Increasing Consumption of Dry Feed by Young Calves

Abstract

In one of two experiments to improve consumption of dry feed by the young calf, calves were fed milk from an open pail twice daily and always had access to calf starter. One-half of the calves were stimulated to consume calf starter by a small amount of calf starter placed in the milk pail as the calves were finishing their milk. The stimulated calves consumed more calf starter, exclusive of that put in the milk pail, and gained weight more rapidly than did the controls, indicating that is an effective way to increase consumption of calf starter. In the second experiment, calves had continuous access to both pelleted calf starter (4.8mm diameter, weight 590 g/liter) and the same mixture extruded (extruded through 6.4mm die, expanded to average 9.6mm diameter, 9.6mm length, weight 295 g/liter). Calves ate more pelleted than extruded feed during the first 3 wk of life; thus, consumption was not increased by extruding the feed.