Large-scale evaluation of growth performance and health of dairy calves supplemented with condensed whey solubles on a commercial dairy calf ranch

Document Type

Abstract

Publication Date

2019

Location

2019 American Dairy Science Association Annual Meeting: Cincinnati, Ohio

Publisher

American Dairy Science Association

Journal

Journal of Dairy Science

Volume

102

Issue

Suppl.1

Pages

312

Language

en.

Keywords

dairy calf, condensed whey solubles, growth performance

Abstract

Our objective was to determine the effects of supplementation of condensed whey solubles (CWS) on growth performance and health of dairy calves when fed with starter grain mix in a commercial dairy. Calves (2 d old; 350 Crosses, 124 Jersey, 42 Holstein) housed in individual hutches were used in a 12 wk completely randomized design study. Treatments were 1) control (CON) with no supplements, 2) 42 g/d of CWS (CWSL), and 3) 84 g/d of CWS (CWSH). During first 2 wk CWS was fed with milk replacer (MR) and during wk 3–12 CWS was mixed with starter (CP 22%). Calves were fed 1.89 L of MR from wk 1 to 2 and 2.83 L from wk 2 to 8.5, 2 × /d. From wk 8.5 to 11 calves fed 1.89 L MR, 1 × /d then weaned. Starter and water were fed ad libitum. Individual intakes of milk and starter were measured daily. Fecal (0 = firm, 3 = watery) and respiratory scores were recorded daily. Body weights (BW), frame growth and jugular blood samples were taken 1 d at wk 0, 8, and 12 at 3 h after morning feeding of 50 calves per treatment. Data were analyzed using MIXED procedures of SAS 9.4 with repeated measures. Significance was declared at P < 0.05 and tendency was 0.05 ≤ P < 0.10. Starter DMI tended to be greater (P = 0.09) in CWSL (573, 631 and 543 g/d; SEM = 31.5 for CON, CWSL and CWSH, respectively). Total DMI tended to be greatest (P = 0.08) in CON (1242, 1239, and 1143 g/d; SEM = 37.5). Starch intakes (213, 230 and 187 g/d; SEM = 11.3) were greater in CWSL. Sugar intakes (251, 290, and 297 g/d; SEM = 8) were greater in CWSL and CWSH. Calf BW (70, 75, and 69 kg; SEM = 1.4) and ADG (0.99, 1.06 and 0.97 kg/d; SEM = 0.02) were greater in CWSL. Glucose (101, 95, and 97 mg/dL; SEM = 1.54) was greater in CON. Β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB; 44, 52, and 46 mg/dL; SEM = 1.93) was greater in CWSL. Less diarrhea incidences (0.17, 0.11, and 0.18%) were observed in CWSL. The gain: feed, withers height, hip width, plasma urea nitrogen and fecal scores were not different among the treatments. Supplementing CWSL improved starter intake, BW, BHB, fecal consistency, health with maintained frame growth.

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