Performance of Holstein calves fed until weaning time with high moisture grains silage or dry ground grains of corn or sorghum

Abstract

The performance of calves fed until weaning time with high moisture grains silage or dry ground grains of corn or sorghum was evaluated, for posterior production of pink meat veal. Thirty Holstein calves were allotted to a complete randomized blocks experimental design with five blocks and six treatments, fed with six concentrate rations with similar contents of protein (22.5% CP) and energy (3.2 Mcal ME/kg DM) formulated with: dry ground corn (GC), high moisture corn silage (HMCS), dry ground sorghum with tannin (GSWT), high moisture sorghum with tannin silage (HMSWTS), dry ground sorghum without tannin (GSWTT) or high moisture sorghum without tannin silage (HMSWTTS). The animals received milk replacer until reaching the fixed weight for weaning (60 ± 5 kg). No treatment effects were observed on shoulder height, age at weaning time, daily and total DM intakes of the concentrate rations, daily and total weight gains and feed:gain ratio. Costs per kg of weight gain of the concentrate rations containing sorghum were lower as compared with concentrate rations formulated with corn. All evaluated feeds could be used in concentrate rations for calves in nursing phase, because they do not impair performance and confer similar results. © 2008 Sociedade Brasileira de Zootecnia.