vahid piri; farokh kafilzadeh
Volume 22, Issue 3 , September 2020, , Pages 379-389
Abstract
This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of treating ground barley grain with lactic acid (LA) in starter diets on feed intake, average daily gain, feed efficiency, nutrient digestibility, skeletal growth, and blood metabolites of pre-weaneddairy calves. Thirty male Holstein calves with average ...
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This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of treating ground barley grain with lactic acid (LA) in starter diets on feed intake, average daily gain, feed efficiency, nutrient digestibility, skeletal growth, and blood metabolites of pre-weaneddairy calves. Thirty male Holstein calves with average initial body weight of 45.06±2.25 were randomly allocated to one of the 3 treatments. Starter containing 41% ground barley grain from day 4 to 65 of birth. Experimental treatments include: 1) diet containing treated barley in tap water (No LA), 2) diet containing treated barley in 0.5% LA solution, and 3) diet containing treated barley with 1% LA solution. Feed intake was recorded daily. Body weight and skeletal growth measures were recorded on day 4, day 35, and day 56. Calves blood samples were collected on day 4, 35, and 65. Total tract dry matter digestibility and feed efficiency were greater in calves fed diet containing lactic acid treated barley (p < /em> ≤0.05). No effects on dry matter intake, average daily gain, and blood metabolites was observed. At day 35 of the experiment the withers height and body length were greater in calves received LA-treated barely (p < /em> ≤0.05). It seems that treating barley grain with lactic acid decreased starch digestion in the rumen and increased starch flow to the small intestine; accordingly, feed efficiency was improved. Using higher levels of lactic acid may have a positive effect on calf performance.