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The effect of level and method of feeding milk substitute and housing environment on the performance of calves

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

C. D. Mitchell  and
P. J. Broadbent
C. D. Mitchell
Affiliation:
Scottish Farm Buildings Investigation Unit, Craibstone, Bucksbum, Aberdeen, AB2 9TQ
P. J. Broadbent
Affiliation:
The North of Scotland College of Agriculture, 581 King Street, Aberdeen, AB9 1UD
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Summary

1. Thirty-six Ayrshire and 48 Friesian male calves were used in two separate experiments to examine the effect of level and method of feeding milk substitute in two different housing environments. The calves were weaned when the daily intake of air-dry, milk substitute plus concentrates per head reached 1·59 kg, provided at least 0·45 kg of this intake was from concentrates.

2. The feeding systems affected the total consumption of milk substitute (P< 0·001) and created differences in live weight at weaning. The housing environments affected the age at weaning (P< 0·001) and the intake of milk substitute (P< 0·001).

3. The extra capital cost involved in a ‘controlled environment’ type of calf house does not appear to be justifiable in terms of calf health or performance when compared with the performance of calves in a ‘climatic’ house in the north-east of Scotland.

Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Production , Volume 17 , Issue 3 , December 1973 , pp. 245 - 256
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1973

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References

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