Cow milk or milk replacer in the diet of Holstein calves: effects on complete blood count, biochemistry variables, and performance

ABSTRACT This study aimed to evaluate whether feeding calves with replacers instead of cow's milk interferes with complete blood count, biochemistry variables, survival, and weight gain, and the cost-benefit of these feeds in the suckling phase. We used 16 calves of the Holstein breed with an average of 8±4 days and 39±6 kg of average body weight, randomly divided into two groups: Replacer Group (N=8), receiving four liters of replacer milk during the 60 experimental days; and the Milk Group (N=8), calves receiving four liters of cow's milk. We observed that animals fed with cow's milk had higher body weight and weight gain at all weightings compared to those who consumed the dairy replacer. There was no calve death during the study. The cost (R$) of the diet of the calves that consumed replacer was lower. However, if we consider the weight gain during the experiment, the cost to produce 1 kg of body weight was similar between the treatments, because the calves that consumed milk were weaned with an average of 19kg more body weight. In conclusion, the use of dairy replacers as a replacer for cow's milk caused calves to have an overall lower performance compared to those who received cow's milk during the suckling phase.

摘要：本研究旨在评估使用犊牛代乳料替代牛乳饲喂犊牛，是否会对其全血细胞计数、生化指标、存活率及增重产生影响，并探究哺乳阶段两种饲喂方式的成本效益。本试验选取16头平均日龄为8±4天、平均体重为39±6 kg的荷斯坦犊牛，随机分为两组：代乳组（Replacer Group，N=8），在60天试验期内每日饲喂4升代乳料；牛乳组（Milk Group，N=8），每日饲喂4升牛乳。结果表明，在各称重节点，饲喂牛乳的犊牛体重及增重均显著高于饲喂代乳料的个体。试验全程无犊牛死亡。饲喂代乳料的犊牛日粮成本（R$）更低。但若结合试验期间的增重情况分析，每生产1 kg体重的成本在两组间并无显著差异，究其原因，饲喂牛乳的犊牛断奶时平均体重较代乳组高出19 kg。综上，在哺乳阶段使用代乳料替代牛乳饲喂犊牛，会导致犊牛的整体生长性能低于饲喂牛乳的犊牛。