NUTRITIONAL STUDIES ON RAISING SUCKLING CALVES

Abstract

The present study was carried out at Mehallet Mousa Research Station;· Ministry of Agriculture, Kafer EI-Sheikh Governorate and the Lab. of· Animal Nutrition & Animal Production Research Institute (APRI) EI-Giza· Governorate during the period from 1996 till 1998. The objectives of this study were to investigate the effects of source and level of starter protein; the amount of milk consumed during the suckling period and time of weaning on the productive performance of newborn buffalo calves. Also the interactions of these variables and the economical evaluation were determined. Thirty newly born male and female buffalo calves were used in this study. They were removed from their dams after having the colostrum (3-4 d old). The calves were randomly divided into five similar groups (6 calves each). Then they were kept in rearing house. The mean initial live body weight (LBW} for calves of different groups were 31.5, 34.7, 33.2, 37.0 and 32.0 for G,, G2, G3, G4 and Gs respectively.

This study was divided into three experimental feeding periods: Suckling period. During which, the first group (G,, the control group) was fed according to traditional allowances of the Experimental Farm Station, Calves were suckled the natural milk twice a day and were fed a commercial starter (20% CP) till weaning (105 d). The second and the third groups (G2 & G3) were fed natural milk, and experimental starter which differ in protein source (soybean meal and sunflower meal, respectively) and level (15%). Calves were weaned at 105 d old.

The fourth and the fifth groups (G4 & G5) were fed buffalo milk (2 liter twice a day) in addition to calf starter with soybean and sunflower meal, respectively. Calves were weaned at 90 d old. Good quality hay was offered ad libitum for all the calves from the second week of age.