›› 2017, Vol. 44 ›› Issue (6): 1726-1733.doi: 10.16431/j.cnki.1671-7236.2017.06.022

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Effect of Different Carbohydrate Sources on Growth Performance, Body Size Indexes andNutrients Apparent Digestibility of Beef Calves

YANG Liang1, ZHANG Wen-ju1, ZHANG Xiao-yang1, YIN Jun-liang2, CHEN Hong-li3, LI Ji-tang3, LI Yu3, LI De-gui3   

  1. 1. College of Animal Science and Technology, Shihezi University, Shihezi 832003, China;
    2. Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary, Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural and Reclamation Sciences, Shihezi 832000, China;
    3. Xinjiang Western Animal Husbandry Co., Ltd., Shihezi 832000, China
  • Received:2016-11-22 Online:2017-06-20 Published:2017-06-28

Abstract:

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of different carbohydrate sources on growth performance, body size indexes and nutrients apparent digestibility of beef calves. Twenty newborn Black Angus calves were randomly divided into 4 treatments,5 replications per treatment and 1 calve per replication. The calves in control group fed with milk,while that of groups A,B and C fed with glucose,whey powder and ripened corn powder as the main carbohydrate source of milk replacer,respectively. The test was start when the calves were 30 days of age,and the trial period lasted for 45 days. The body weight and body indexes of calves were measured at 30,45,60 and 75 days of age. Two digestion tests were arranged at 35-43 and 65-73 days of age,in addition,the incidence of diarrhea was documented daily. The results showed that the effect of different carbohydrate source on the calves was obvious in the first period. At 30-45 days of age,the average daily gain of group C was extremely significantly lower than that of control group (P< 0.01),and significant lower than groups A and B (P< 0.05),while that of group A was significantly lower than that of control group and group B (P< 0.05).The DM apparent digestibility rate of group C was significantly lower than that of groups A and B (P< 0.05),the apparent digestibility of CP was significantly lower than that of group A (P< 0.05) and extremely significantly lower than that of group B (P< 0.01),diarrhea rate was also high in this period. After 45 days of age,this influence decreased,the average daily gain of groups A and B began to increase,and there was no significant difference compared with control group (P> 0.05). The growth rate of group C increased rapidly,and there was no significant difference of average daily gain compared with group A at 75 days of age (P> 0.05).The nutrient apparent digestibility were improved in the second digestible test,and the diarrhea rate began to decrease which was 0 at the end of the test. During the whole experiment,the different carbohydrate source had little effect on the body indexes. In conclusion,whey powder showed the best effects in the experiment,flowed by glucose and the effect of ripened corn powder was poor in the early,but it became better with the increase of calves' age.

Key words: beef calves; carbohydrate source; milk replacer; growth performance; nutrients apparent digestibility

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