Authors : Feyzi Ugur , Ali Karabayir , Habibe Bagci and Iskender Cagras
Abstract: The study was undertaken to compare the performance of Holstein calves fed with milk once and twice a day in terms of weight and body measurements. Calves stayed with their mothers for 3 days after parturition. The calves were then transferred to individual pens and fed. The animals were allocated to 2 groups. The calves in the first group were fed with 7% milk of their birth weight until weaning. Milk was given once a day at 08:00 in the morning. The calves in the second group were also fed with 7% milk of their birth weight but received the milk in 2 meals, at 08:00 and 18:00 until weaning. The animals in both the groups were weaned at 60 days of age. The effect of application of 2 different feeding frequencies with milk on the growth characteristics of the calves was found insignificant. The average weigth of 4 month old calves and the mean daily weight gains at the period between the birth and 4 months of age for the first group were 80.8�1.8 and 0.34�0.01 kg and for the second group were 84.7�1.8 and 0.37�0.01 kg, respectively (p>0.05). Body measurements, such as heart girth, body lenght, height at withers, chest depth and front shank circumference were not significantly influenced by the groups.
Feyzi Ugur , Ali Karabayir , Habibe Bagci and Iskender Cagras , 2008. Effects of Milk Feeding Frequency on Growth of Holstein Calves. Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances, 7: 1066-1068.