HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Agabawi, K. A. Articles by Abou Akkada, A. R. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Agabawi, K. A. Articles by Abou Akkada, A. R.

Feed Efficiency, Ruminal Activity, and Effects on Some Blood Constituents of Early Weaned Calves

Faculty of Agriculture, University of Khartoum, Sudan

ABSTRACT

Twenty-seven three-day-old bull calves were distributed among two groups: 1) Control calves were weaned at 87 days and received 270 kg whole milk and 2) calves in Group 2 were weaned at 31 days and given 115 kg whole milk plus a calf starter ration consisting mainly of sorghum seeds, sesame cake, dry alfalfa leaves, and cane sugar.

The control calves made more efficient gains than the early weaned ones. The system of early weaning saved about $25.50 per calf compared with the cost of rearing the control calves for the same period. The early weaned calves were superior to those normally weaned in utilizing roughage after weaning.

The results of rumen microbial activity and blood constituents showed: 1) Total volatile fatty acids increased with age in the two groups and were higher in the early weaned calves; 2) there were no differences between the two groups in concentrations of ruminal ammonia and blood urea and ammonia nitrogen. Some parallelism was evident between changes in ammonia N in the rumen and blood urea and ammonia N; and 3) inoculation with rumen contents resulted in establishing active populations of ciliate protozoa in only the early weaned calves.

¹ Permanent address: Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Agriculture, Alexandria University, U.A.R.