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Growth Response of Pail-Fed Heifers to an All-Whey Milk Replacer¹

² Division of Dairy Husbandry, Agricultural Research Organization, Volcani Center, Bet Dagan
³ Extension Department Ministry of Agriculture, Haqirya Tel Aviv, Israel

ABSTRACT

In experiments with postcolostrum 4-day-old Israeli-Friesian herd replacement heifers, their reactions toward an all sweet whey powder fed once a day during 27 days were compared with those to classical commercial milk replacer. Concentrate starter mixture, hay, and water were freely available.

Experiment 1. Controls (group A) received 10.2 kg milk replacer; group B, 5 kg replacer folowed by 5 kg whey powder; and group C, 15.8 kg powder only. Body weight gains at the end of the 27 day pail-feeding were 8.8, 7.8, and 7.4 and during the 29 days post-weaning, 18.7, 17.3, and 18.0 kg for groups A, B, and C.

Experiment 2. Group F received 13.5 kg whey powder only (equal in energy but not protein); group E, 12 kg powder to which 1.5 kg soy-protein-concentrate (60 to 63% protein) was added to equalize protein and energy intake with the controls; and group D, 10.2 kg replacer. Total gain to 57 days of group E was 36.5 which was better throughout than that of group D (control) — 31.9, and of group F — 29.2 kg. The major differences in growth and food utilization between groups F and D, or E, occurred during the 28 days suckling period: i.e., 8.8, 7.5, and 4.9 kg. Blood urea was not affected, but glucose pattern showed an appreciable increase in the whey-fed groups. In a limited milk-feeding system, sweet whey powder can be used in large amounts to replace part or all of the skim milk powder in the commercial milk replacer with no harmful effects on growth or health, provided sufficient concentrates are consumed. The feed/gain cost of the all-whey-fed groups was 20 to 25% lower than controls fed replacer.

¹ Contribution from the Agricultural Research Organization, Volcani Center, Bet Dagan, Israel, 1973 Series, No. 296-E.