Abstract
Sixteen Holstein bull calves were used during 62–82 days to study the long-term effects of substituting 0, 25, 50 and 75% of the animal fat (tallow) with low-erucic acid rapeseed oil (Span) in milk replacers for veal calves. Growth rates and feed efficiency were affected by the dietary treatments. The highest level of substitution (75%) did not affect the digestibility of the energy or the dry matter, but did decrease average daily gains, feed efficiency and the apparent digestibility of dietary nitrogen (P < 0.05). Nitrogen retention and utilization were not affected by the dietary treatments. The histological analyses of various internal organs did not reveal any treatment effects. The evaluation of carcass quality showed no differences in flavor but there was a non-linear decrease in tenderness of the meat with increasing levels of rapeseed oil in the diets. The 75% level of substitution resulted in tougher meat than the 25% level treatment.
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