Performance of dairy calves under different liquid diets and facilities during the winter period

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of 24 Holstein black and white male and female calves from birth to weaning under different liquid diets and facilities during the winter period distributed by the order of birth in an experimental design completely randomized not balanced according to a factorial arrangement 23 (two facilities x two diets x two seasons). After the eighth day of age all calves received ground concentrate with 16% crude protein and Pennisetum americanum (L.) Leeke hay as roughage. There was no difference (p>0.05) on birth weight (37.07 kg), weaning weight (53.43 kg) and average daily body gain weight (0.327 kg) during the winter. The weaning weight of the animals born at different seasons was not significant (p> 0.05). The effect of the different liquid diets on the performance of the animals did not differ (p> 0.05). Weaning body weight and average daily gain of calves fed with milk (54.65 kg and 0.358 kg / day, respectively), were 4.67% and 20.53% higher than weaning body weight and average daily gain of animals that received milk replacer (52.21 kg and 0.297 kg / day). The different kind of facilities had no effect (p> 0.05) on the development of animals. The daily weight gain of animals in calf barns (0.362 g / day) and single hutches (0.292 g / day) were similar. The use of different liquid diets and facilities did not interfere with the performance of calves born during the fall or winter. The use of milk substitutes used is justified only if the price of it, after diluted, were lower than the price of the sale of milk. Keywords: Single hutches, conventional calf barn, milk, milk replacer.