Production and economic justification of different methods of feeding roughage to calves

Abstract

The purpose of the research is to study the timing of technological operations and the effect of different methods of feeding roughage to Aberdeen Angus calves on age-related changes in the body weight and the effectiveness of cultivation during the dairy period. 3 groups of newborn Aberdeen Angus calves of 10 heads each were formed: 1st (control) – calves fed roughage together with adult livestock, 2nd (control) – calves fed in a separate pen (canteen) from their mothers, 3rd (control) – calves fed in an experimental feeder with limited access for adult livestock located in a separate pen. For the entire period of research, 201 seconds or 3.35 minutes were spent on performing basic technological operations in the 3rd experimental group, which is 3847 seconds or 64.12 minutes, less than in the 1st group and 609 seconds or 10.15 minutes, less than in the 2nd group. The actual palatability from the experimental feeder (calves of the 3rd group) was higher by 132 kg (p > 0.999) than in the 1st group and by 66 kg (p > 0.99) than in the 2nd group. The smallest amount of uneaten hay residues was in the experimental feeder and amounted to 99 kg which is 54 kg less (p > 0.999), than in the 1st group and 18 kg less than in the 2nd group (p > 0.99). The minimum hay losses were 36 kg in the 3rd group, while in the 1st group this figure was 114 kg, and in the 2nd group 84 kg, which is more by 78 (p > 0.999) and 48 kg (p > 0.999), respectively. At the age of six months, the calves of the 3rd group surpassed the live weight of the herdmates of other groups by 4.2–6.1 kg (p > 0.95–0.99). Their superiority in average daily growth over the entire study period was 21–33 g (p > 0.95–0.99). It turned out to be more cost-effective (by 2.8–4.7 abs. %) to raise the calves which were fed hay from a developed feeder.