The live-weight gain and dry-matter and water intakes of calves offered milk substitute diets at high concentrations

1985 ◽  
Vol 41 (2) ◽  
pp. 161-166 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. H. Ternouth ◽  
I. J. F. Stobo ◽  
J. H. B. Roy ◽  
A. W. Beattie

Thirty-two British Friesian calves were individually offered milk substitutes ad libitum twice daily for 12 weeks. The milks were reconstituted to contain 170, 200, 230 or 260 g dry matter (DM) per kg, using spray-dried skim milk powder and homogenized fat-filled powder containing 500 g fat per kg. Drinking water was available ad libitum at all times. The last two blocks of four calves were used to measure the digestibility, absorption and retention of the constituents of the diets at 2, 6 and 11 weeks of age.The DM intakes of the calves given the four diets were variable but generally increased with increasing DM concentration, mean values being 61·5, 59·5, 66·0 and 73·3 g DM per kg M0.75. As the calves increased in age, their intakes decreased from 67·3 g DM per kg M0.75 at 2 weeks of age to 61·1 g DM per kg M0.75 at 8 weeks of age.The higher DM concentrations and intakes were associated with the higher rates of weight gain; the mean live weights at 12 weeks of age being 121·8, 123·9, 135·3 and 141·6 kg for the calves offered milks reconstituted at 170, 200, 230 and 260 g DM per kg respectively.The concentration of the DM had no effect upon the coefficients of digestion or absorption nor on the retention of energy, protein, calcium or phosphorus. The digestibility of protein increased, whilst the absorption and retention of Ca and P declined with age.Intake of drinking water did not change with age, but was higher for calves given the milk containing 260 g DM per kg than for those given the other three concentrations. The total water intakes were similar for the calves given milks containing 200, 230 and 260 g DM per kg.The linear relationship of DM intake to DM concentration of the milk substitute suggested a lower level of intake in the present experiment, than was observed in a previous experiment (Ternouth, Stobo, Roy and Beattie, 1985b) when the milk concentrations were lower and drinking water was not available. When the concentrations of the DM were re-calculated to take into account the quantity of drinking water consumed, the relationships between DM intake and adjusted DM concentration for the two experiments were similar.

1969 ◽  
Vol 73 (2) ◽  
pp. 279-287 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. C. Tayler ◽  
C. R. Lonsdale

SUMMARYTwo experiments were carried out to study the effect of the ad libitum feeding of whole-milk substitutes, either warm or cold, and the availability of drinking water, on the level of food intake and live-weight gain of calves. Freshly cut grass or pasture was the sole source of solid feed.In Exp. 1 forty Hereford x Friesian male calves were reared individually indoors in a 2x2x2 factorial design experiment. The treatments were full-cream milk powder υ milk substitute, temperature at which the milk was offered, and drinking water υ no drinking water available to the calves. Fresh grass was cut daily and fed ad libitum to all animals from the sixth day of treatment.In Exp. 2, twelve Hereford x Friesian male calves were reared at pasture on warm or cold full-cream milk during weeks 1–7, and on milk substitute during weeks 8–15.During both experiments calves receiving warm milk drank slightly more than calves receiving cold milk; this difference was significant in Exp. 1 only. There was a tendency for calves receiving cold milk to make higher live-weight gains (0·05 < P < 0·1) when drinking water was available than when it was not. In Exp. 1, the rates of live-weight gain of calves receiving warm or cold milk substitute with drinking water available were 0·99 and 0·89 kg/head/day, respectively: for calves receiving full-cream milk powder the corresponding rates were 0·86 and 0·80 kg/head/day. When drinking water was not available the rates of gain of calves on warm or cold milk substitute were respectively 0·93 and 0·82 kg/head/day, and on full-cream milk powder, 0·94 and 0·55 kg/head/day.In Exp. 2 the rate of live-weight gain measured during the first 7 weeks, whilst calves were receiving full-cream milk powder, was 0·88 kg/head/day irrespective of the temperature at which the milk was given. During weeks 8–14 milk substitute was given, which resulted in rates of live-weight gain of 1·05 kg/head/day for calves receiving warm milk and 0–92 kg/head/day for calves receiving cold.The rates of gain attained on cold milk are considered adequate for rearing calves intended for an intensive system of production. It is also suggested that the use of cold milk could facilitate a marked decrease in the daily labour requirements associated with the artificial rearing of calves.


1983 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 147-150 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. S. Thickett ◽  
N. H. Cuthbert ◽  
T. D. A. Brigstocke ◽  
M. A. Lindeman ◽  
P. N. Wilson

ABSTRACTResults are presented from six trials dealing with aspects of management on the cold ad libitum system of calf rearing using an acidified milk replacer containing over 600 g skim milk powder per kg.Thirty-six calves were housed in pens of six for each trial and were fed through a teat and pipeline from a storage barrel. Acidified milk replacer, pH 5·6, was mixed cold at 125 g/1 and made available ad libitum to 3 weeks. A rationed allowance was given daily, on a reducing scale, over the following 2 weeks with weaning completed at 35 days. A pelleted dry food containing 180 g crude protein per kg, together with water in buckets and barley straw in racks, was available ad libitum throughout. Each trial lasted 8 weeks. Results for the mean of the six cold ad libitum trials involving 216 calves were compared with the mean results of 10 conventional bucket-fed trials carried out separately at the same unit, involving 912 calves. All calves were purchased British Friesian male (bull) calves.Calves on the ad libitum system showed improved live-weight gains of 9·4 kg at 3 weeks, 8·8 kg at 5 weeks and 7·5 kg at 8 weeks, compared with the conventional system. The consumption of milk replacer powder was higher in ad libitum trials at 29·4 kg cf. 12·5 kg by bucket but intake of pelleted dry feed was lower on the ad libitum system at 50·7 kg cf. 71·3 kg to 8 weeks. Calf appearance scores were significantly improved on the ad libitum system which gave the main improvement in performance in the first 3 weeks.


1976 ◽  
Vol 36 (3) ◽  
pp. 317-335 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. J. Williams ◽  
J. H. B. Roy ◽  
Catherine M. Gillies

1. The effect of different protein sources in milk-substitute diets on abomasal acidity and proteolytic activity was studied in Friesian calves, aged 20–58 d (Expt 1). The diets contained ‘mildly’ preheated, spray-dried skim-milk powder (MHM), ‘severely’ preheated, spray-dried skim-milk powder (SHM), fish-protein concentrate (FPC) or solvent-extracted soya-bean flour (SF) as the main protein source.2. Gastric juice was collected from abomasal pouches before feeding and at 15 min intervals for 8 h after the morning feed. Samples of digesta were obtained from the abomasum at 1 h intervals during the same period.3. Digesta pH was lower and titratable acidity higher 0-3 h after giving the diet containing MHM than when any of the other three diets was given.4. Acid secretion from the pouches for the different diets was in the order: FPC > MHM > SHM ≥ SF.5. Protease secretion from the pouches, assayed at pH 2.1, was in the order: MHM > SHM = FPC > SF.6. The effect of dry matter (dm) intake and concentration on abomasal acidity was also studied in calves given diets which contained MHM (Expt 2). This diet was reconstituted at either 100 or 149 g dm/kg liquid diet and fed at either 32.5 or 49.0 g DM/kg live weight 0.75 per d. Samples of abomasal digesta were collected as in Expt 1.7. A high intake of dm at a low dm concentration resulted in low acidity of the digesta in the first 3 h after feeding, which suggested a dilution effect. Comparison of two diets of different dm concentration, which were fed in the same volume of liquid, indicated that the greater the dm intake, the greater was the amount of acid secreted.8. It is concluded that the protein sources varied in their ability to stimulate abomasal acid and protease secretion and it is suggested that this may relate to calf performance.


1973 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 215-222
Author(s):  
J. H. B. Roy ◽  
I. J. F. Stobo ◽  
P. Ganderton ◽  
Susan M. Shotton

SUMMARY1. Four British Friesian steers were reared to a live weight of 340 kg as pre-ruminant animals, by the use of milk substitutes based on liquid skim milk, spray-dried whey powder and an ultra-high-fat (68%) milk powder.2. Except for one case of hypomagnesaemia, the steers remained healthy. Live-weight gain/day, age at slaughter and feed conversion ratio were 1·23 kg, 253 days and 2·31 kg dry matter/kg weight gain respectively.3. No marked development of the rumen had occurred; gut fill in relation to fasted live weight was 3·4% and killing-out percentage was 61·2.


1967 ◽  
Vol 7 (29) ◽  
pp. 562 ◽  
Author(s):  
BR Wilson ◽  
JM Holder

Pig performance was compared on wheat based diets supplemented by two levels of either meat and bone meal or fish meal plus skim milk powder. The dry matter digestibility and nitrogen retention on these diets were determined and the effect of adding zinc to diets containing meat and bone meal was examined. At the higher level, fish meal plus skim milk powder produced greater daily gains between 60-160 lb than the meat and bone meal, but feed conversion and carcase lean were not affected. At the lower level, fish meal plus skim milk powder produced leaner carcases and greater daily gains between 60-160 lb than the meat and bone meal supplement, but had no effect on feed conversion. Between 60-100 lb, feed conversion was affected by level but not by supplement, and the higher level of fish meal plus skim milk powder produced greater daily gains than all other diets. The higher levels of each supplement produced greater nitrogen retentions and leaner carcases than the lower levels. Dry matter digestibility was least on the higher level meat and bone meal. Zinc supplements had no effect on performance.


1973 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 179-186 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. D. Penning ◽  
K. M. Cottrell ◽  
T. T. Treacher

SUMMARYTwenty-seven groups of Finnish Landrace × Dorset Horn lambs, each of two males and two females, were offered daily quantities of 180, 248 or 343 g milk substitute dry matter (DM) for 21, 29 or 40 days. The environmental temperature was 18°C during the first 21 days of rearing, and concentrate pellets and clean water were always available. From 22 to 48 days of age the lambs were offered 150 g of hay per week.For lambs offered 180 g milk substitute DM, increasing the number of days before weaning increased the daily live-weight gain over the 47-day experimental period. For daily allowances of 248 and 343 g of milk substitute, greater gains were effected only by delaying weaning from 21 to 29 days.Increasing the daily allowance of milk substitute DM had little effect on the daily gain of lambs weaned after 21 days but increased gain by lambs weaned at 29 days. For lambs weaned after 40 days growth rate was increased only by the first increment of milk substitute DM. Intake of solid food began when the lambs were 3 weeks old and total intake of concentrates was inversely related to total quantity of milk substitute DM consumed and in general was less when weaning was later.The overall efficiency of conversion of total DM consumed to live weight was positively related to total milk substitute DM consumed and tended to be greatest when weaning was later. A daily allowance of 180 g milk substitute DM for 21 days gave the lowest food cost per unit of live-weight gain.The incidence of navel sucking is discussed.


1980 ◽  
Vol 31 (3) ◽  
pp. 243-250 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Aston ◽  
J. C. Tayler

ABSTRACT1. Experiment 1. Six treatment groups of one British Friesian and four South Devon × British Friesian bulls, initially 432 kg mean live weight and aged 491 days, were offered individually maize or grass silage ad libitum plus 0, 5 or 10g barley dry matter per kg live weight daily for 80 days. The silages had similar digestible dry matter and estimated metabolizable energy contents but the grass silage contained more ammonia and acetic, propionic and butyric acids. Mean values for groups receiving respectively maize and grass silage diets were for dry-matter intake 17·7, 20·3, 20·4 and 13·0, 16·6, 18·7 g/kg live weight and for live-weight gain 1·00, 1·32, 1·46 and 0·65, 0·98, 1·22kg/day. Significantly more maize than grass silage dry matter was eaten when the silages were given alone and dry-matter intakes, live-weight and carcass gains were greater for maize silage diets. Dry-matter intake, live-weight and carcass gains, efficiency of feed use and carcass quality significantly improved when barley was given.2. Experiment 2. Six groups of five British Friesian bulls, initially 418 kg mean live weight and aged 474 days, were offered individually maize silage ad libitum with either urea or one of two quantities of aqueous ammonia mixed in at the time of feeding, plus 0 or 5 g barley dry matter per kg live weight daily for 90 days. The urea and ammonia-treated silages contained 125, 124 and 148 g crude protein per kg dry matter respectively, with pH values of 3·8, 3·9 and 4·3, and when given alone or with barley mean daily intakes (g dry matter per kg live weight) were 17·1, 18·6 for urea-treated silage diets, and 17·8, 18·8 and 16·9, 19·1 respectively for ammoniatreated silage diets. Live-weight gains were 0·69, 0·94, 0·63, 1·09, 0·64 and 1·07 kg/day. Ammonia treatment had no effect on intake or live-weight gain. Live-weight and carcass gains and carcass quality improved when barley was given.3. The maize silage offered in Experiment 1 contained similar metabolizable energy but more starch than that in Experiment 2 and was used more efficiently for live-weight gain.


1973 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 95-98 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. Rutter

SUMMARYTwo experiments involving the sequential slaughter of intensively fattened store lambs were each carried out over a period of 12 weeks. In the first experiment the lambs were offered a concentrate diet ad libitum. In the second experiment they were offered swede turnips ad libitum with a limited amount of concentrates.In each experiment, similar groups of lambs were slaughtered at equal intervals in order to measure progressive changes in live weight, carcass weight and dry-matter intake. Carcass-weight gain as a proportion of live-weight gain was found to be 74% in the first experiment and 86% in the second experiment.


1975 ◽  
Vol 55 (3) ◽  
pp. 377-381
Author(s):  
A. D. L. GORRILL ◽  
J. W. G. NICHOLSON ◽  
T. M. MACINTYRE

Two growth trials were conducted to determine an optimum level of fat in milk replacer and an optimum level of protein in creep feed for artificially reared lambs. In experiment 1, milk replacers containing 31 or 36% fat (dry matter, DM, basis) were fed ad libitum to 58 lambs at 1 day of age. The protein was supplied by low-heat spray-dried skim milk powder and Na caseinate and the fat from a mixture of 10% coconut oil and 90% tallow. A finely ground unpelleted creep feed with 20% protein, on a DM basis, was fed ad libitum. The lambs consumed more of the 31% fat milk replacer and gained more live weight (288 vs. 254 g/day; P < 0.025) to weaning at 25–30 days of age than did lambs fed the 36% fat formula. Weight gains to 10 wk of age were 190 and 170 g/day, respectively (P < 0.10). In experiment 2, 84 lambs were fed a 26% fat milk replacer ad libitum, and creep feeds with 15, 20 or 25% protein (DM basis). The supplementary protein was supplied by herring meal and soybean meal. Weight gains of lambs to weaning at 24 days of age were similar on the three creep feeds. However, gains to 10 wk of age averaged 218, 235 and 244 g/day (P < 0.05) on the 15, 20 and 25% protein diets, respectively. One and 2 kg of DM were consumed/kg lamb body weight gain to weaning and to 10 wk of age, respectively. It was concluded that the milk replacer should contain 26–31% fat, and the creep feed 20% protein or more for maximal performance of artificially reared lambs.


1991 ◽  
Vol 52 (1) ◽  
pp. 67-74 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. W. J. Steen

ABSTRACTThree randomized-block experiments involving 87 British Friesian, 18 Simmental × Friesian and 18 Hereford × Friesian, artificially reared calves (mean initial live weight 47 kg and age 9 days), were carried out to examine the effects of the quantity of milk substitute consumed on the lifetime performance of beef cattle. The three treatments were (1) 400 g milk powder per head daily, weaned at 42 days of age (2) ad libitum intake of milk powder, weaned at 42 days and (3) ad libitum intake of milk powder, weaned at 60 days. All calves were individually penned and fed until after weaning; those on treatment 1 were bucket fed twice daily, while those on treatments 2 and 3 sucked the milk from 25·1 containers through artificial teats. They were offered a pelleted, barley/soya-bean meal concentrate (197 g crude protein per kg dry matter (DM)) ad libitum from purchase until intake reached a maximum of 2·7 kg per head daily, and well preserved grass silage ad libitum from 6 weeks of age. Three commercial, skimmed milk-based, acidified milk substitutes (242 and 187 g crude protein and oil per kg respectively) were used. Intakes of milk substitute, concentrate DM and silage DM per calf to 12 weeks of age for treatments 1 to 3 respectively were as follows: 13·0, 39·7 and 54·8 (s.e. 1·67) kg; 88, 73 and 58 (s.e. 1·5) kg and 9·4, 10·6 and 11·2 (s.e. 0·23) kg. Live-weight gains to 12 weeks of age and carcass weights adjusted to 19 months of age were 0·71, 0·82 and 0·84 (s.e. 0·026) kg/day and 335, 340 and 341 (s.e. 3·8) kg. It is concluded that increasing the input of milk substitute above 400 g per head daily until 6 weeks of age produced only a small and uneconomic increase in the lifetime performance of beef cattle.


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