Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
TARIM BILIMLERI DERGISI-JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES, cilt.23, ss.386-394, 2017 (SCI-Expanded)
The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of two different quality roughage (wheat straw and alfalfa hay) supplies on live weight gain, growth, feed intake and feed efficiency of Holstein calves during the preweaning period. With this purpose, 30 male and female Holstein calves were divided into two treatment groups (15 calves in each group) based on gender and birth weights. The first group was fed with a total mixed diet containing 80% calf starter and 20% alfalfa hay (chopped in 1-2 cm pieces) as a high quality roughage source and the second group was fed with a total mixed diet containing 80% calf starter and 20% wheat straw (chopped in 1-2 cm pieces) as a low quality roughage source during the preweaning period. The results revealed that feeding with high quality roughage (alfalfa hay) decreased feed intake (P<0.05) but didn't affect live weight and growth parameters (P>0.05) at the moment of weaning after 8 week preweaning period. Because of lower feed consumption without impairing calf performance and improved feed conversation efficiency, it can be suggested that high quality roughage could be supplied to calves in addition to calf starter feed during the preweaning period but meanwhile economic parameters like feed costs must be taken into account.