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Effect of diet on preweaning performance of Sahiwal calves

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Abstract

The objective was to study the growth potential of Sahiwal calves given milk or milk replacer with or without concentrates. For this purpose, forty-eight Sahiwal calves were divided into four groups of 12 animals each with equal sex ratio. In each group, the calves were offered either milk or a milk replacer (MR) at a rate of 10% of their body weight adjusted weekly. In addition to this, calves were fed either a starter ration plus Egyptian clover hay (SR + H) or hay only (H) until the end of trial. The milk or MR was withdrawn gradually from day 56 until animals were weaned completely by day 84. Calves offered milk grew faster than those offered MR (357 ± 9 vs. 162 ± 9 g/day; p < 0.05) and displayed higher weaning weights (51.6 ± 0.8 vs. 35.2 ± 0.8 kg; p < 0.05). The calves offered SR + H grew faster (311 ± 9 vs. 208 ± 9 g/day; p < 0.05) and displayed higher weaning weights (48.7 ± 0.8 vs. 38.1 ± 0.8 kg; p < 0.05) than those fed H alone. Calves offered milk plus SR + H showed the highest growth rate and weaning weights (401 ± 13 g/day and 56.3 ± 1 kg, respectively). The lowest growth rate and weaning weights were observed in calves offered MR and H only (115 ± 13 g/day and 30.3 ± 1 kg, respectively). Calves offered the MR had higher number of scour days than those offered milk (13.5 vs. 3.3). The feeding of whole milk in combination with the starter ration and hay resulted in superior growth rates, higher weaning weights, and healthier calves than the other feeding regimens.

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Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge the financial support of the Australian Centre for International Agriculture and AusAID and the University of Agriculture Faisalabad for the use of their facilities. The staff of the Livestock Production Research Institute at Bahadurnagar is acknowledged for the initial husbandry of the calves.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Animal Nutrition and Feed Technology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan

    Shaukat Ali Bhatti, Muhammad Faisal Ahmed & Muhammad Sarwar

  2. EH Graham Centre (NSW Industry and Investment and Charles Sturt University), Wagga Wagga, Australia

    Peter Charles Wynn, David McGill & Hassan Mahmood Warriach

  3. Pakistan Agricultural Research Council, Islamabad, Pakistan

    Muhammd Afzal

  4. Department of Agronomy, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan

    Ehsan Ullah

  5. Livestock Production Research Institute, Bahadurnagar, Okara, Pakistan

    Musarrat Abbas Khan

  6. Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan

    Muhammad Sajjad Khan

  7. Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Sydney, Camden, Australia

    Russell Bush

  8. Department of Veterinary Pathology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan

    Ahrar Khan

Authors
  1. Shaukat Ali Bhatti
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  2. Muhammad Faisal Ahmed
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  3. Peter Charles Wynn
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  4. David McGill
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  5. Muhammad Sarwar
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  6. Muhammd Afzal
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  7. Ehsan Ullah
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  8. Musarrat Abbas Khan
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  9. Muhammad Sajjad Khan
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  10. Russell Bush
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  11. Hassan Mahmood Warriach
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  12. Ahrar Khan
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Correspondence to Shaukat Ali Bhatti.

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Bhatti, S.A., Ahmed, M.F., Wynn, P.C. et al. Effect of diet on preweaning performance of Sahiwal calves. Trop Anim Health Prod 44, 819–826 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-011-9973-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-011-9973-3

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