Rearing of dairy cattle 1. Type and level of milk substitute offered once daily to calves

Abstract

SUMMARYA simple feeding system for British Friesian dairy female calves was examined. It involved once-daily feeding of a fixed amount of milk substitute to calves from 5 to 32 days of age. A comparison was made between low-fat and high-fat milk substitutes each offered at three levels of feeding. Performance was measured for a further 28 days after weaning. There was a greater incidence of nutritional scours in calves given the low-fat diets and also in those at higher levels of feeding. Live-weight gain to weaning and to 60 days was greater on the high-fat diets and at the higher levels of feeding. Intakes of concentrates, hay and water were little affected by type or level of milk-substitute feeding. Total feed costs over the 8-week period were greater for the high-fat diets and for the higher levels of feeding, but feed costs/kg live-weight gain were similar for the low-and high-fat diets. The results indicate that low levels of a high-fat milk substitute should be offered when using a once-daily feeding system in order to ensure a low incidence of nutritional scours and relatively low feed costs.