ultra Energetic Neutral Atom (ENA) Imager.

    Space science reviews·2025
    Same author

    Further delineation of the etiology of liver abscesses in cattle and indication of hindgut as a potential source of pathogens.

    Microbiology spectrum·2025
    Same author

    Quantification of major bacterial pathogens in liver abscesses and matched ruminal and colonic epithelial tissues of feedlot cattle.

    Microbiology spectrum·2025

    Area of Science:

    • Ruminant nutrition and microbiology
    • Calf development and weaning strategies

    Background:

    • Understanding ruminal microbial development is crucial for optimizing calf growth and health.
    • Early weaning strategies aim to accelerate rumen function but require careful monitoring of microbial shifts.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To investigate the impact of early weaning (4 weeks) versus conventional weaning (6 weeks) on ruminal microbial activity and volatile fatty acid (VFA) production in bull calves.
    • To characterize the development of ruminal bacterial populations and metabolic profiles in response to different weaning programs.

    Main Methods:

    • Eight bull calves were assigned to either a conventional or early weaning program.
    • Ruminal samples were collected periodically from 3 days of age through 12 weeks to analyze microbial populations and VFA concentrations.

    Related Experiment Videos

  • Dietary interventions included colostrum, milk, starter, and pre-starter diets tailored to each weaning group.

    • Main Results:

    • Early-weaned calves exhibited higher ruminal volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentrations at an earlier age.
    • A trend towards higher lactate and lower ruminal pH was observed in early-weaned calves during the initial 4 weeks.
    • Specific bacterial populations (amylolytic, proteolytic, lactobacilli, lactate-utilizers, cellulolytic, methanogenic) increased progressively in both groups, with early-weaned calves showing accelerated activity.

    Conclusions:

    • Early weaning (4 weeks) can lead to accelerated ruminal microbial activity and VFA production compared to conventional weaning (6 weeks).
    • Significant shifts in ruminal bacterial populations and metabolic activity occur between 4 and 6 weeks of age in both weaning programs.
    • Cellulolytic and methanogenic bacteria are present early in life, indicating potential for rapid rumen function development.