Effect of Using Summer Green Forage Mixture on Fattening Friesian Calves.

Abstract

Forty eight Friesian calves averaged 234.4±1.23 kg live body weight were assigned to investigate the effect of using sorghum or alfalfa alone or/and intercropped legume-grasses mixtures in daily rations of growing Frisian calves on nutrient digestibility , nutritive values , some blood parameters , daily gain and feed conversion. Friesian calves were divided into four similar experimental groups according to body weight. The experiment included two stages. The first stage represented a growing period (140 days), during which the calves were fed on the following rations: 1-The control group was fed 60% concentrate feed mixture + 40% rice straw. 2-The first tested group was fed 30% concentrate feed mixture + 60% Alfalfa + 10% rice straw. 3-The second tested group was fed 30% concentrate feed mixture + 60% sorghum + 10% rice straw. 4-The third tested group was fed 30% concentrate feed mixture + 30% Alfalfa + 30% sorghum + 10% rice straw. During the second stage (the finishing period,80 days) the corresponding calves were fed 60% concentrate feed mixture (CFM) + 40%rice straw for all experimental groups. Results showed that the digestibility of DM, OM and CF of R1 (control ration), R2 (contained 60 % alfalfa) and R4 (contained 30% alfalfa plus 30% sorghum forage) were significantly (P<0.05) higher than those of R3 (contained 60% sorghum forage). While the nutritive values as TDN% and DCP% were significantly higher (P<0.05) for R1 (control ration) than those of R2 (contained 60 % alfalfa), R3 (contained 60% sorghum forage) and R4 (contained 30% alfalfa plus 30% sorghum forage). The average daily feed intake by calves fed alfalfa (R2) during growing period were higher than those fed R1 (control ration) , R3 (contained sorghum forage) and R4 (contained alfalfa plus sorghum forage). Average daily feed intakes during the finishing period showed that calves fed R1 (control ration) and R4 had the highest DM intake. However those fed ration R2 (control ration) showed the lowest intake of DM intake. Final body weight , total and daily body weight gain of calves fed R1 (control ration) were375.42,141.67 and 1.01 kg ,respectively during growing period, showing significantly higher (P<0.05) than other different ration , but final body weight , total and daily body weight gain of calves fed R3 (contained sorghum forage) recorded 342.42,105.42 and 0.75 kg , respectively. It were significantly lower (P<0.05) than other different rations. While final body weight, total and daily body weight of calves fed R4 (contained alfalfa plus sorghum forage) were significantly (P<0.05) higher than R2 (contained alfalfa) and R3 (contained sorghum forage). The best feed conversion was attained for the group feed R1 (control ration) 8.61, 5.68 and 0.96 for DM, TDN and DCP, respectively followed by group fed R4 (contained alfalfa plus sorghum forage) being, 13.56, 8.95 and 1.50 for DM, TDN and DCP, respectively during growing period. It could be concluded that the alfalfa-sorghum mixture was better than alfalfa or sorghum as green forage in growing...