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The performance of early-weaned calves offered concentrates or artificially dried grasses

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

R. Marsh
R. Marsh
Affiliation:
The Agricultural Research Institute of Northern Ireland, Hillsborough, Co. Down
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Summary

In two experiments dried grass cobs or concentrate were offered to calves for 20 weeks after weaning. In Experiment 1 the grasses were harvested in the autumn and in Experiment 2 in the spring. Within each experiment three grasses differing in quality and two levels of concentrate were compared.

Dry-matter intake of the dried grasses highest in digestibility was lower than that of medium digestibility grass, and hardness of package, palatability and mould infestation were implicated as possible causal factors.

Live-weight gains by calves were closely correlated with digestible organic matter (DOM) intake. There was no significant difference between spring harvested grasses and concentrate in efficiency of utilization of DOM for live-weight gain but autumn grasses were used less efficiently than concentrate. At similar rates of gain the replacement value (dry-matter basis) of dried grass for concentrate averaged 142: 1.

Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Production , Volume 18 , Issue 2 , April 1974 , pp. 201 - 210
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1974

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References

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