1658
Pre- and Post weaning performance and health of dairy calves fed all-milk protein milk replacers or partially replacing milk protein in milk replacers with plasma, wheat proteins and soy protein concentrate

Tuesday, July 22, 2014
Exhibit Hall AB (Kansas City Convention Center)
David Ziegler , University of Minnesota Southern Research and Outreach Center, Waseca, MN
Hugh Chester-Jones , University of Minnesota Southern Research and Outreach Center, Waseca, MN
Bruce Ziegler , Hubbard Feeds Inc., Mankato, MN
Daniel Schimek , Hubbard Feeds Inc., Mankato, MN
Mary Raeth-Knight , University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN
David L Cook , Milk Products, Chilton, WI
Abstract Text: One-hundred five (2-5 d old) individually fed Holstein heifer calves (39.8 ± 0.73kg) were randomly assigned to 1 of 4  treatments to evaluate pre- (d 1-42) and post weaning (d 43-56) calf performance and health when fed  milk replacers (MR) with alternative protein sources. Calves were assigned to  non-medicated MR with 1) All milk protein (AM), 2) 50% of total protein from wheat and plasma (WPL), 3) 50% of total protein from soybean protein concentrate (SPC) and plasma (SPL), and 4) 50% combination of wheat, SPC and plasma (SWP). All calves were fed a non- medicated 20% fat:20% CP MR at 0.284 kg in 1.99 L water (12.5% solids) 2X daily for the first 35 d and 1X daily d 36 to weaning at 42 d. Day 1 to 14, 1:1 neomycin:oxytetracycline was added to the MR solution to provide 22 mg/kg BW/d. Calf starter (CS; 18% CP) and water were fed free choice from d1. Osmolality of the MR were 469, 421, 395 and 412 mOsm/L for AM, WPL, SPL, and SWP, respectively. There were no pre- (P = 0.11) or post (P = 0.30) weaning ADG differences. Calves averaged 0.74 kg/d gain for the 56-d study. There were no differences in CS (P = 0.22) or total DMI (P = 0.33) intake  which averaged 55.3 and 77.08 kg for the 56-d study, respectively. Pre-weaning gain/feed was higher (P < 0.05) in calves fed WPL vs. those fed SPL and SWP but similar to AM calves. There were no overall 56-d differences in gain/feed (P = 0.19). Across treatments, calves doubled their initial BW and gained > 10.2 cm in frame growth. Fecal scores d 1 to 14 and overall were higher (P < 0.05) for AM fed calves compared to WPL, SPL, and SWP treatments. The number of scouring d pre-weaning were also higher (P < 0.05) for AM calves vs. those fed SPL and SWP with WPL calves being intermediate.  There were no differences in health treatment costs. Under the conditions of this study, replacing 50% of the total milk protein in MR with alternative sources resulted in calf performance and health similar to all milk protein.

Keywords:

Calf performance, milk replacers, alternative proteins.