Escape protein and weaning effects on calves grazing meadow regrowth
Issue Date
2001-05-01Keywords
feather mealdigestible protein
sucklings
weaning
meadows
protein content
liveweight gain
calves
duration
Nebraska
regrowth
soybean meal
feed supplements
grazing
dry matter
feed intake
undegraded intake protein
beef calves
forage intake
forage digestibility
Metadata
Show full item recordCitation
Lardy, G. P., Adams, D. C., Klopfenstein, T. J., Clark, R. T., & Emerson, J. (2001). Escape protein and weaning effects on calves grazing meadow regrowth. Journal of Range Management, 54(3), 233-238.Publisher
Society for Range ManagementJournal
Journal of Range ManagementAdditional Links
https://rangelands.org/Abstract
Forty spring-born calves grazing subirrigated meadow regrowth after haying in July were assigned to 2 weaning and 2 supplementation treatments in fall of 1995 and 1996. Weaning treatments were weaning on 1 September or nursing during the duration of the trial. Supplementation treatments were no supplement or supplemental undegraded intake protein (UIP). An 80:20 (dry matter basis) blend of sulfite liquor treated soybean meal and feather meal was the source of undegraded intake protein (undegraded intake protein = 45% of supplement dry matter). Supplemented nursing calves received 0.50 kg of supplement daily whereas supplemented weaned calves received 0.91 kg of supplement daily. Weaned and nursing calves grazed subirrigated meadow regrowth throughout the trial. The trials were conducted from 17 October to 18 November 1995 and 5 September to 4 November 1996. Milk intake was measured by the weigh-suckle-weigh technique. Diet samples collected from ruminally cannulated calves after rumen evacuation averaged 12.5% crude protein and 54.8% in vitro organic matter digestibility. No supplementation x weaning management interactions were detected (P > 0.18). Nursing calves had greater weight gains (0.95 vs. 0.59 kg day(-1); P = 0.001) and lower forage intakes (2.36 vs. 2.96 kg day(-1); P = 0.009) than weaned calves. Supplementation with undegraded intake protein increased (P = 0.03) daily gains of calves compared to nonsupplemented calves 0.88 vs 0.66 kg day(-1), respectively. Forage intake as a percentage of body weight tended to be higher in non-supplemented calves (P = 0.09). However, total intake (forage plus supplement) as a percentage of body weight tended to be higher in supplemented calves (P = 0.14). Total intake (kg day(-1)) was greater (P = 0.01) for calves supplemented with undegraded intake protein. Milk intake did not differ between supplemented and unsupplemented calves (P > 0.52). We concluded that subirrigated meadow regrowth forage was limiting in metabolizable protein and that milk represents an important source of metabolizable protein for grazing calves.Type
textArticle
Language
enISSN
0022-409Xae974a485f413a2113503eed53cd6c53
10.2307/4003239