Dietary forage concentration and particle size affect sorting, feeding behaviour, intake and growth of Chinese holstein male calves

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.