HEAVY VEAL PRODUCTION WITH HOLSTEIN CALVES RAISED BY MULTIPLE SUCKLING OR MILK REPLACERS AND FATTENED WITH WHOLE CORN, BARLEY OR OATS

Abstract

Three groups of 35 Holstein bull calves were raised by multiple suckling (MS) or a milk replacer fed as such (MR) or acidified to pH 5.4 (MRA). MS calves consumed more milk and starter and gained faster (P < 0.05) than those on the other treatments. Performance of MRA calves tended (P > 0.05) to be better than MR calves except for feed efficiency. The three rations fed during the fattening phase consisted of corn (three parts) plus protein supplement (one part), or barley or oats (four parts) and supplement (one part). The effect of adding hay was tested in the corn-fed group and found not to be useful since calves fed corn without hay showed significantly (P < 0.05) higher gains and feed efficiencies. A digestibility trial indicated lower dry matter and energy digestibility coefficients by calves fed oats while starch was less well digested by the barley-fed calves (P < 0.05). Acid detergent fiber was poorly digested particularly by oat- and barley-fed calves. During fattening, corn-fed calves had higher average daily gains (ADG), were more efficient, consumed less grain and reached slaughter weights faster than barley- or oat-fed calves. Barley- and oat-fed calves consumed significantly less protein supplement, and barley-fed calves (but not oat-fed calves) produced similar carcass weights and dressing percentages to corn-fed calves. Oat-fed calves stayed longer on experiment, had lower ADG, were less efficient and produced lighter carcasses with lower dressing percentages and slightly inferior classifications. Key words: Veal calves, multiple suckling, cereal grains, digestibility