Sixty-three neonatal Holstein calves (45 female; 18 male) were assigned to one of 3 treatments at d 2 of age to study effects of milk replacer feeding frequency on growth, performance, and health. Treatments consisted of 1X, with total amount of reconstituted milk replacer fed 1X/day at 6:00 a.m.; 2X, with total amount of reconstituted milk replacer divided into 2 equal amounts and fed at 6:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.; or 3X, with total amount of reconstituted milk replacer divided into 3 equal amounts and fed at 6:00 a.m., 12:00 noon, and 5:00 p.m. Calves were housed in individual hutches and fed milk replacer until abrupt weaning at 42 d of age. Total daily amount of milk replacer offered was equal to 1.5% of birth weight and reconstituted to a total volume of 10% birth weight. An 18% crude protein calf starter was offered ad libitum beginning on d 3 and fed throughout the duration of the trial. Water was offered ad libitum on d 3. Calves remained in their hutches until d 56 to determine immediate post weaning performance. BW was determined at birth and weekly throughout the trial. Wither height (WH), hip height (HH), and hip width (HW). Feed intake, water intake, and fecal scores were recorded daily. Blood samples were collected on d 14, 28, 42, and 56 for plasma urea nitrogen, plasma glucose concentration (PUN), and â-hydroxybutyrate (BHBA). Effects of treatment, week, and their interactions were analyzed using the MIXED procedure of SAS® (Cary, NC). There was no effect (P > 0.05) of treatment on BW, HH, HW, WH, PUN, plasma glucose concentrations, or BHBA. There was a week effect (P < 0.05) for grain and water intake, with all calves increasing intake throughout the duration of the study. There was no treatment effect (P > 0.05) for fecal scores, with calves scoring similarly throughout the project. No treatment effects were observed (P > 0.05) for PUN, glucose, or BHBA. Glucose concentrations decreased (P < 0.05) and PUN and BHBA concentrations increased (P > 0.05) as calves aged. Overall, milk replacer feeding frequency had no significant effects on growth or performance of these Holstein dairy calves fed MR once, twice, or three times daily.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LSU/oai:etd.lsu.edu:etd-04112014-113732 |
| Date | 06 May 2014 |
| Creators | Thomas, Michael |
| Contributors | Bidner, Thomas, Williams, Cathleen, Jenny, Bruce |
| Publisher | LSU |
| Source Sets | Louisiana State University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | http://etd.lsu.edu/docs/available/etd-04112014-113732/ |
| Rights | unrestricted, I hereby certify that, if appropriate, I have obtained and attached herein a written permission statement from the owner(s) of each third party copyrighted matter to be included in my thesis, dissertation, or project report, allowing distribution as specified below. I certify that the version I submitted is the same as that approved by my advisory committee. I hereby grant to LSU or its agents the non-exclusive license to archive and make accessible, under the conditions specified below and in appropriate University policies, my thesis, dissertation, or project report in whole or in part in all forms of media, now or hereafter known. I retain all other ownership rights to the copyright of the thesis, dissertation or project report. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of this thesis, dissertation, or project report. |
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