Starch Source Evaluation in Calf Starter: I. Feed Consumption, Body Weight Gain, Structural Growth, and Blood Metabolites in Holstein Calves

Abstract

Holstein calves were fed pelleted iso-starch (25% of starter dry matter) diets containing barley (n = 16), corn (n = 16), oat (n = 16), and wheat (n = 16) starch for 12 wk of age. Feed consumption, nutrient intake, body weight (BW) gain, skeletal growth, and selected blood metabolites in calves during preweaning (d 1 to 49) and postweaning (d 50 to 84) periods were measured. Average daily starter consumption during pre-weaning and postweaning periods was the greatest in calves fed corn died followed by those fed a wheat diet and then in those fed barley and oat diets. During the preweaning period, the calves provided corn and wheat diets consumed greater amount of mixed grass hay than those fed barley and oat diets. During the postweaning period, mixed grass hay intake was the greatest in calves provided corn diet followed by those fed a wheat diet and then in those fed barley and oat diets. Nutrients (dry matter, crude protein, starch, and neutral detergent fiber) intake followed the solid feed consumption pattern in calves. Body weight and body measurements (body length, body barrel, heart girth, wither height, and hip height) at birth and at weaning (d 49) in calves fed different starch sources were similar. Body weight and body measurements at postweaning (d 84) were the greatest in calves fed a corn diet followed by those fed a wheat diet and then in those fed barley and oat diets. Overall average BW gain and total dry matter intake were the greatest in calves fed a corn diet than in those fed wheat, barley, and oat diets. Feed efficiency was greater in calves fed corn and wheat diets than in those fed barley and oat diets. Blood glucose, blood urea N, triglycerides, cholesterol, and creatinine were reduced with the advancing age of calves. Lesser blood glucose and greater blood urea N concentrations at wk 8, 10, and 12 of age were noticed in calves fed corn diet than in those fed barley, oat, and wheat diets. Occurrence of diarrhea was more frequent in calves fed oat diet than in those provided barley, corn, and wheat diets. Starch sources did not influence respiratory score, rectal temperature, and general appearance score. In conclusion, the calves on corn diet consumed more solid feed and gained greater BW than those fed barley, oat, and wheat diets.

Partial replacement of triticale for corn grain in starter diet and its effects on performance, structural growth and blood metabolites of Holstein calves

“…This, in turn, may assist in ruminal pH drop for calves fed T32. In the present study, starter intake was negatively affected by feeding T32, which may have been related to their lower ruminal pH (6.11, Table 5), as Khan et al (2007) hypothesized a pH-dependent feed intake depression in calves fed barley-or ray-based starters.…”

“…Triticale has high fermentability in the rumen (Reddy et al, 1975;Bird et al, 1999), which might have potentially reduced appetite and decrease DMI in dairy calves (Khan et al, 2007). Therefore, the decreased starter intake and ADG during post-weaning (day 43 to day 70) for calves fed T32 may collectively be attributed to possibly an increased starter fermentability.…”

“…Intakes, average daily gain (ADG), and feed efficiency were determined for the pre-weaning (days 1 to 42), post-weaning (days 43 to 70) Moeinoddini, Alikhani, Ahmadi, Ghorbani and Rezamand and overall (days 1 to 70) periods, and data were statistically analyzed as such. Structural growth indices (body length, heart girth, wither height and hip height) were measured at initial (4-day old), weaning (day 43) and at the end of the experimental period (day 70), according to Khan et al (2007). Health criteria of the calves including fecal, respiratory and general appearance were monitored daily and scored as described by Heinrichs et al (2003) as outlined in Table 2.…”

“…Corn grain is a common source of starch in calf starter formulation (Khan et al, 2007); however, corn yield is restricted in regions where water supply is inadequate (Oveysi et al, 2010). Moreover, its price has been rapidly increasing, mainly because of its tremendous use in grain-based biofuels industry in recent years (Agricultural Statistics, 2011), signifying the need for other potential substitutes in the diet formulations.…”

Effect of replacing a commercial pelleted calf meal with lucerne leaf-meal on performance of neonatal and transitional Holstein heifer calves

“…However, higher (P < 0.05) intakes of DM, crude protein, neutral detergent fibre and acid detergent fibre were observed in calves fed Diet P 50 L50 during neonatal and transition phases and this may be ascribed to the differences in ruminal development and thus the calf's metabolic and structural capacity to accommodate and digest solid feed (Khan et al 2007). However, higher starch intake by calves on Diet PEL might be due to high starch content of the feed (13.4%) presented in Table 1.…”