Characteristics and yield of slaughter of dairy calves receiving cheese whey and colostrum in a liquid diet

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of suckling with cheese and colostrum, from whole milk, on the characteristics and yields of slaughter of dairy calves at 60 days. Twenty-four uncastrated male Hosltein calves were used. The experimental treatments included: integral milk (MI); 50% integral milk + 50% in natura whey cheese (MW); and 30% colostrum + 70% whey cheese (CW). Dry matter intake of concentrate (IDMC) and hay (IDMH), mean daily gain (MDG), and total weight gain (WGT) were evaluated. In addition, weights and yields of hot and cold carcasses, loss and breaking during cooling, and length and thoracic depth of the carcass, commercial cuts, and non-carcass components were measured. Resultantly, a significant effect (P < 0.05) was observed for IDMC, live weight at slaughter, warm carcass weight, cold carcass weight, and carcass length; here, MW and CS treatment differed from LS. Thus, these substitute diets to whole milk showed no interference with physiological and biometric patterns in the animals.