This study aimed to investigate the effect of early weaning by supplying calves with alfalfa hay, starter feed, and milk replacer on caecal bacterial communities and on the growth of pre-weaned yak calves. Ten 30-day-old male yak calves were randomly assigned to 2 groups. The maternal grazing (MG) group was maternally nursed and grazed, and the early weaning (EW) group was supplied milk replacer, starter feed, and alfalfa hay twice per day. Compared with the yak calves in the MG group, the yak calves in the EW group showed significantly increased body weight, body height, body length, and chest girth. When suffering to the potential mechanism of improved growth of yak calves, except for the enhanced ruminal fermentation, the significantly increased total volatile fatty acids, propionate, butyrate, isobutyrate, and valerate in the caecum in the EW group could also serve to promote the growth of calves. By using 16S rDNA sequencing, some significantly increased caecal phylum and genera, which were all related to the enhanced caecal fermentation by utilizing both the fibrous and non-fibrous carbohydrates, were identified in the EW group. In conclusion, early weaning of yak calves by supplying them with alfalfa hay, starter feed, and milk replacer is more beneficial to the growth of yak calves when compared with maternal grazing and nursing, in part due to alterations in caecal microbiota and fermentation.
Keywords: 16S rRNA gene sequencing; caecal microbiota; early weaning; growth performance; yak calf.