# Dietary Oligosaccharides Alter Blood and Fecal Metabolites in Holstein Dairy Calves

## TL;DR

Adding oligosaccharides to the diet of young dairy calves changes their blood and gut metabolites, which may improve health and nutrient absorption.

## Contribution

This study shows that oligosaccharide supplementation alters metabolic profiles in pre-weaned calves, offering a new dietary strategy for calf health.

## Key findings

- Fecal fatty acid metabolites were lower in calves supplemented with oligosaccharides.
- Oligosaccharides influenced host metabolic pathways without affecting inflammation or liver markers.
- Dietary intervention with oligosaccharides may support improved nutrient absorption and gut health in calves.

## Abstract

This study evaluated the effects of supplementing oligosaccharides (non-digestible carbohydrates) on health parameters of pre-weaned dairy calves. We found that oligosaccharide supplementation influenced immune markers and gut metabolism, suggesting improved inflammatory response and nutrient absorption. These findings highlight the potential of neonatal dietary interventions to enhance calf health during vulnerable early-life stages. The results from this pilot study may help guide more sustainable and health-focused practices in the dairy industry.

Neonatal and weaning periods are the most challenging phases for enteric infections in dairy calves. While different approaches are used to minimize calf health issues, the neonatal diet remains the core approach to enhance pre- and post-weaning animal health and performance. This pilot study aimed to evaluate blood biomarkers of inflammation and fecal metabolites in calves supplemented with oligosaccharide mixture (OS) during the preweaning stage. Sixteen newborn Holstein dairy calves (eight females and eight males) were randomly assigned into two groups: control with no supplementation, or treatment with 50 g/day of OS added to the pasteurized waste milk feeding. Both control and OS-treated calves were fed pasteurized waste milk during the preweaning period and weaned at seven weeks of age. Blood and fecal samples were collected weekly. Fecal fatty acid metabolites were downregulated in treated calves compared to control calves (p ≤ 0.05). Markers of inflammation (i.e., haptoglobin) or liver response (i.e., albumin, paraoxonase) did not differ between groups (p > 0.05). Overall, these findings suggest that dietary intervention with oligosaccharides can affect host metabolic pathways.