Feed intake and growth performance of crossbred dairy calves fed on a basal diet of wheat straw treated with urea-molasses, urea-lime, and effective microorganisms

Figures & data

Table 1. Sensory evaluation of attributes and pH of treated and untreated wheat straw.

Treatments	Silage color	Silage texture	Silage smell	Mold stratus	pH
UWS	Straw	Hard	–	–	–
UMTWS	Dark yellow	Soft	Pungent	none	8.63
ULTWS	Pale-yellow	Soft	Moderate pungent	none	8.3
EMTWS	Light yellow	Soft	Sweet and yogurt	Some on top	4.27

UWS = Untreated wheat straw, UMTWS = Wheat straw treated with urea-molasses, ULTWS = wheat straw treated with urea-lime, EMTWS = Effective Microorganisms treated wheat straw.

Table 2. Chemical composition and IVDMD of concentrate mixture; untreated and treated wheat straw and dietary treatments (% DM basis).

Parameters	DM	CP	Ash	NDF	ADF	ADL	IVDMD
Concentrate	89	16.5	10.2	42.6	26.2	5.3	68.3
UWS	93.1^a	2.94^c	10.5^d	76.48^a	53.39^a	6.31^a	47.90^d
UMTWS	69.8^d	6.31^a	11.9^a	74.98^b	51.39^c	5.98^a	52.35^b
ULTWS	75.2^b	4.88^b	11.6^b	72.14^b	52.04^b	5.75^b	50.90^c
EMTWS	71.4^c	2.76^d	11.3^c	53.43^c	51.12^c	5.64^b	53.30^a
SEM	0.0172	0.0001	0.0347	0.1599	0.1212	0.0455	0.2397
P value	<0.001	<0.001	<0.001	<0.001	<0.001	<0.001	<0.001

^a–d Means with different superscript letters in the column show significant differences (P < 0.05), UWS = Untreated wheat straw, UMTWS = Wheat straw treated with urea-molasses; ULTWS = wheat straw treated with urea-lime; EMTWS = Effective Microorganisms treated wheat straw; DM= dry matter as fed basis NDF = neutral detergent fiber; ADF = Acid detergent fiber; ADL = Acid detergent lignin; IVDMD = In vitro dry matter digestibility, SEM = Standard error of means.

Figure 1. Effects of period on total DM intake per treatment.

Table 3. Dry matter and nutrient intake of calves fed untreated/treated wheat straw (means ± SDs).

Dry matter intake (kg/d)	T1	T2	T3	T4	P value
Roughage	1.63 ± 0.35^b	1.72 ± 0.29^b	2.37 ± 0.44^a	2.15 ± 0.48^a	<0.001
Concentrate	1.40 ± 0.24	1.40 ± 0.30	1.30 ± 0.30	1.40 ± 0.35	NS
Total dry matter	3.02 ± 0.58^b	3.12 ± 0.56^b	3.70 ± 0.70^a	3.52 ± 0.82^a	<0.001
Dry matter (%BW)	3.24 ± 0.53	3.36 ± 0.74	3.46 ± 0.76	3.48 ± 0.88	NS
Total organic matter	2.70 ± 0.52^b	2.74 ± 0.50^b	3.24 ± 0.65^a	3.12 ± 0.73^a	<0.001
Crude protein	0.28 ± 0.05^b	0.35 ± 0.067^a	0.34 ± 0.07^a	0.29 ± 0.07^b	<0.001
Neutral detergent fiber	2.31 ± 0.44^b	2.34 ± 0.42^b	2.78 ± 0.56^a	1.88 ± 0.44^c	<0.001
Acid detergent fiber	1.60 ± 0.31^b	1.59 ± 0.29^b	1.94 ± 0.34^a	1.79 ± 0.42^ab	<0.001

^a–c Means with different superscript letters across the row are significantly different (P < 0.05), NS = nonsignificant, d = day, T1 = untreated wheat straw ad libitum plus concentrate supplemented at a rate of 1.2% of the live weight of the calves; T2 = urea molasses treated wheat straw ad libitum plus concentrate supplemented at a rate of 1.2% of the live weight of the calvesT3 = urea lime treated wheat straw ad libitum plus concentrate supplemented at a rate of 1.2% of the live weight of the calves; T4 = effective microorganisms treated wheat straw ad libitum plus concentrate supplemented at a rate of 1.2% of the live weight of the calves.

Table 4. Apparent dry matter, organic matter, crude protein and neutral and acid detergent fiber digestibility of untreated and treated wheat straw-based diets (means ± SDs).

Parameters (g/kg DM)	T1	T2	T3	T4	P value
Dry matter digestibility	474.0 ± 52.4^b	611.0 ± 117.3^a	651.0 ± 50.0^a	646.0 ± 77.0^a	<0.01
Organic matter	510.0 ± 53.4^b	635.0 ± 112.2^a	673.0 ± 45.0^a	665.0 ± 73.0^a	<0.01
Crude protein	408.8 ± 64.0^b	604.0 ± 135.0^a	570.6 ± 58.2^a	555.2 ± 112.5^a	<0.01
Neutral detergent fiber	601.5 ± 36.3^b	710.3 ± 80.1^a	739.5 ± 32.7^a	596.5 ± 87.3^b	<0.001
Acid detergent fiber	546.0 ± 32.0^b	643.0 ± 99.0^a	685.9 ± 38.1^a	665.2 ± 75.5^a	<0.01

^a,b Means with different superscript letters across the row show significant differences (P < 0.05), T1 = untreated wheat straw ad libitum plus concentrate supplemented at a rate of 1.2% of the live weight of the calves; T2 = urea molasses treated wheat straw ad libitum plus concentrate supplemented at a rate of 1.2% of the live weight of the calves; T3 = urea lime treated wheat straw ad libitum plus concentrate supplemented at a rate of 1.2% of the live weight of the calves; T4 = effective microorganisms treated wheat straw ad libitum plus concentrate supplemented at a rate of 1.2% of the live weight of the calves.

Figure 2. Effects of period on average daily gain per treatment.

Table 5. Growth performance and feed conversion ratio of calves fed untreated/treated wheat straw-based diets (means ± SDs).

Parameters	T1	T2	T3	T4	P value
Initial body weight (kg)	98.3 ± 16.2	101.5 ± 22.2	97.8 ± 20.9	99.7 ± 24.8	NS
Final body weight(kg)	115.5 ± 18.2^b	125.2 ± 27.7^ab	133.3 ± 29.8^a	132.5 ± 33.7^a	<0.05
Live weight change(kg)	17.2 ± 4.1^b	23.7 ± 8.3^b	35.5 ± 9.2^a	32.8 ± 9.9^a	<0.001
Average daily gains (g)	204.4 ± 49.0^b	281.7 ± 98.9^b	422.6 ± 109.9^a	391.0 ± 117^a	<0.001
Feed conversion ratio (g/g)	15.1 ± 2.79^a	12.1 ± 3.9^ab	8.8 ± 0.78^b	9.4 ± 1.80^b	<0.01

^a,b Means with different superscript letters across the row are significantly different (P < 0.05), NS = not significant, T1 = untreated wheat straw ad libitum plus concentrate supplemented at a rate of 1.2% of the live weight of the calves; T2 = urea molasses treated wheat straw ad libitum plus concentrate supplemented at a rate of 1.2% of the live weight of the calves; T3 = urea lime treated wheat straw ad libitum plus concentrate supplemented at a rate of 1.2% of the live weight of the calves; T4 = effective microorganisms treated wheat straw ad libitum plus concentrate supplemented at a rate of 1.2% of the live weight of the calves.

Table 6. Experimental feed cost analysis (means ± SDs).

Parameters (ETB/h/d)	T1	T2	T3	T4	P value
Roughage	9.1 ± 1.96^c	15.0 ± 2.60^b	19.8 ± 3.70^a	18.2 ± 4.10^a	<0.001
Concentrate	13.0 ± 2.30	13.2 ± 2.90	12.2 ± 2.80	12.8 ± 3.30	Ns
Total feed cost	22.2 ± 4.20^c	28.1 ± 5.10^b	32.0 ± 6.44^a	31.0 ± 7.24^a	<0.001
TFC/DWG (ETB-^kg gains)	110.8 ± 19.5^a	109.6 ± 35.40^a	76.7 ± 6.80^b	82.5 ± 15.80^b	<0.05

^a–c Means with different superscript letters across the row are significantly different (P < 0.05), NS = not significant, T1 = untreated wheat straw ad libitum plus concentrate supplemented at a rate of 1.2% of the live weight of the calves; T2 = urea molasses treated wheat straw ad libitum plus concentrate supplemented at a rate of 1.2% of the live weight of the calves T3 = urea lime treated wheat straw ad libitum plus concentrate supplemented at a rate of 1.2% of the live weight of the calves; T4 = effective microorganisms treated wheat straw ad libitum plus concentrate supplemented at a rate of 1.2% of the live weight of the calves DWG = daily weight gain, TFC = Total feed cost, 1USD = 48.37 ETB, ETB = Ethiopian birr.