Effect of Addition of Inedible Tallow to a Calf Starter Fed to Holstein Calves

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of inclusion of an extruded high-fat pellet mixed with a conventional pelleted calf starter on energy intake and performance around weaning in calves. To this end, 75 female Holstein newborn calves (41.0 ± 4.98 kg) were randomly assigned to 1 of 5 iso-nitrogenous solid feed treatments consisting of 4 levels of fat inclusion by mixing a low-fat highly fermentable control pellet with 3 different levels of inclusion of an extruded high-fat pellet [control (100:0), 90:10, 80:20, and 70:30], and a high-fat single pellet (HFSP). The HFSP was equivalent isoenergetic and iso-nitrogenous, although it had almost 1 percentage point difference in fat relative to the 80:20 treatment, to contrast the effect of the dual-component pellet mixture. The extruded high-fat starter feed contained a high proportion of fat (38%), mainly from hydrogenated palm fatty acids. Calves were offered a milk replacer up to 900 g/d, and then pre-weaned at 49 d of age by halving milk allowance until 56 d when calves were weaned. Calves had ad libitum access to the starter diets, chopped straw, and water. Individual milk replacer and starter intakes were recorded daily and BW was determined weekly. A glucose tolerance test was performed at 49 and 84 d of age to evaluate blood glucose homeostasis. Apparent total-tract digestibility was determined from 70 to 75 d of age. Calves on the 90:10 treatment had greatest starter feed intake mainly due to a marked increase in solid feed intake around weaning. Metabolizable energy intake was increased when the extruded pellet was included in the starter. No differences were present in digestibility of ether extract among solid feed treatments. The area under the curve of blood glucose concentration after the glucose tolerance test was greatest in 80:20; intermediate in 70:30, HFSP, and control; and lowest in 90:10 calves. No differences were observed for insulin or other parameters related to blood glucose homeostasis. Delivering dietary fat by mixing an extruded high-fat pellet with a conventional highly fermentable pellet to reach a total fat content of 7% results in increased starter intake, energy intake, and body weight gain until 84 d of age compared with a conventional low-fat pellet, or a single pellet with increased fat content.

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 84%

Effects of fat inclusion in starter feeds for dairy calves by mixing increasing levels of a high-fat extruded pellet with a conventional highly fermentable pellet

Berends¹,

Vidal

Terré

et al. 2018

“…However, increasing the fat content of starter feeds up to 7.3% DM using whole soybeans (Kuehn et al, 1994) or to greater amounts (up to 20%) using brown grease and hydrogenated cottonseed oil (Miller et al, 1959) has been reported to reduce DM intake and weight gain. In contrast, Johnson et al (1956) reported that feeding a high-fat starter (up to 10% fat) to calves limit-fed whole milk did not affect solid feed intake and increased feed efficiency. Nevertheless, all former studies evaluating the effects of fat addition to starter feeds were conducted in conjunction with low milk allowances (≤0.5 kg of DM/d).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 88%

Interaction between milk allowance and fat content of the starter feed on performance of Holstein calves

Araújo

Terré

Bach

2014

Sixty-six Holstein male calves [42 ± 6.0 kg of body weight (BW) and 12 ± 3.1 d of age] were housed individually and allocated to 1 of 4 treatments following a 2 × 2 factorial complete randomized design to assess the potential interaction between milk replacer (MR) allowance and fat content in the starter feed. Thus, 4 treatments were evaluated: a low-fat (4.1% fat; LF) starter feed offered along with 4 L/d of MR (4 LF), a high-fat (11.2% fat; HF) starter feed plus 4 L/d of MR (4 HF), a LF starter feed offered with 6 L/d of MR (6LF), and an HF starter feed offered with 6 L/d of MR (6 HF). Calves were fed either 4 or 6 L/d of MR (25% crude protein and 19.2% fat) in 2 offers (0800 and 1630 h) and had ad libitum access to either an LF or an HF starter feed (21.4 and 22.3% crude protein). Calves were weaned at wk 6 of study by halving the daily MR allowance for 1 wk. Individual MR and starter feed intakes were recorded daily and BW was determined weekly. A glucose tolerance test was performed on d 30 of study to evaluate the effects of increased energy provision on glucose metabolism. Apparent feed digestibility was measured for the last 5 d of study. Overall, fat content of starter feed had no effect on solid feed intake. However, during wk 8 of study (after weaning), calves in the LF treatment had greater starter feed intake than HF calves. Calves on 6 L/d of MR had greater BW than calves fed 4 L/d from the second week of study until weaning. After weaning, 6 LF calves had lesser BW than 6 HF calves. Calves on 6 L/d of MR had greater average daily gain than calves fed 4 L/d, and 6 HF calves tended to have the greatest average daily gain. Glucose clearance rate tended to be lesser for HF than for LF calves. In conclusion, offering 6 L/d of MR increased growth performance before weaning and, when offering 6 L/d of MR, feeding a high-fat starter feed resulted in the greatest BW after weaning.

“…Huber et al (4) found that calves fed more milk consumed less starter than did calves fed less milk. Addition of tallow at 0, 2.5, 5, and 10% to limit-fed starters did not affect OMI, but improved feed efficiency (8). When starter was fed for ad libitum intake, either 10 or 20% fat added to starter reduced intake and BW gains (13).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 89%

The Effect of Dietary Energy Concentration on Calf Performance

Kuehn¹,

Otterby²,

Linn³

et al. 1994

At three locations, 120 calves were fed a high fat milk replacer at 10% of birth weight from d 5 through 13. On d 14, calves were assigned randomly within sex and date of birth to a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement of treatments. Treatments were (on a DM basis) high fat milk replacer (21.6%) and high fat starter (7.3%), high fat milk replacer (21.6%) and low fat starter (3.7%), low fat milk replacer (15.6%) and high fat starter (7.3%), and low fat milk replacer (15.6%) and low fat starter (3.7%). Milk replacer was fed at 8% of birth weight/d from d 14 to 35 and at 4% of birth weight/d from d 36 to 42. High fat replacer depressed DMI before and after weaning. High fat starter depressed DMI after weaning. Before weaning, calves gained more BW when fed low fat replacer. Calves fed low fat starter gained more BW after weaning. On d 56, BW were highest for calves fed low fat replacer and starter and lowest for those fed high fat replacer and starter. Growth or health of calves was not improved by fat addition to the diet.