Table 1
Amount and nutrient composition of feed without supplement (per head per day)
| Weeks of age | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 4 | 8 | 12 | |
| Amount (dry matter; kg) | ||||
| Milk replacer | 0.90 | 1.08 | 1.08 | 0.00 |
| Concentrate | 0.04 | 0.09 | 0.45 | 1.08 |
| Oats | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.08 | 0.16 |
| Composition (dry basis; %) | ||||
| Total digestible nutrients | 103.4 | 102.4 | 95.8 | 77.5 |
| Crude protein | 27.4 | 27.1 | 24.9 | 18.8 |
| Crude fat | 15.5 | 15.1 | 11.8 | 2.2 |
| Calcium | 1.34 | 1.31 | 1.13 | 0.61 |
| Phosphorous | 0.72 | 0.71 | 0.66 | 0.52 |
| Magnesium | 0.11 | 0.11 | 0.14 | 0.21 |
Fig. 1
Changes in serum derivatives of reactive oxygen metabolites (d-ROMs) in the VC group (solid squares) and the control group (hollow squares)
The amount of d-ROMs corresponds to the amount of hydrogen peroxide
The asterisk indicates a significant difference between groups at the same age (P < 0.05)
Data are shown as mean ± SE
Fig. 2
Changes in serum biological antioxidant potential (BAP) in the VC group (solid squares) and the control group (hollow squares)
Data are shown as mean ± SE
Fig. 3
Changes in oxidative stress index (OSI) in the VC group (solid squares) and the control group (hollow squares)
The asterisk indicates a significant difference between groups at the same age (P < 0.05)
Data are shown as mean ± SE
Fig. 4
Changes in antibody titres against Histophilus somni in the VC group (solid squares) and the control group (hollow squares)
The asterisk indicates a significant difference between groups at the same age (P < 0.05)
Data are shown as mean ± SE
Table 2
Haematological parameters
| Parameter | Weeks of age | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 4 | 8 | 12 | ||
| White blood cells (102 cell/μL) | VC group Control group | 86.0 ± 5.4 79.6 ± 5.3 | 80.4 ± 3.6 88.4 ± 4.1 | 81.6 ± 5.4 88.2 ± 5.5 | 82.4 ± 5.9 83.8 ± 3.2 |
| Red blood cells (104 cell/μL) | VC group Control group | 846 ± 23 893 ± 29 | 948 ± 30 1007 ± 26 | 1022 ± 22 1102 ± 24 | 1057 ± 20 1099 ± 36 |
| Haemoglobin (g/dL) | VC group Control group | 9.8 ± 0.2 9.9 ± 0.3 | 10.5 ± 0.4 10.6 ± 0.3 | 10.9 ± 0.2 11.4 ± 0.2 | 11.2 ± 0.2 11.7 ± 0.2 |
| Haematocrit (%) | VC group Control group | 31.9 ± 0.8 32.1 ± 1.0 | 33.6 ± 1.1 33.6 ± 0.9 | 34.4 ± 0.7 35.6 ± 0.7 | 35.3 ± 0.7 35.3 ± 0.8 |