Effects of alfalfa hay and sodium bicarbonate in the starter diet on performance of Holstein dairy calves

Document Type : Research Paper

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Abstract

This trial was performed to determine the effects of alfalfa hay, sodium bicarbonate and their combination in the starter diet on performance, blood metabolites, digestibility of nutrients, fecal score and body structure in Holstein dairy calves. Individually housed calves (n=40, body weight=42.6±2.2 kg), 10 days after birth, were used in a completely randomized design (n=10 calves per treatment: 5 males and 5 females) and fed by one of the following four treatments: 1-Starter concentrate(Control), 2-Starter concentrate+15% alfalfa hay(SA) 3-Starter concentrate+1% sodium bicarbonate(SS) and 4-Starter concentrate+15% alfalfa hay+1% sodium bicarbonate (SAS) for 60 days. The calves had ad-libitum access to water and experimental starter diets and received 4 kg/d milk in the whole experimental period. The results showed that the calves used SAS diets had lowest final body weight (p<0.05) and average daily gain (P<0.02) than those fed other diets, while the dry matter intake was not affected by different diets. The calves fed SA diet had the lowest (p<0.05) feed efficiency and was lower than those fed SAS diet (p<0.05). The fecal score, blood metabolites and body structure were not affected by different diets. Calves fed SA diet had lower (P=0.02) digestibility of DM compared with those fed control diet, while the digestibility of OM, CP and NDF did not differ across treatments. In conclusion, the use of alfalfa hay up to 15% in starter diet can improve feed efficiency, but supplementation of starter diet with 1% sodium bicarbonate had no beneficial effect on growth performance of dairy calves.

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References

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Animal Sciences Journal
Volume 30, Issue 114
June 2017
Pages 247-256

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