SMALL-INTESTINAL MICROBIOLOGICAL AND MORPHOLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS IN YOUNG CALVES FED MILK REPLACERS ENRICHED WITH A COMBINATION OF LACTOPEROXIDASE SYSTEM AND LACTOFERRIN

A study has been made of the effects of a combination of lactoperoxida se system (LP-s) and lactoferrin (LF), supplemented to milk replacer f or 2 weeks, on the morphology of the small intestinal mucosa, microbio logy of the intestinal tract and the incidence and severity of diarrho ea in young calves. The experiment was conducted in two groups of 15 y oung calves, aged 7 to 21 days. The results showed a lower incidence a nd severity of diarrhoea (P<0.05) in the calves of the LP-s/LF group c ompared to the control group. CFU (Colony forming units) of E. coli in colonic digesta (P=0.10) and in faeces (P<0.05) were significantly lo wer in the LP-s/LF group compared to the control group. Dissecting mic roscopy of the small intestinal mucosa indicated more finger-shaped vi lli in the distal jejunum of the calves of the LP-s/LF group compared to the control group (P=0.01). Histometrical measurements showed that these villi were significantly (P=0.002) higher. The mean contents of immunoglobulins (IgG) increased (P=0.1) during the test period whereas those of the control group remained unchanged.