SHORT COMMUNICATION
Effects of local concentrate and weaning age
on the performance of crossbred calves
1 |
Sokoine University of Agriculture, P.O. Box 3004, Morogoro, Tanzania |
2 |
Department of Animal Science and Health, Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University (KVL),
GrØonnegårdsvej 2, DK-1870 Frederiksberg, Denmark |
3 |
University of Aarhus, P.O. Box 50, DK-8830 Tjele, Denmark
Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Aarhus, Research Centre Foulum,
P.O. Box 50, DK-8830 Tjele, Denmark |
J. Anim. Feed Sci. 2007;16(Suppl. 2):419–423
Publication date: 2007-09-17
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
Thirty calves were allocated to three diets and two weaning ages (3 × 2 factorial) to study the
effects of local concentrates (A (T1) and B (T2)) and weaning age (9 and 12 weeks) on dry matter
intake, growth and costs of gain. All calves were fed whole milk and hay and either supplemented
with the concentrates or unsupplemented (T3). Mean total dry matter intake (1.53 vs 0.93 kg/d)
and growth rate (0.31 vs 0.23 kg/d) were higher (P<0.05), whereas the costs of gain (2123 vs 2696
shillings/kg gain) were lower for supplemented than unsupplemented calves. Early weaned calves
had lower (0.26 vs 0.30 kg/d) gain than late weaned. It is concluded that weaning at 12 weeks and
supplementing local concentrates improve performance of calves.
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
G. H. Laswai
Sokoine University of Agriculture, P.O. Box 3004, Morogoro, Tanzania
CITATIONS (1):
1. |
Risk factors associated with Cryptosporidia, Eimeria, and diarrhea in smallholder dairy farms in Mukurwe-ini Sub-County, Nyeri County, Kenya S. Peter, George Gitau, S. Richards, J. Vanleeuwen, F. Uehlinger, C. Mulei, R. Kibet Veterinary World
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