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

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Interpretive Summary An erratum has been published 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 Ghorbani, G. R. Articles by Nikkhah, A. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Ghorbani, G. R. Articles by Nikkhah, A.

Soymilk as a Novel Milk Replacer to Stimulate Early Calf Starter Intake and Reduce Weaning Age and Costs

G. R. Ghorbani^*, R. Kowsar^*, M. Alikhani^* and A. Nikkhah^,1,2

^* Department of Animal Science, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan 84156 Iran
Department of Animal Science, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, R3T 2N2 Canada

¹ Corresponding author: anikkhah{at}uiuc.edu

The primary objective was to determine the effects of partial replacement of whole milk with soymilk on preweaning calf performance and weaning costs. Following 3 d of colostrum and transition milk feeding, 18 male and 9 female neonatal Holstein calves (41.6 ± 1.6 kg of body weight; mean ± SE) were assigned in a completely randomized design to 3 treatments offered at 10% of body weight (wet basis) including 1) whole milk (control), 2) 75% whole milk + 25% soymilk (S25), or 3) 50% whole milk + 50% soymilk (S50). The weaning criterion was defined as the calf age at a daily intake of 900 g of starter concentrate. During the first 2 wk of the experiment, treatments did not differ in starter intake and fecal score. Calves fed S25 gained similar amount of body weight as calves fed whole milk diet. By 49 d of age, also, calves on S25 gained similar body weight as did calves on whole milk diet. Calves on S25 and S50 achieved the weaning criterion, respectively, about 10 and 12 d earlier than did peers on whole milk. The soymilk-fed calves consumed less milk than control calves to meet the weaning criterion owing to promoted starter intake. Feed-related weaning costs dropped by about 35% when soymilk was fed because whole milk was about 50% more expensive than both soymilk and starter concentrate. Feeding soymilk at up to 50% of the milk diet maintained health during the first 2 to 4 wk of age when the neonate calf is highly sensitive to nonmilk proteins and plant antinutrients. Results introduce soymilk as an economic partial substitute for whole milk in calf-raising facilities.

Key Words: calf • soymilk • starter • weaning