Spanish Journal of Agricultural Research (Aug 2021)

Forage source (alfalfa hay vs wheat straw) and rumen undegradable to degradable protein ratio: Effects on growth performance, microbial protein yield, digestibility, blood metabolites, and behavior of Holstein dairy calves

  • Milad Mohammadzadeh,
  • Mehdi Kazemi-Bonchenari,
  • Mehdi HosseinYazdi,
  • Mehdi Mirzaei

DOI
https://doi.org/10.5424/sjar/2021193-16733
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 19, no. 3

Abstract

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Aim of the study: The effects of forage source (alfalfa hay; AH vs. wheat straw; WS) with rumen undegradable to degradable protein ratio [low ratio (LR) = 28:72; high ratio (HR) = 36:64] were evaluated in young dairy calves. Area of study: Arak, Iran. Material and methods: Forty-eight 3-d old female Holstein dairy calves (44.5 kg of BW) were allocated in four treatments: (1) AH with low dietary RUP:RDP ratio (AH-LR); (2) AH with high dietary RUP:RDP ratio (AH-HR); (3) WS with low dietary RUP:RDP ratio (WS-LR); and (4) WS with high dietary RUP:RDP ratio (WS-HR), being RDP and RUP rumen degradable and undegradable proteins, respectively. The calves weaned on d 53 of the experiment and remained in the study until d 73 of age. Main results: The average daily gain and feed efficiency were improved in dairy calves receiving HR diets compared to LR diets during the post-weaning period (p<0.05). The fecal score (p=0.03) and neutral detergent fiber digestibility (p=0.04) were improved when calves fed WS diets compared to AH diets. Feeding HR diets increased allantoin (p=0.04) and microbial protein yield, and reduced blood urea nitrogen concentration (p=0.03) compared to LR diets. Assessing the interaction effects of the experimental factors resulted that the greatest BW, wither height, and blood beta-hydroxybutyrate, and the lowest urinary N concentration were observed in the WS-HR treatment (p<0.05). Research highlights: Feeding WS with high RUP:RDP ratio is recommendable in dairy calves due to the improvement in gain and N efficiency.

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