Feeding cellobacterin to calves and dairy cows
1997
Kaldmaee, H. | Vadi, M. (Estonian Agricultural Univ., Tartu (Estonia). Inst. of Animal Husbandry)
Cellobacterin was worked out on the basis of cellulolytic, nitrogen-binding bacteria and lactobacilli of the rumen. It is based on rapeseed or sunflower cake. The authors explained the influence of cellobacterin on the health, development and live weight gain of the calves. The following problems were under investigation: the most proper way of giving cellobacterin to calves; the amount and influence of cellobacterin on rumen microflora and -fauna; the influence of the population of rumen microbes on digestibility of the ration. Five feeding trials, one digestion trial and an investigation into the degradability of feeds in fistulated cows were carried out. During the first trial the average daily gain of the 1st group (control group) calves was 748 g, these values for the 2nd and 3rd group were 881 g and 809 g accordingly. Cellobacterin increased the total account of microbes in the rumen of the calves by 1.6 times and the number of cellulolytical bacteria 2.6 times. The use of cellobacterin improved the digestibility of crude fibre and crude fat by 3.3 per cent in calves. We recommend that cellobacterin be added to the rations of calves beginning from the age of 2-2.5 months that they be fed 1 g of it per 10 kg body weight with concentrated feed every fifth day
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