Avaliação do crescimento de bezerras leiteiras alimentadas com diferentes dietas

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of dairy calves fed with two types of diets: ground feed supplemented with hay (T1) and pelleted feed (T2), during the first three months of life. Twelve animals were used, divided into six animals per diet type (treatment). Each animal was individually housed in stalls to ensure a controlled environment and precise measurements. The calves were fed daily with the same amount of food, with weekly adjustments based on their increasing consumption. After birth, the colostrum provided was exclusively from the mother, in a standardized quantity of 4 liters per animal, and subsequently, similarly, the milk provided was 4 liters daily at a temperature of 38ºC, with weaning done at 45 days of age. At the end of the experiment, it was observed that the animals consumed a lesser amount of ground feed compared to pelleted feed. Both diets showed very similar final results, indicating that both diets are comparable in terms of their effects on animal weight gain. A significant difference (P<0.05) was observed in the Daily Feed Intake (DFI). In summary, despite pelleted feed showing higher total consumption, ground feed proved to have higher feed efficiency and lower total cost per calf, suggesting that ground feed may be a more viable and efficient option for feeding the calves.