Effects of feeding milk replacer at 2 rates with pelleted, low-starch or texturized, high-starch starters on calf performance and digestion

Abstract

Milk replacer (MR) feeding programs have traditionally fed at less than ad libitum amounts to promote calf starter (CS) intake and allow early weaning. More recently, increased amounts of MR preweaning have been shown to increase preweaning ADG, although postweaning growth may be reduced. Several studies suggest that limited postweaning digestion of nutrients in CS may contribute to postweaning growth impairment. It is not clear whether CS formulation might also contribute to differences in postweaning nutrient digestion when calves are fed different MR programs. A 56-d feeding and digestion trial was conducted to compare growth and digestion in 2- to 3-d-old male Holstein calves (n = 48; initially 41.9 kg of body weight) fed a moderate (MRM) or high (MRH) MR program and either a pelleted CS containing 9.9% starch or a texturized CS containing 41.3% starch. Programs were 0.66 kg of dry matter (DM)/d of MR to d 46, then 0.33 kg/d to d 49 (MRM) and 0.85 kg of DM/d to d 5, then 1.07 kg/d to d 42, then 0.53 kg/d to d 49 (MRH). The MR contained 25% crude protein and 18.6% fat and was reconstituted to 13 (MRM) or 15% (MRH) solids. Calves were also assigned randomly to receive a pelleted CS (9.9% starch, 36.9% NDF) or a textured CS (41.3% starch, 13.3% NDF) and water for ad libitum intake for 56 d. During d 31 to 35 and 52 to 56, fecal samples were collected from 5 calves per treatment for estimates of digestibility. Selected nutrients and chromic oxide (d 31-35) or acid-insoluble ash (d 52-56) were analyzed in feed and feces to estimate digestibility. Data were analyzed as a completely randomized design. Repeated measures analysis was performed when data were measured by week. Calves fed MRH gained more body weight (but not hip width) and were more efficient to weaning compared with calves fed MRM, although fecal scores and days treated with medications were greater. We found no effect of CS on animal performance, although calves fed textured CS had higher fecal scores. Digestibilities of nutrients were affected by treatment and time of sampling (5 or 8 wk). At 5 wk, digestion of DM, organic matter, crude protein, and fat were lower and digestion of acid detergent fiber, neutral detergent fiber, and starch were higher in calves fed MRM and reflected greater CS intake. Also, digestion of DM, organic matter, acid detergent fiber, starch, crude protein, and fat were greater in calves fed textured CS at 5 wk. By 8 wk, when CS was the only source of nutrients, digestion of DM, organic matter, acid detergent fiber, and neutral detergent fiber were greater in calves fed MRM and digestion of DM and organic matter were greater, and acid detergent fiber and neutral detergent fiber digestion were lower in calves fed textured CS. Formulation of CS as well as amount of MR offered to young calves influenced animal performance and digestion in this study.

Appropriate Dairy Calf Feeding from Birth to Weaning: “It’s an Investment for the Future”

“…Furthermore, the range of weaning practices used on farms indicates that there is a lack of consistent guidance regarding the best way to wean calves, or if there is, it is not being consistently implemented at farm level. Research has largely focused on the positive effects of gradual weaning based on concentrate intakes [66] and the effect of pre-weaning milk or CMR allowances on the weaning and post-weaning period [67]. However, participants were unsure of the best weaning methods, largely pondering whether transition should be done by diluting milk feeds, reducing the number of feeds, or reducing the quantity fed at each meal.…”

Symposium review: Re-evaluation of National Research Council energy estimates in calf starters

“…Thereafter, the disap-pearance of starch in the digestive tract was essentially complete. Quigley et al (2019a, b) conducted an analysis of 3 studies (Hill et al, 2016b;Dennis et al, 2018a;Quigley et al, 2018) using individual digestibility measurements (n = 207). Multiple modeling approaches were used (Quigley et al, 2019a), including linear mixed models, exponential models, and broken-line regression models.…”

“…Calves weaned abruptly from high amounts of MR often have eaten little CS before weaning. Rapid increases in CS intake following weaning in these calves do not allow for proper nutrient utilization as rumen development was insufficient to allow the calf to extract sufficient ME from the CS as predicted by the NRC (Dennis et al, 2018a;Quigley et al, 2018). Quigley et al (2019b) calculated that 15 kg of cumulative NFC was needed for sufficient digestive maturation to allow the calf to obtain ME from CS.…”

Effects of a Grain Source (Corn Versus Barley) and Starter Protein Content on Performance, Ruminal Fermentation, and Blood Metabolites in Holstein Dairy Calves

“…Controversial results have been reported regarding the effects of different grain sources on the intake in dairy calves [ 3 , 11 , 30 ]. Different processing methods [ 3 , 15 ] could significantly influence the intake through ruminal pH alterations. Khan et al [ 3 ] reported that lower ruminal pH in the calves fed on BG depressed intake.…”

“…However, high levels of BG are commonly incorporated in rations of dairy cows [ 9 ], fattening bulls [ 10 ], and dairy calves [ 3 , 11 ]. Optimum dietary particle size [ 12 ], adequate level of forage in the diet [ 13 , 14 ], and proper fermentation rate of starch [ 15 ] are major factors influencing the feeding efficiency of high-starch grains in dairy calves.…”