The thesis objective was to compare the effect of different types of starters on starter intake, growth performance and fermentation in rumen of calves in the period of milk nutrition, and expenses on the starter. The experiment was carried out on Czech Fleckvieh calves (n = 28) housed in outdoor individual boxes and fed by colostrum (until the 5th day of life) or milk compound feed (since the 6th day of life) and starter. The calves were divided into four groups of seven animals each depending on the type of starter they were fed with (A: pelleted starter with oat grains; B: completely pelleted starter, C: textured starter, D: starter with chopped straw). The mean age of calves in each group was determined by their age in the beginning of the experiment and by sex. The experiment lasted in 52nd day of calves age. The mean intake of individual types of starters was relatively balanced thus the differences among groups were statistically insignificant as well as the average daily gain of calves in individual groups. There is substantial evidence that the expenses on consumed starter were the highest in case of the C group. The average rumen fluid pH of most of the calves was oscillating under 6 (with exception of calves in the C group in the first sampling and calves in the D group in the second sampling). In rumen fluid of most calves, quite high levels of propionic acid (over 30% with exception of calves from the D group) and low levels of acetic acid (under 56% with exception of the D group) were measured. Based on the end results of the rumen fluid examination, a disposition to development of subacute ruminal acidosis can be seen in case of calves from groups A, B and C. The pH levels and the levels of propionic acid and acetic acid in rumen fluid of the calves from the D group met the parameters of rumen fluid of healthy animals. Based on the results of the experiment it can be concluded that in terms of health, it is recommendable to opt for the starter with chopped straw, which is the most convenient for the development of rumen fermentation without risk of subacute ruminal acidosis.
Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:nusl.cz/oai:invenio.nusl.cz:430184 |
Date | January 2017 |
Creators | Křivová, Štěpánka |
Source Sets | Czech ETDs |
Language | Czech |
Detected Language | English |
Type | info:eu-repo/semantics/masterThesis |
Rights | info:eu-repo/semantics/restrictedAccess |
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