The impact of high-quality water on the development, feed, water intake, and gastrointestinal microbiota in Holstein calves

Replacement breeding strategies play an important role in livestock production systems. Newborn calves are susceptible to nutritional deficiencies and infectious diseases. Water is an essential nutrient for all metabolic processes and contributes to the development of the gastrointestinal microbiota. However, the water quality is often overlooked in calves nutrition. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of high-quality water on the development, feed, water intake, ruminal and fecal microbiota of Holstein calves. Both groups received the same diet. The water administered to the control group (G-Ctl) corresponds to water from wells located in the production unit, while the water assigned to the experimental group (G-Exp) received a purification treatment (reverse osmosis). The variables evaluated in the study were weight, height, water consumption and starter feed. To determine the abundance of the gastrointestinal microbiota, samples of rumen fluid and feces were collected. Next-generation sequencing was used to determine gastrointestinal microbiota populations. In the present study, a higher daily weight gain and starter intake were observed in favor of the experimental group as well as a higher bacterial species abundance in the rumen. It is concluded that improve water quality favors calf development and helps to establish conditions for rumen microbiota colonization.