Effects of two protein levels of calf starter rations and two weaning systems on growth rate and economy of gain of dairy calves
2001
Tiamting, H.C. | Ordoveza, A.L.
Twenty 6-day old dairy calves were used in a 2 x 2 factorial in randomzed complete block design (RCB), to determine the effects of two protein levels (16 percent digestible protein (DP) and 20 percent DP) of calf starter rations and two systems of weaning (early or 6 weeks milk feeding and conventional or 10 weeks milk feeding) on growth rate and performance of dairy calves. The results showed that the conventionally weaned calves significantly consumed more milk (P0.01) and total digestible nutrients (TDN) than the early weaned group. Likewise, calves fed with 20 percent DP calf starter ration had significantly higher (P0.01) crude protein intake than those fed with 16 percent DP. However, the two systems weaning and the two levels of protein of calf starter rations showed no significant effect (P0.05) on calves calf starter, roughages, and dry matter intake, dry weight gain, wither height, heart girth, body length and rectal temperature. It is significantly cheaper (P0.01) to raise calves under the early weaning system. This system needed P664.48 compared to P835.86 worth of feed to raise calves adopting the conventional weaning method. A combination of the weaning systems and levels of protein in calf starter rations showed that early weaning coupled with 16 percent Dp calf starter feeding had the lowest rearing cost in dairy calves than any of the combined groups.
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