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Growth of Holstein and Jersey Calves in Response to Four Feeding Programs in a Breed-by-Ration Interaction Study1
Growth of Holstein and Jersey Calves in Response to Four Feeding Programs in a Breed-byRation Interaction Study I G. K. MACLEOD, E. B. BURNSIDE, and D. G. GRIEVE
Department of Animal Science, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada Abstract
(12) studied growth of monozygotic twin heifers of three British beef breeds on low and high concentrate rations from 5 to approximately 18 months of age. Significant twin p a i r × ration interaction was observed for growth and feed efficiency; however, no tests were made for breed-by-ration interaction. Recent twin studies [Burnside et al. (3) and Ramsay and Freeman (10)] indicated scant evidence for interaction of twin pairs with rations for early growth; however, only the Holstein breed was studied. Our investigation had as an objective the testing for breed × ration interaction in growth of Holstein and Jersey heifer calves from birth to 24 weeks of age. Whereas a number of studies have shown that early weaning is not disadvantageous to growth (7-9) and others (4, 6, 13) have demonstrated that calf starters can be of simple composition and variable in fiber, few reports are available on the combined effects of early weaning and haycontaining starters. A second objective was the comparison of rations with 2 milk quantities and 2 amounts of fiber in the starter.
The interaction and response of Holstein and Jersey calves to two quantities of whole milk and two simple calf starters with and without hay were measured. Sixty-four heifer calves in a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial arrangement were observed from 3 days to 24 weeks of age for feed intake and body weight, heart girth, and wither height gains. Following 3 days of colostram feeding, calves received either 84 or 150 kg of milk plus free-choice grasslegume hay and one of two starters. The hay starter included 20% grass-legume hay and starters were replaced by grower at 16 weeks of age. Feed intake, rates of gain, and feed efficiency were superior for the Holstein calves. Starter intake was higher at the lower milk and also for calves receiving bay starter (P ~ 0.01). No significant differences were observed in growth rates of calves between milk levels or starters. Feed efficiency as total digestible nutrients per kilogram body weight gain was superior for calves fed the high milk. There was no evidence for significant interaction between breeds and rations for body weight gain, wither height change, or feed efficiency. A significant breed by milk interaction was observed for heart girth change.
Experimental Procedure
Introduction
There is a rising interest in selecting dairy calves for rapid growth, due to the economic advantage of breeding heifers to calve at 24 months of age, coupled with expanded use of dairy calves in beef production. I n developing programs for rapid economical growth, it is important to know if the dairy breeds respond similarly to different rations. Warwick et al. Received for publication September 19, 1969. 1This research was supported in part by the Ontario Department of Agriculture and Food.
A total of 64 heifers (32 Jersey and 32 Holstein) was allotted to a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial design with 2 animals per treatment and 4 repheations. All calves were individually penned and fed. Calves received either 150 kg (high) or 84 kg (low) of whole milk; the practical factors of health, size, and appetite determined optimum weaning time. All calves were fed colostrum for the first three days and whole milk from Holstein cows thereafter on a twice-a-day basis. Weaning was abrupt. Holsteins averaged 7.1 and 4.4 weeks of age at weaning, whereas the Jerseys averaged :10.9 and 7.3 weeks of age on the high and low milk treatments (Table 1). The composition of calf starters and proximate analyses of feeds are in Table 1. A moderately good quality alfalfa-brome hay grown under typical local conditions was included in one of the starters at 20%. In addition, all calves were offered comparable hay free choice.
1270
FOUR CALF-FEEDING PROGRAMS
1271
TABLB 1. Ingredients and proximate analyses o f r a t i o n components. Calf starter formulation Ingredients
No hay
Hay
(%)
(%)
Corn Oats Wheat bran Soybean meal Hay Calcium phosphate Cobalt-iodized salt Vitamin A and D mixa
28.5 25.0 15.0 29.0 1.0
25.0 15.0 10.0 28.0 20.0 0.5
0.5
0.5
1.0
1.0
Proximate analysisb Feed
Dry matter
Estimated TDN
Crude protein
Crude fiber
Ether extract
5.2 9.6 12.1 28.3 0
2.7 2.9 4.4 1.8 3.7
(%) No-hay starter Hay starter Grower Hay Milk
88.3 89.0 90.0 89.7 12.8
74 70 69 53 16
22.5 21.5 14.6 12.4 3.5
Provides 3,300 IU of vitamin A and 600 IU of vitamin D 3 per kilogram of feed. bValues on an as-fed basis. Starter and grower intakes were limited to maxima of 2.27 kg per day by Holstein calves and 1.82 kg per day by Jersey calves. Both calf starters were pelleted, but the calf grower to which all calves were switched at 16 weeks of age was meal. The grower consisted of rolled oats 62.5%, wheat bran 10%, and linseed meal 12.5%. Complete feed consumption data were recorded daily and samples analyzed for proximate constituents by AOAC methods (2). Total digestible nutrients were estimated from averages of formula ingredients and feeds as indicated by Morrison (5). Calf weights, heart girths, and wither heights were measured on the third and fourth days of age and at biweekly intervals thereafter. The model for growth or feed intake of a calf was : rt + b j + m k -[- s t 4- ( r b ) i i + (rm)ik 4- (rs)il + ( b m ) j k + (bs)jl + (ms)kl + (rbm)lj k 4- (rbs)ijl -4- (rlns)ikl 4- (bmS)jkl 4(rbms)ijkl + eijkl,
Y i j k l ---- /-¢ +
where, /, = a general mean, r i ~--the effect of replications assumed fixed
since replication took place in spring and fall calvings over two years, i = 1, . . . 4, bj = the effect of breeds assumed fixed, j = 1, 2, mk----the effect of milk quantities assumed fixed, k -~ 1, 2, sl = the effect of starter fiber assumed fixed, 1 ---- 1,2,
the appropriate interactions are bracketed, and : eijkl----a random effect measured as the difference among calves in the same replicate, breed, milk, and starter ration class. A n analysis of variance for the fixed Model I was conducted, and all factors and their interactions were tested for significant variance. Average daily gains in heart girth of Holstein and Jersey calves were adjusted for initial girth following a covariance analysis @2 _-0.12). No correction for initial values was necessary for weight and height change as no significant covariance was found. Results and Discussion
Feeding trial. The health and growth rates of calves of each breed were satisfactory on each quantity of milk and on the two calf JOURNAL OF DAIRY SCIENCE VOL. 53, NO. 9
1272
MACLEOD
starters. As expected, Holstein calves consumed significantly more starter, hay, grower, and dry matter than Jersey calves (Table 2). While growth rates of the two breeds differed substantially, the growth curves are similar (Fig. 1, 2). A comparison of weight gains and linear measurement changes indicate the usefulness and sensitivity of weight gain as a measure of growth. Growth responses within each breed were similar on the various ration combinations. The feed efficiency of Holstein calves was greater (P ~ 0.01) than that of Jersey calves. When growth performance of the two breeds was compared on development per unit of initial metabolic body size, the identical means of 43.8 g of body weight gain per kilogram B W . ~ were obtained for Holstein and Jersey calves. Jerseys and Holsteins responded equally well to the various rations. Calves fed lower milk compensated for their early weaning by consuming more starter (P ~ 0.01) than calves nmre liberally fed on milk. The difference in starter intake was most evident immediately following weaning. Total hay and total dry matter intakes of the low and high milk groups were similar. Calves grew equally on the two milks, though they were more efficient energy converters on the higher
160
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AGE, WK,
FIG. I. Average growth curves by weight of Holstein and Jersey heifer calves from 3 days to 24 weeks of age. JOURNAL
OF DAIRY
SCIENCE
VOL.
53,
NO. 9
ET
AL.
.•°~°°°° ,Io°°
~ 1~
•°°°.~-" .....~°....4.
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FIG. 2. Average growth curves by heart girth and wither height of Holstein and Jersey heifer calves from 3 days to 24 weeks of age. milk (P ~ 0.05). This order of efficiency was reversed in the experiment of Agabawi et al. (1), in which higher quantities of milk were compared. Such differences are not as important, at least to dairymen, as differences in economic efficiency of different feeding systems which today generally favor early weaning• Inclusion of hay at 20% in calf starter resulted in greater starter consumption (P 0.01) but lower intake of grain. W a l d e r n and Nelson (11) also observed that 20% hay in starter increased starter consumption but with no change in total grain intake• However, the two experiments differed in that Waldern and Nelson did not feed hay in addition to the hay starter. Inclusion of hay in the starter in our study did not decrease voluntary hay consumption and, in fact, suggests a way to maximize hay intake with no decrease in performance. Growth rates and feed efficiencies of calves fed the two starters were similar. Thus, the higher intake of hay starter can be explained simply by its lower energy concentration. This experiment demonstrates that with this compensatory capacity calves can develop satisfactorily on limited milk feeding combined with hay-containing starters. B r e e d X ration interaction. Analyses of variance according to the model specified were for average daily change in body weight, ad-
FOUR CALF-FEEDING PROGRAMS
1273
TABL~ 2. Treatment means for feed consumption and growth rates by calves from 3 days to 24 weeks of age. Ration Breed Component
Holstein
Number of calves Total feed consumption (kg) Milk Starter Hay Grower Dry matter
Milk
Jersey
32
32
117.2 164.8b 214.2b 109.4b 452.1b
117.1 105.0 131.6 81.8 299.9
Starter
High
Low
32
32
32
32
84.1 142.7 171.5 95.9 377.6
117.0 130.1b 168.7 95.7 368.1
117.4 139.7 177.1 95.5 383.9
150.2 127.1b 174.4 95.3 374.4
No hay H a y
Average daily gain Weight (kg) H e a r t girth (ram) Adjusted heart girth (nun) Wither height (mm)
0.71b 2.54b 2.80b 1.50b
0.46 2.30 2.05 1.36
0.60 2.45 2.47 1.46
0.57 2.39 2.38 1.42
0.58 2.45 2.43 1.42
0.59 2.39 2.43 1.45
Feed efficiency Kilograms T D N / k g body weight gain
2.77b
2.88
2.74a
2.89
2.81
2.82
a Main effects significantly different ( P ~ 0.05). b Main effects significantly different (P ~ 0.01). TABLE 3. Analyses of variance of growth and feed efficiency traits. Mean squares for: Sources of variation
Replications (R) Breeds (B) Milk (M) Starter ( S ) R X B R X M R X S B X M B × S M × S R X B X M R × B X S R × M × S B X M × S R X B × M × S Residual
Degrees of freedom Weight change
3 1 1 1 3 3 3 1 1 1 3 3 3 1 3 32 a
Girth change e
Height change
(kg/day)
(mm/day)
(mm/day)
0.003 1.008b 0.009 0.001 0.008a 0.003 0.025b 0.001 0.001 0.001 0.004 0.002 0.010a 0.000 0.007a 0.002
0.176b 1.325b 0.120 0.001 0.022 0.060 0.160b 0.145a 0.001 0.007 0.063 0.050 0.225b 0.001 0.086 0.030
0.009 0.342b 0.031 0.026 0.016 0.004 0.053a {).015 0.004 0.021 0.012 0.010 0.124b 0.019 0.019 0.016
Feed efficiency (kg T D N / k g gain) 0.63b 0.35b 0.33a 0.003 0.17a 0.07 0.57b 0.07 0.002 0.001 0.05 0.04 0.15a 0.01 0.09 0.05
a Significant at P ~ .05. b Significant at P ~ .01. ° Adjusted for initial heart girth by eovariance. d Thirty-one degrees of freedom for adjusted girth change. JOURNAL OF DAIRY SCIENCE ~OL, 53, NO. 9
1274
M A C L E O D E T AL.
Acknowledgment 3.0 HOLSTEIN
~2.5
The authors acknowledge the analytical assistance of Dr. T. R. Batra and G. C. Smith and the technical assistance of J. D. Creeden and N. M. Macleod.
References
2.0
High
LOw
MILK FEEDING LEVELS
FIG. 3. Least-squares means of heart girth change by breeds and milk quantities. justed heart girth, wither height, and for feed efficiency (Table 3). Results were similar "for these traits. Breed differences were highly significant for all f o u r traits, and calves responded differently in feed efficiency to the two quantities of milk fed. Thus, ample differences between breeds and rations occurred in this trial to allow detection of m e a n i n g f u l breed-byration interactions. No interactions involving breeds and rations were observed f o r wither height changes or feed efficiency. A significant f o u r - f a c t o r interaction involving breeds, replications, and rations was observed for weight change; however, it may have been related to a highly significant threefactor interaction of replications and the two ration factors. Neither of the two-factor interactions (breed X milk; breed X starter) was significant. A significant breed × milk interaction was observed f o r adjusted daily change in heart girth. The nature of the interaction is illustrated by least-squares means for breeds and milk (Fig. 3). Holsteins gained more rapidly in heart girth on the low milk ration whereas Jerseys gained more rapidly on the high milk ration. H e a r t girth is the only one of the three indicators used to measure growth which showed evidence of a significant breed-byration interaction. While this problem may require f u r t h e r study, it does not a p p e a r that the rations studied need to be tailored to specific breeds.
JOURNAL OF DAIRY SCIENCE ~rOL, 53, NO. 9
(1) Agabawi, K. A., H. E1 Sayed Osman, and A. R. Abou Akkada. 1968. Feed efficiency, ruminal activity, and effects on some blood constituents of early weaned calves. J. Dairy Sci., 51: 744. (2) Association of Official Analytical Chemists. 1965. Official Methods of Analysis. 10th ed. Washington, D.C. (3) Burnside, E. B., G. K. Macleod, and D. G. Grieve. 1969. Genotypc and environment in calf production. Animal Prod., 11:285. (4) Harrison, H. N., R. G. Warner, E. G. Sander, J. K. Loosli, S. T. Slack, and K. L. Turk. 1960. Relative growth and appearance of young dairy calves fed two levels of milk with a simple or complex calf starter. J. Dairy Sci., 43: 1084. (5) Morrison, F. B. 1959. Feeds and Feeding. 22nd ed. The Morrisan Publishing Company, Clinton, Iowa. (6) Murley, W. R., R. D. Mochrie, J. R. Edwards, and B. F. Hollon. 1958. Response of young dairy calves fed a simple versus a complex starter with various kinds of hay. J. Dairy Sci., 41: 982. (7) Noller, C. H., I. A. Dickson, and D. L. Hill. 1962. Value of hay and rumen inoculation in an early-weaning system for dairy calves. J. Dairy Sci., 45: 197. (8) Owen, F. G., and M. Plum. 1968. Performance of calves as influenced by three criteria for weaning : age, weight gain, or feed intake. J. Dairy Sci., 51: 971. (9) Preston, T. R. 1957. Milk substitutes and early weaning of calves. Agriculture (J. Min. Agr. England), 64: 429. (10) Ramsay, J. M., and A. E. Freeman. 1965. Gcnotype by environment interaction for two growth trials. J. Dairy Sei., 48: 804. (11) Waldern, D. E., and D. K. Nelson. 1968. Complete calf starter rations for replacement dairy heifers. J. Dairy Sci., 51:972. (12) Warwick, E. J., R. E. Davis, and R. L. Hiner. 1964. Response of monozygotic bovine twins to high and low concentrate rations. J. Animal Sci., 23:78. (13) Wing, J. M. 1959. Effect of a simple highfiber feed on dairy calves. J. Dairy Sei. 42 : 1877.
Department of Animal Science, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada Abstract
(12) studied growth of monozygotic twin heifers of three British beef breeds on low and high concentrate rations from 5 to approximately 18 months of age. Significant twin p a i r × ration interaction was observed for growth and feed efficiency; however, no tests were made for breed-by-ration interaction. Recent twin studies [Burnside et al. (3) and Ramsay and Freeman (10)] indicated scant evidence for interaction of twin pairs with rations for early growth; however, only the Holstein breed was studied. Our investigation had as an objective the testing for breed × ration interaction in growth of Holstein and Jersey heifer calves from birth to 24 weeks of age. Whereas a number of studies have shown that early weaning is not disadvantageous to growth (7-9) and others (4, 6, 13) have demonstrated that calf starters can be of simple composition and variable in fiber, few reports are available on the combined effects of early weaning and haycontaining starters. A second objective was the comparison of rations with 2 milk quantities and 2 amounts of fiber in the starter.
The interaction and response of Holstein and Jersey calves to two quantities of whole milk and two simple calf starters with and without hay were measured. Sixty-four heifer calves in a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial arrangement were observed from 3 days to 24 weeks of age for feed intake and body weight, heart girth, and wither height gains. Following 3 days of colostram feeding, calves received either 84 or 150 kg of milk plus free-choice grasslegume hay and one of two starters. The hay starter included 20% grass-legume hay and starters were replaced by grower at 16 weeks of age. Feed intake, rates of gain, and feed efficiency were superior for the Holstein calves. Starter intake was higher at the lower milk and also for calves receiving bay starter (P ~ 0.01). No significant differences were observed in growth rates of calves between milk levels or starters. Feed efficiency as total digestible nutrients per kilogram body weight gain was superior for calves fed the high milk. There was no evidence for significant interaction between breeds and rations for body weight gain, wither height change, or feed efficiency. A significant breed by milk interaction was observed for heart girth change.
Experimental Procedure
Introduction
There is a rising interest in selecting dairy calves for rapid growth, due to the economic advantage of breeding heifers to calve at 24 months of age, coupled with expanded use of dairy calves in beef production. I n developing programs for rapid economical growth, it is important to know if the dairy breeds respond similarly to different rations. Warwick et al. Received for publication September 19, 1969. 1This research was supported in part by the Ontario Department of Agriculture and Food.
A total of 64 heifers (32 Jersey and 32 Holstein) was allotted to a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial design with 2 animals per treatment and 4 repheations. All calves were individually penned and fed. Calves received either 150 kg (high) or 84 kg (low) of whole milk; the practical factors of health, size, and appetite determined optimum weaning time. All calves were fed colostrum for the first three days and whole milk from Holstein cows thereafter on a twice-a-day basis. Weaning was abrupt. Holsteins averaged 7.1 and 4.4 weeks of age at weaning, whereas the Jerseys averaged :10.9 and 7.3 weeks of age on the high and low milk treatments (Table 1). The composition of calf starters and proximate analyses of feeds are in Table 1. A moderately good quality alfalfa-brome hay grown under typical local conditions was included in one of the starters at 20%. In addition, all calves were offered comparable hay free choice.
1270
FOUR CALF-FEEDING PROGRAMS
1271
TABLB 1. Ingredients and proximate analyses o f r a t i o n components. Calf starter formulation Ingredients
No hay
Hay
(%)
(%)
Corn Oats Wheat bran Soybean meal Hay Calcium phosphate Cobalt-iodized salt Vitamin A and D mixa
28.5 25.0 15.0 29.0 1.0
25.0 15.0 10.0 28.0 20.0 0.5
0.5
0.5
1.0
1.0
Proximate analysisb Feed
Dry matter
Estimated TDN
Crude protein
Crude fiber
Ether extract
5.2 9.6 12.1 28.3 0
2.7 2.9 4.4 1.8 3.7
(%) No-hay starter Hay starter Grower Hay Milk
88.3 89.0 90.0 89.7 12.8
74 70 69 53 16
22.5 21.5 14.6 12.4 3.5
Provides 3,300 IU of vitamin A and 600 IU of vitamin D 3 per kilogram of feed. bValues on an as-fed basis. Starter and grower intakes were limited to maxima of 2.27 kg per day by Holstein calves and 1.82 kg per day by Jersey calves. Both calf starters were pelleted, but the calf grower to which all calves were switched at 16 weeks of age was meal. The grower consisted of rolled oats 62.5%, wheat bran 10%, and linseed meal 12.5%. Complete feed consumption data were recorded daily and samples analyzed for proximate constituents by AOAC methods (2). Total digestible nutrients were estimated from averages of formula ingredients and feeds as indicated by Morrison (5). Calf weights, heart girths, and wither heights were measured on the third and fourth days of age and at biweekly intervals thereafter. The model for growth or feed intake of a calf was : rt + b j + m k -[- s t 4- ( r b ) i i + (rm)ik 4- (rs)il + ( b m ) j k + (bs)jl + (ms)kl + (rbm)lj k 4- (rbs)ijl -4- (rlns)ikl 4- (bmS)jkl 4(rbms)ijkl + eijkl,
Y i j k l ---- /-¢ +
where, /, = a general mean, r i ~--the effect of replications assumed fixed
since replication took place in spring and fall calvings over two years, i = 1, . . . 4, bj = the effect of breeds assumed fixed, j = 1, 2, mk----the effect of milk quantities assumed fixed, k -~ 1, 2, sl = the effect of starter fiber assumed fixed, 1 ---- 1,2,
the appropriate interactions are bracketed, and : eijkl----a random effect measured as the difference among calves in the same replicate, breed, milk, and starter ration class. A n analysis of variance for the fixed Model I was conducted, and all factors and their interactions were tested for significant variance. Average daily gains in heart girth of Holstein and Jersey calves were adjusted for initial girth following a covariance analysis @2 _-0.12). No correction for initial values was necessary for weight and height change as no significant covariance was found. Results and Discussion
Feeding trial. The health and growth rates of calves of each breed were satisfactory on each quantity of milk and on the two calf JOURNAL OF DAIRY SCIENCE VOL. 53, NO. 9
1272
MACLEOD
starters. As expected, Holstein calves consumed significantly more starter, hay, grower, and dry matter than Jersey calves (Table 2). While growth rates of the two breeds differed substantially, the growth curves are similar (Fig. 1, 2). A comparison of weight gains and linear measurement changes indicate the usefulness and sensitivity of weight gain as a measure of growth. Growth responses within each breed were similar on the various ration combinations. The feed efficiency of Holstein calves was greater (P ~ 0.01) than that of Jersey calves. When growth performance of the two breeds was compared on development per unit of initial metabolic body size, the identical means of 43.8 g of body weight gain per kilogram B W . ~ were obtained for Holstein and Jersey calves. Jerseys and Holsteins responded equally well to the various rations. Calves fed lower milk compensated for their early weaning by consuming more starter (P ~ 0.01) than calves nmre liberally fed on milk. The difference in starter intake was most evident immediately following weaning. Total hay and total dry matter intakes of the low and high milk groups were similar. Calves grew equally on the two milks, though they were more efficient energy converters on the higher
160
.°.'" •..° ..,' .•'" •~"
140
.° 120
..°°° .,°
~
•,'
i00
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60
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..'i°" /40
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..." ..... ,.......
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~/
"""
-,........
HOLSTEIN
-..... ~
JERSEY
2O I
I
a 4
I
I 8
I
I 12
I
I 16
I
I 20
I
I 24
AGE, WK,
FIG. I. Average growth curves by weight of Holstein and Jersey heifer calves from 3 days to 24 weeks of age. JOURNAL
OF DAIRY
SCIENCE
VOL.
53,
NO. 9
ET
AL.
.•°~°°°° ,Io°°
~ 1~
•°°°.~-" .....~°....4.
~~:
..d •" °.o~-." ° . ° i . . ,'°~" I.._.i_...
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80
= ~ 6o ~~
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I
I 8
! AGE,
I 12
HOLSTEIN
......
•
JERSEy
l
I 16
I
I 20
I
I 24
WK,
FIG. 2. Average growth curves by heart girth and wither height of Holstein and Jersey heifer calves from 3 days to 24 weeks of age. milk (P ~ 0.05). This order of efficiency was reversed in the experiment of Agabawi et al. (1), in which higher quantities of milk were compared. Such differences are not as important, at least to dairymen, as differences in economic efficiency of different feeding systems which today generally favor early weaning• Inclusion of hay at 20% in calf starter resulted in greater starter consumption (P 0.01) but lower intake of grain. W a l d e r n and Nelson (11) also observed that 20% hay in starter increased starter consumption but with no change in total grain intake• However, the two experiments differed in that Waldern and Nelson did not feed hay in addition to the hay starter. Inclusion of hay in the starter in our study did not decrease voluntary hay consumption and, in fact, suggests a way to maximize hay intake with no decrease in performance. Growth rates and feed efficiencies of calves fed the two starters were similar. Thus, the higher intake of hay starter can be explained simply by its lower energy concentration. This experiment demonstrates that with this compensatory capacity calves can develop satisfactorily on limited milk feeding combined with hay-containing starters. B r e e d X ration interaction. Analyses of variance according to the model specified were for average daily change in body weight, ad-
FOUR CALF-FEEDING PROGRAMS
1273
TABL~ 2. Treatment means for feed consumption and growth rates by calves from 3 days to 24 weeks of age. Ration Breed Component
Holstein
Number of calves Total feed consumption (kg) Milk Starter Hay Grower Dry matter
Milk
Jersey
32
32
117.2 164.8b 214.2b 109.4b 452.1b
117.1 105.0 131.6 81.8 299.9
Starter
High
Low
32
32
32
32
84.1 142.7 171.5 95.9 377.6
117.0 130.1b 168.7 95.7 368.1
117.4 139.7 177.1 95.5 383.9
150.2 127.1b 174.4 95.3 374.4
No hay H a y
Average daily gain Weight (kg) H e a r t girth (ram) Adjusted heart girth (nun) Wither height (mm)
0.71b 2.54b 2.80b 1.50b
0.46 2.30 2.05 1.36
0.60 2.45 2.47 1.46
0.57 2.39 2.38 1.42
0.58 2.45 2.43 1.42
0.59 2.39 2.43 1.45
Feed efficiency Kilograms T D N / k g body weight gain
2.77b
2.88
2.74a
2.89
2.81
2.82
a Main effects significantly different ( P ~ 0.05). b Main effects significantly different (P ~ 0.01). TABLE 3. Analyses of variance of growth and feed efficiency traits. Mean squares for: Sources of variation
Replications (R) Breeds (B) Milk (M) Starter ( S ) R X B R X M R X S B X M B × S M × S R X B X M R × B X S R × M × S B X M × S R X B × M × S Residual
Degrees of freedom Weight change
3 1 1 1 3 3 3 1 1 1 3 3 3 1 3 32 a
Girth change e
Height change
(kg/day)
(mm/day)
(mm/day)
0.003 1.008b 0.009 0.001 0.008a 0.003 0.025b 0.001 0.001 0.001 0.004 0.002 0.010a 0.000 0.007a 0.002
0.176b 1.325b 0.120 0.001 0.022 0.060 0.160b 0.145a 0.001 0.007 0.063 0.050 0.225b 0.001 0.086 0.030
0.009 0.342b 0.031 0.026 0.016 0.004 0.053a {).015 0.004 0.021 0.012 0.010 0.124b 0.019 0.019 0.016
Feed efficiency (kg T D N / k g gain) 0.63b 0.35b 0.33a 0.003 0.17a 0.07 0.57b 0.07 0.002 0.001 0.05 0.04 0.15a 0.01 0.09 0.05
a Significant at P ~ .05. b Significant at P ~ .01. ° Adjusted for initial heart girth by eovariance. d Thirty-one degrees of freedom for adjusted girth change. JOURNAL OF DAIRY SCIENCE ~OL, 53, NO. 9
1274
M A C L E O D E T AL.
Acknowledgment 3.0 HOLSTEIN
~2.5
The authors acknowledge the analytical assistance of Dr. T. R. Batra and G. C. Smith and the technical assistance of J. D. Creeden and N. M. Macleod.
References
2.0
High
LOw
MILK FEEDING LEVELS
FIG. 3. Least-squares means of heart girth change by breeds and milk quantities. justed heart girth, wither height, and for feed efficiency (Table 3). Results were similar "for these traits. Breed differences were highly significant for all f o u r traits, and calves responded differently in feed efficiency to the two quantities of milk fed. Thus, ample differences between breeds and rations occurred in this trial to allow detection of m e a n i n g f u l breed-byration interactions. No interactions involving breeds and rations were observed f o r wither height changes or feed efficiency. A significant f o u r - f a c t o r interaction involving breeds, replications, and rations was observed for weight change; however, it may have been related to a highly significant threefactor interaction of replications and the two ration factors. Neither of the two-factor interactions (breed X milk; breed X starter) was significant. A significant breed × milk interaction was observed f o r adjusted daily change in heart girth. The nature of the interaction is illustrated by least-squares means for breeds and milk (Fig. 3). Holsteins gained more rapidly in heart girth on the low milk ration whereas Jerseys gained more rapidly on the high milk ration. H e a r t girth is the only one of the three indicators used to measure growth which showed evidence of a significant breed-byration interaction. While this problem may require f u r t h e r study, it does not a p p e a r that the rations studied need to be tailored to specific breeds.
JOURNAL OF DAIRY SCIENCE ~rOL, 53, NO. 9
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