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Dietary forage concentration and particle size affect sorting, feeding behaviour, intake and growth of Chinese holstein male calves
Author(s) -
Muhammad A. U. R.,
Xia C. Q.,
Cao B. H.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
journal of animal physiology and animal nutrition
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.651
H-Index - 56
eISSN - 1439-0396
pISSN - 0931-2439
DOI - 10.1111/jpn.12349
Subject(s) - hay , forage , dry matter , zoology , body weight , weight gain , chemistry , biology , endocrinology , agronomy
Summary The objective of study was to evaluate the effect of forage concentration (F:C) and forage particle length ( FPL ) on sorting, feeding behaviour, intake, growth and body measurements of growing calves. Twenty‐eight weaned calves of body weight 156.79 ± 33.44 (mean ± SD ) were used in 2 × 2 factorial arrangements with the factors FPL of hay grass (full and short) and hay grass concentrations (low, 50% and high, 65%). The treatments were as follows: full length ( FL ) with low F:C (50:50), FL with high F:C(65:35), short length ( SL ) with low F:C (50:50) and SL with high F:C (65:35). Increasing F:C and decreasing FPL enhanced sorting for short and fine particle and sorting against long particle (p < 0.05). Dry matter intake ( DMI ) was decreased by decreasing the FPL (p < 0.05). Increasing F:C (65:35) increased the DMI (p < 0.05). A positive interaction between FPL and F:C was found for (daily weight gain) DWG , weight gain ( WG ) and feed conversation ratio ( FCR ) (p < 0.05). In case of feeding behaviour, interaction for eating time and eating time per kilogram DM was present. Increasing the F:C increased the eating time in both FL and SL (p < 0.05). Chopping of hay had decreased the chewing time (p < 0.05). Increasing F:C increased chewing time per kilogram DMI . High F:C decreased the lying time (p < 0.05) in FL and SL treatments (p < 0.05). Increasing F:C reduced the overall abnormal behaviour (p < 0.05). These results suggested that animals performed better at higher F:C at SL diet. Intensity of sorting for short and fine particle and against long particle increased at higher F:C and SL diets. Eating time and eating time per kilogram DMI increased by increasing F:C level in both FL and SL treatments. Chewing time increased by increasing the FPL , while increasing the F:C enhanced the chewing time per kilogram DMI and reduced animal's abnormal behaviour.