Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-lnqnp Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-29T01:27:50.523Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The influence of pellet size and density on the intake by calves of dried grass pellets given as supplements to hay

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

R. M. Tetlow  and
R. J. Wilkins
R. M. Tetlow
Affiliation:
The Grassland Research Institute, Hurley, Maidenhead, Berkshire SL6 5LR
R. J. Wilkins
Affiliation:
The Grassland Research Institute, Hurley, Maidenhead, Berkshire SL6 5LR
Get access

Abstract

High (1·31 kg/1) or medium-density (1·17 kg/1) dried grass pellets of 9, 12 or 18 mm diameter were given to British Friesian male calves of 7 to 14 weeks of age as supplements to chopped hay (Experiment 1). Pellets were given ad libitum but with access limited to two periods of 1½ h per day, and hay was given ad libitum for the remaining 21 h. In Experiment 2, high (1·34 kg/1) or medium-density (1·14 kg/1) dried grass pellets of 18 mm diameter were given to British Friesian male calves of 26 to 30 weeks of age. Pellets were given as supplements to chopped hay as in Experiment 1.

There was no effect of pellet size or density on total intake of organic matter or live-weight gain by calves in either experiment. With the exception of animals given pellets of 12 mm diameter in Experiment 1, animals in both experiments consumed less pellets of high density than of medium density, but they were able to compensate for low pellet intake by eating more hay.

The coefficients of variation for intake were higher in Experiment 1 than in Experiment 2, and higher for the intake of pellets than for total intake. There was a progressive increase in the intake (g organic matter/kg M0·75 per day) by calves in Experiment 1, whereas in Experiment 2 intake increased for the first 10 days and then remained constant. On average the proportion of pellets and hay consumed did not change in Experiment 1, but in Experiment 2 the proportion of pellets in the feed consumed increased from 53·5 to 60·6%.

Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Production , Volume 27 , Issue 3 , December 1978 , pp. 293 - 302
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1978

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

American Society of Agricultural Engineers. 1967. Recommendation ASAE R2461. Method of determining modulus of uniformity and modulus of fineness of ground feed. Yb. Am. Soc. agric. Engrs, p. 301.Google Scholar
Association Of Official Agricultural Chemists. 1965. Official Methods of Analysis. 10th ed. Association of Official Agricultural Chemists, Washington, DC.Google Scholar
Balch, C. C. and Campling, R. C. 1962. Regulation of voluntary food intake in ruminants. Nutr. Abstr. Rev. 32: 669–686.Google ScholarPubMed
Church, D. C. 1969. Digestive Physiology and Nutrition of Ruminants. Vol. 1, p. 41. Oregan State Univ., Corvallis, Oregan.Google Scholar
Church, D. C., McArthur, J. A. B. and Fox, C. W. 1961. Effect of several variables on utilization of high-roughage pellets by lambs. J. Anim. Sci. 20: 644–647.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Esplin, A. L. and Story, C. D. 1957. The effect of size of pellet and of some new rations in the feeding of pellets to lambs. Proc. West. Sect. Am. Soc. Anim. Prod. 8: xxiv.Google Scholar
Hodgson, J. 1971. The development of solid food intake in calves. 1. The effect of previous experience of solid food, and the physical form of the diet, on the development of food intake after weaning. Anim. Prod. 13: 15–24.Google Scholar
Lonsdale, C. R. and Tayler, J. C. 1969. The effect of stage of maturity of artificially dried ryegrass and method of processing on the growth of young cattle. Anim. Prod. 11: 273 (Abstr.).Google Scholar
Meyer, J. H., Weir, W. C., Dobie, J. B. and Hull, J. L. 1959. Influence of the method of preparation on the feeding value of alfalfa hay. J. Anim. Sci. 18: 976–982.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Milne, J. A., Thomson, E. F. and Campling, R. C. 1972. Value for milk production of artificially dried forages as cobs and pellets. Anim. Prod. 14: 69–75.Google Scholar
Porter, G. H., Johnson, R. E., Eaton, H. D., Elliott, F. I. and Moore, L. A. 1953. Relative value for milk production of field-cured and field-baled, artificially dried-chopped, artificially dried-ground and artificially dried-pelleted alfalfa when fed as the sole source of roughage to dairy cows. J. Dairy Sci. 36: 1140–1149.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Shepperson, G., Marchant, W. T. B., Wilkins, R. J. and Raymond, W. F. 1972. The techniques and technical problems associated with the processing of naturally and artificially dried forage. Proc. Br. Soc. Anim. Prod. (New Series) pp. 41–51.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tetlow, R. M. 1974. A method for determining particle size distribution in packages of dried forage. J. agric. Engng. Res. 19: 347–352.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tetlow, R. M. and Wilkins, R. J. 1972. The influence of package size and density on the intake of dried grass wafers fed to lambs. Anim. Prod. 14: 335–341.Google Scholar
Tetlow, R. M. and Wilkins, R. J. 1974. The effects of method of processing on the intake and digestibility by lambs of dried perennial rye-grass and tall fescue. Anim. Prod. 19: 193–200.Google Scholar
Tetlow, R. M. and Wilkins, R. J. 1977. The effect of density on the intake of dried forage pellets by young ruminants. Anim. Prod. 25: 61–70.Google Scholar
Tetlow, J. A. and Wilson, A. L. 1964. An absorptiometric method for determining ammonia in boiler feed-water. Analyst, 89: 453–465.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tilley, J. M. A. and Terry, R. A. 1963. A two-stage technique for the in vitro digestion of forage crops. J. Br. Grassld Soc. 18: 104–111.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Weir, W. C., Meyer, J. H., Garrett, W. N., Lofgreen, G. P. and Ittner, N. R. 1959. Pelleted rations compared to similar rations fed chopped or ground for steers and lambs. J. Anim. Sci. 18: 805–814.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wilkins, R. J. 1973. The effects of processing and the nutritive value of dehydrated forages. Proc. 1st int. Green Crop Drying Congr., Oxford, pp. 119–134.Google Scholar
Wilkinson, J. M., Lonsdale, C. R. and Tayler, J. C. 1973. The growth of beef cattle fed on maize silage supplemented with dried lucerne, fishmeal or urea. J. Br. Grassld Soc. 28: 13–19.CrossRefGoogle Scholar