Immunity, rumen metagenomics, ruminal variables, and growth performance of calves fed milk with sage (Salvia officinalis) essential oil

AbstractThe study aimed to determine the effect of sage (Salvia officinalis) essential oil (EO) to the drinking milk until the weaning stage ofHolstein calves on the growth performance, body measurements, ruminal fermentation, rumen metagenomic profile, proinflammatory cytokines [interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor (TNF- α), and IL-1β], immune globulins (IgG, IgM, and IgE), and acute phase proteins (serum amyloid-A, SAA). In the study, 24Holstein calves were divided into three groups as 0 μL (SAG0; control group), 100 μL (SAG100), or 200 μL (SAG200) of sage EO to the milk per calf per day. The addition of sage EO to the milk linearly increased the live weight, feed intake, and daily body weight gain (P< 0.05). The addition of sage EO to the milk in calves linearly increased serum IgG titter dose dependently (P< 0.05), but serum IgM and IgE titters did not change (P> 0.05). The concentrations of serum TNF- α, IL-1β, and IL-6 in the weaned calves linearly decreased by the sage aromatic oil addition to the milk (P< 0.05). The serum SAA concentrations of calves did not differ among the control and treatment groups (P> 0.05). ProbioticBifidobacterium andAcidaminococcus genus  in calf rumen fluid can increase by sage EO addition to milk. The relative abundance of genusPrevotella,Prevotellaceae_NK3B31_group, andPrevotella_9 increase with sage EO. The ruminal ammonia-nitrogen (NH3-N) concentration and total short chain fatty acid (T-SCFA) molarity dec...
Source: Tropical Animal Health and Production - Category: Veterinary Research Source Type: research