Calf rearing at Sugarcane Feeds Centre
1988
Lallo, C.H.O. | Neckles, F.A. | Garcia, C.W. (Sugarcane Feeds Centre, Longdenville (Trinidad and Tobago))
The calf rearing system was divided into 3 stages and trials were done to evaluate local feed supplements as replacements for imported feeds. In stage I the objective was to purchase the calf and then wean at 35 days of age, with the calves being fed with milk replacer and concentrates. Stage II involves weaning to transfer at 70 days of age (50-55 kg liveweight). Forage is offered with concentrate. In these 2 stages the trials were done to evaluate poultry by-product meal as a substitute for soybean meal and it was concluded that prior to weaning it was not substitutable, however post-weaning performances indicated it was a good substitute because it was less costly. In another trial pulverised broken rice was used in place of ground corn. The results showed that it was a suitable substitute at both pre- and post-weaning. Stage III was the pre-cattle growth (50-150 kg liveweight) where all the animals were group fed. The basic diet fed was a corn/soybean meal with sugarcane and molasses forming 10-20 and 10-15 %, respectively, of the diet. These diets had lower forage and higher energy levels and utilized non-protein nitrogen. Since a large portion was imported it was not cost effective. The implication of management and health considerations as constraints to calf production in Trinidad and Tobago is considered
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