Nutritional performance of calves fed milk replacers containing processed soybean products

Abstract

Calves in three age groups were fed milk replacers containing skim milk (SMP) or with 43% of the protein substituted by one of heated soybean meal (HSBM(commercial soybean meal)); extruded soybean meal (ExSBM); ethanol-extracted soybean meal (EtSBM); or fermented soybean meal (FSBM) to determine effects on weight gain, feed and protein efficiency and fecal dry matter. Experimental milk replacers were introduced to calves at 6, 18 and 30 d of age for those in age groups 1, 2 and 3, respectively, and fed for 20 d. Even though dry milk replacer intake did not vary among calves fed the five replacers, weight gains of calves receiving either the SMP replacer (SMPR) or those containing the processed soybean meals ranged from 6.5 to 6.7 kg for the experimental period and were greater (P < 0.05) than the 3.4-kg weight gain of calves fed the HSBM containing replacer (HSBMR). Among the calves in age groups 2 and 3, weight gains of calves reared on the replacer containing FSBM, EtSBM or the SMPR were similar but greater (P < 0.05) than gains of calves on HSBMR. Calves in age group 2 receiving the ExSBM or FSBM containing replacers gained more weight than those receiving HSBMR. Both ExSBM and FSBM can be used in milk replacers for rearing calves older than 20 d of age. Key words: Extruded, fermented, soybean meal, calf milk replacer, nutritional performance, diarrhoea