Effect of feed block contained sugar cane pulp on the fattening performance of Holstein male calves

This research was conducted to study the effect of total mixed ration contained sugar cane pulp either in feed block or mesh form on the performance of finishing calves. In a completely randomized block design, 23 Holstein male calves with initial body weight of 166 to 293 kg were classified into four blocks (live weight based) and allocated to two treatments diets including: 1) complete feed block and 2) total mixed ration (TMR) where both diets were similarly formulated and contained 12 percent of sugar cane pulp. The diets were formulated in two stages of 5 months experiment. Both of the diets were prepared as TMR and then one of them was physically processed into pressed block form (FB), using a press machine and offered ad libitum, three times per day for a 150 days experimental period where feed intake, body weight changes and feed conversion ratio were determined. The initial body weights of the animals received TMR and FB rations were 226 and 221 kg respectively but the final weights were 361 and 373 kg respectively. Total live weight gain were 135 and 152 kg for two groups that was significantly (p0.05) higher in FB group. The average daily gain were ranged 845-935 in first but 966-1008 g in FB group with total means of 901 and 1016 for the TMR and FB groups respectively, which were significantly higher for the animals received feed block ration (p0.05). The average feed intake increased from 7.12 kg at first month to 9.58 kg at last month in the TMR group but 7.76 at first and 9.94 kg at last month in FB group and total means were 8.11 and 8.44 kg for TMR and FB groups that were significantly (p0.05) different between the treatments. During the different month of the experiment, feed conversion ratio (FCR) ranged 8.31-10.5 for TMR group but 7.42- 9.89 for FB group. The total means of FCR were 9.03 and 8.34 for TMR and FB groups respectively that was significantly (p0/05) lower in FB treatment. The initial and final live weights of the animals were significantly (p0.05) different between the experimental blocks, however, the average daily gains were not affected by the blocks with exception for the animals in heavy weights block that was higher comparing to the other blocks. The FCR was significantly (p0/05) better in first and second blocks (with initial weight of 166 and 191 and final weight of 318 and 327kg respectively) than the third and fourth blocks (with initial weight of 245 and 293 and final weight of 391 and 434 kg respectively). Finally, utilization of complete feed block improved fattening performance of finishing calves with lower labor requirements for feeding managements.