Growth and Nutrient Digestibility of Preruminant Calves on Grain Replaced Calf Starter

Abstract

Raut, P.K., Pandey, H.N., Srivastava, B.B., Sahoo, A. and Pathak, N.N. 1996. Growth and nutrient digestibility of preruminant calves on grain replaced calf starter. J. Appl. Anim. Res., 9: 175–180.

Twenty four crossbred female calves were divided into 3 groups to find out impact of grain replaced diets on growth performance and nutrient digestibility during their preruminant life (0–13 weeks). Three isonitrogenous starter diets containing 50, 0 and 25 per cent maize alongwith green fodder (berseem) were fed ad libitum and whole milk feeding was discontinued at 9 weeks of age. There were no significant inter group differences in DM intake, body weight gain, feed conversion efficiencey, dry matter/organic matter digestibility and cost per unit gain. It is concluded that a grainless calf starter with a good quality fodder can sustain early growth in calves.

Key words:

• Calves
• grainless calf starter
• digestibility
• performance
• growth