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Sorbitol in Diet of Young Dairy Calves¹

Department of Animal Sciences, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville 72701

ABSTRACT

Forty Holstein calves were allotted randomly before 24 h of age to one of four groups and fed daily for 28 days via their liquid diet, either 0, 10, 20, or 40 g sorbitol. Initial jugular blood samples were taken from all calves before receiving sorbitol and from 5 calves per treatment group at 30-min intervals for the first 8 h postfeeding sorbitol before 24 h of age. Total feed intake and incidence of scours were recorded daily, and calves were weighed every 7 days. Blood glucose concentrations of calves less than 24 h of age fed 40 g of sorbitol were lower during the first 8 h postfeeding sorbitol than those of calves in the other treatment groups. No differences occurred in blood glucose concentrations of calves during the first 3 to 28 days. Average blood glucose of calves during the first 8 h postfeeding sorbitol and during 3 to 28 days were 69.7 and 73.1 mg/dl. Blood fructose concentrations of calves fed 40 g of sorbitol were higher during the first 8 h than those of calves in the other groups. There were no differences in blood fructose of calves during 3 to 28 days. Average blood fructose of calves during the initial 8 h and 3 to 28 days were 9.3 and 3.1 mg/dl. Elevated blood fructose during the first 8 h appeared to depress glucose in blood. Calves appear to lose the ability to convert sorbitol to fructose by the 3rd day of life. There were no differences in body weight gains at weaning. However, calves fed sorbitol gained more body weight during the 1st wk of life.

¹ Published with the Approval of the Director of the Arkansas Agriculture Experiment Station.