Study On High Vegetable Protein Content In Calf Milk Replaces

This study focused on the effects of high vegetable protein content in calf milk replacer on performance, nutrient apparent digestibility, serum indexes, health condition of the young calf and economy benefit in calf rearing.Holstein bull calves (n=20) were purchased at 1 d of age, housed individually within an environmentally uncontrolled facility, were randomly allotted in batches to receive 1 of 4 experimental treatments. The alternative protein ingredient based on soy protein concentrate, full fat soybean, corn gluten meal and milk powder were evaluated in calf milk replacer. In experiment, Holstein bull calves were fed calf milk replacers containing 60 %,70 %,or 80 % of crude protein as vegetable protein, the animal of control group fed whole milk. The calves were bucket-fed 2.4 L of milk replacer 2 times( 09:00,16:00) per day. The milk replacer powder was reconstituted to 12.5 % DM. All the calves had free access to water and starter.The trial results showed that average daily gain of calves between three milk replacer and whole milk were affected by milk protein content. There were no significant differences among milk replacer. Severity of scours and number of days scouring tended to be reduced with increasing milk content in calf milk replacer.AST, ALB, I-BIL, Ca, P, GGT in the serum were not different between treatment groups. Treatment with crude protein as high vegetable protein increased BUN and TG concentrations on d60, but decreased GLU concentrations on 60 day when compared with control calves. But milk replacer varying in the ratio of milk protein to vegetable protein had no effect on Ca and P concentrations in the serum.Protein from vegetable protein has lower digestibility than milk protein, and thus is more appropriate for calves greater than 3 wk old than for younger calves, but difference were not identical EE apparent digestibility between treatment groups.Costs of rearing calf with milk repalcer were lower than with whole milk.