Effects of including corn distillers dried grains with solubles in dairy calf feeds

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A series of 3 trials was conducted to determine effects of whole or ground oats in starter grain on reticulorumen fermentation and digestive system development of preweaned calves. Male Holstein calves (43.1±2.3kg at birth; n=8, 9, and 7 for trials 1, 2, and 3, respectively) were housed in individual pens in a heated facility; bedding was covered with landscape fabric to prevent consumption of bedding by the calves. In trials 1 and 2 only, calves were fitted with rumen cannulas by wk 2 of life. In all trials, a fixed amount of starter (containing 25% oats either ground and in the pellet or whole) was offered daily; orts were fed through the cannula in trials 1 and 2. Calves were randomly assigned to an all-pelleted starter or pellets plus whole oats. Rumen contents (trials 1 and 2) were sampled weekly at -8, -4, 0, 2, 4, 8, and 12 h after grain feeding for determination of pH and volatile fatty acids. Calves were killed 3 wk (trial 1) or 4 wk (trials 2 and 3) after grain was offered; organs were harvested, emptied, rinsed, and weighed to gauge digestive organ development. Starter intake was not different between treatments. Weekly measurements of rumen digesta pH did not change and only subtle changes were observed in molar proportions of individual volatile fatty acids. Molar proportion of butyrate and pH linearly decreased with age, whereas acetate proportion increased. Reticulorumen weight and papillae length tended to be greater for calves fed pelleted starter, whereas abomasum weight was greater for calves fed pellets plus whole oats. Fecal particle size and starch content were greater for calves fed pellets plus whole oats. Under the conditions of this study, physical form of oats in starter grain did not affect rumen fermentation measurements; greater rumen weight and papillae length in calves fed pelleted starter may be the result of greater nutrient availability of ground oats. Under the conditions of this study with young calves on treatments for <4 wk, increasing particle size of the starter by feeding whole oats did not affect rumen fermentation nor did it improve digestive system development.

mentioning

confidence: 68%

Digestive development in neonatal dairy calves with either whole or ground oats in the calf starter

Suarez-Mena

Heinrichs

Jones

et al. 2015

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“…The lower postweaning ADG appears to largely be the result of lower digestion of OM and NDF by calves fed greater amounts of MR (Terre et al, 2007a,b;Hill et al, 2010) and less a function of postweaning DMI. The low digestibility in calves fed high levels of MR has been associated with less development of the rumen (Terre et al, 2007a,b;Suarez-Mena et al, 2011). Preweaning MR intake has not influenced DMI after 56 d when expressed as grams per day; however, intake has been less after 56 d when expressed as DM per kilograms of BW when the MR program delivered more than approximately 0.7 kg of DM daily (Hill et al, 2010Osorio et al, 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 94%

Effect of milk replacer feeding rate and functional fatty acids on dairy calf performance and digestion of nutrients

Hill

Quigley

Suarez-Mena

et al. 2016

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Calves fed large amounts of milk replacer (MR) gain more body weight preweaning than calves fed less MR; however, postweaning growth may be reduced because of impaired digestion of nutrients. This was explored in the current research, as was the inclusion of functional fatty acids (NT) that could ameliorate some poor growth and digestion issues in calves fed large amounts of MR. Two MR rates [moderate (MOD) or aggressive (AGG)] with and without NT were compared using 48 male Holstein calves initially 3d old (43±1.5kg of body weight) randomly assigned to treatments. The MOD rate was fed at 0.66kg of dry matter (DM) for 49d. The AGG rate was fed for 4d at 0.66kg of DM, 4d at 0.96kg of DM, then 34d at 1.31kg of DM, followed by 0.66kg of DM for the last 7d. Calves were completely weaned at 49d. The MR contained 27% crude protein and 17% fat. The textured starter was 20% crude protein. Starter and water were fed free-choice for the first 56d when calves were housed in individual pens. From 56 to 112d, calves were grouped (4 calves/pen), maintaining the same MR rate and NT treatments, and fed starter blended with 5% chopped grass hay free-choice with free-choice water. Digestibility was estimated from fecal collections made on d 19 to 23, 40 to 44, and 52 to 56. Data were analyzed as a completely randomized design with a factorial arrangement of MR rate and NT using repeated measures with a mixed procedure. Fiber and starch digestion increased with age and was lower for AGG versus MOD. Calf average daily gain and hip width change were greater before approximately 6wk of age for AGG versus MOD, but this was reversed from approximately 6 to 16wk. Calves fed AGG had lower average daily gain per unit intake of DM, crude protein, and metabolizable energy from 8 to 16wk than calves fed MOD. Preweaning starter intake was less for calves fed AGG versus MOD. Calves fed AGG had greater body weight gain than MOD over 112d, but hip width change did not differ. Feeding NT improved digestibility of organic matter, DM, neutral detergent fiber, and acid detergent fiber (over 50% improvement for neutral detergent fiber and acid detergent fiber), which resulted in 10.7kg (13%) more body weight gain and 1.4cm (16%) more hip width change over 112d. This was a greater improvement in growth than the difference in AGG and MOD programs over 112d.

“…Terre et al (2007a,b), Hill et al (2016b), and Chapman et al (2016) compared low and moderate (0.4 to 0.7 kg of DMI from MR) and high (0.9 to 1.1 kg DMI from MR) feeding programs and found less OM and fiber digestion postweaning with high versus moderate and low MR feeding programs. Reduced digestibility in calves fed more MR was likely associated with less development of the rumen (Terre et al, 2007a,b;Suarez-Mena et al, 2011) because of lower preweaning starter intake. Feeding large amounts of MR may continue to impair fiber digestion as the calf transitions to higher fiber diets as they age, but we are not aware of research to measure this.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Many times when calves are fed >0.7 kg of DMI from milk or MR, they are weaned over approximately 1 wk or less. Because preweaning starter intake is so low when >0.7 kg of DMI from milk or MR is fed, the abrupt weaning with rapid increase in starter intake may not allow time for the rumen to develop to the degree that it does when starter intake is greater preweaning when less milk or MR being fed (Terre et al, 2007a,b;Suarez-Mena et al, 2011). A gradual weaning over approximately 3 wk has been reported to alleviate much of the compromised ADG after weaning.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of milk replacer program on calf performance and digestion of nutrients in dairy calves to 4 months of age

Hill¹,

Quigley²,

Bateman³

et al. 2016

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Calves fed >0.7 kg of dry matter from milk replacer (MR) typically have greater growth preweaning but lower growth postweaning. This is partially explained by lower digestibility of starter due to less development of the rumen at and after weaning; however, it is unclear when digestibility matures postweaning to levels typical of mature ruminants. Thus, we fed Holstein calves (initially 2 to 3 d of age) 3 MR programs (MOD = 0.66 kg daily for 39 d, and then 0.33 kg daily for 3 d, n = 15 calves; HIMOD = 0.88 kg daily for 5 d, and then 1.1 kg daily for 23 d, then 0.66 kg daily for 18 d, and then 0.33 kg daily for 3 d, n = 16 calves; HI = 0.88 kg daily for 5 d, then 1.1 kg daily for 37 d, then 0.56 kg daily for 7 d, n = 15 calves). The MR consisted of 28% crude protein and 20% fat and was reconstituted to 14% solids and fed at 0630 and 1400 h daily. A 39% starch textured starter (19% crude protein) was fed free-choice for the first 56 d of a nursery trial with calves in individual pens. From 56 to 112 d, calves were grouped by MR program into pens of 3 to 4 calves and offered a starter with the same ingredient composition blended with 5% chopped grass hay for ad libitum consumption. Digestion was estimated at 11 and 16 wk. Measurements in the first and second 56 d were analyzed separately in a completely randomized design using repeated measurements when applicable. Preplanned contrasts of MOD versus HIMOD and MOD versus HI were used to separate means. Milk replacer dry matter intake was 26.6, 42.4, and 48.7 kg in calves fed MOD, HIMOD, and HI, respectively. Starter intake was less for calves fed HIMOD and HI versus MOD from 3 to 8 wk. Efficiency of metabolizable energy and protein used for body weight gain did not differ among programs. During the second 56 d, body weight gain and hip width changes were greater for calves fed MOD than HI. Total 112-d body weight gain and total hip width changes were 101.4, 101.3, and 101.7 kg, and 9.0, 9.1, and 8.7 cm for MOD, HIMOD, and HI, respectively. Digestibility of all nutrients except starch were greater at 16 versus 11 wk of age. Digestibility of dry matter, organic matter, neutral detergent fiber, and acid detergent fiber were less for HI versus MOD at 11 wk of age explaining much of the why postweaning body weight gain advantages were lost postweaning in calves fed the HI program. Feeding more than 0.66 kg of dry matter intake from a MR during the preweaning phase did not increase total body weight or hip width gain from 0 to 4 mo of age.