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The inclusion of ammonia-treated straw in pelleted diets for calves

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 November 2017

Elizabeth M.A. Thirgood  and
C.E. Hinks
Elizabeth M.A. Thirgood
Affiliation:
Edinburgh School of Agriculture, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JG
C.E. Hinks
Affiliation:
Edinburgh School of Agriculture, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JG
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Extract

Experiments have demonstrated the importance of roughage to young calves in stimulating weight gain and feed intake through increased rumen buffering capacity.

Previous studies (Thomas and Hinks) have shown that weight gain and pry Matter intake were optimised with the inclusion of 220g/kg of chopped barley straw. Furthermore, the inclusion of increasing levels of barley straw in the diet were closely associated with increases in rumen pH, possibly linked with increased saliva flow, and marked changes in rumen VFA proportions. In view of the alkaline nature of ammonia-treated straw, linked with improvements in digestibility and crude protein content, further studies have been conducted to determine whether intake and weight gain might be further enhanced with the inclusion of this material in the diet.

Type
Nutrition
Information
Proceedings of the British Society of Animal Production (1972) , Volume 1984 , March 1984 , pp. 119
Copyright
Copyright © The British Society of Animal Production 1984

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References

Thomas, , Delana, B., and Hinks, C.E., (1982). The effect of changing the physical form of roughage on the performance of the early-weaned calf. Anim. Prod. 35 : 375–384.Google Scholar