The effect of quality and physical form of roughage on the performance of calves fed roughage wheat diets in a feedlot.

Abstract

Animal Production in Australia Vol. 15 THE EFFECT OF QUALITY AND PHYSICAL FORM OF ROUGHAGE ON THE PERFORMANCE OF CALVES FED ROUGHAGE-WHEAT DIETS IN A FEEDLOT S.G. LOW*, D.M. RYAN** and E.R. GADEN*** Producers who ability and decide (1976) showed that milled, separate or are unable to finish calves due to lotfeed may lack processing lotfed lambs performed equally mixed, no data are available to declining pasture availequipment. Although File with roughage fed long or for calves similarly fed. Thirty-two Hereford and Hereford-cross calves (6 months; mean weight 150 kg) were fed, in groups of 4, diets of whole wheat and roughage (lucerne hay or wheat straw) ad lib. Roughage was fed long, separate from the grain or milled (25 mm screen) and mixed 20~80 with grain. Feed intake, liveweight gain, feed conversion ratio (FCR) and days to finish were measured. Finish was defined as minimum fat cover of 4 mm, measured by scanoprobe at the 12th/13th rib. TABLE 1 Effect of roughage form and presentation on calf performance N.S. = not significant; *P<O.O5; **P<O.OOl; ***P<O.O05. #Means within columns with different superscripts differ (PcO.05). Roughage quality increased intake, weight gain, FCR and days to finish. Milling roughage increased intake and FCR but did not affect daily gain or days Calves allowed free choice (long form) selected ratios similar to to finish. There was no interaction between roughage quality and 20180 (on a pen basis). form. Roughage quality has a greater influence on calf performance than processing; unavailability of processing equipment does not limit the finishing of calves in a feedlot. REFERENCES FILE, G.C. (1976). Proc. Aust. Soc. Anim. Prod. 2 : 437. * ** N.S.W. Dept. of Ag., Nutrition & Feeds Evaluation Unit, Glenfield NSW 2167. N.S.W. Dept. of Ag., Wagga Wagga NSW 2650. *** N.S.W. Dept. of Ag.', Goulb-ti.rn NSW 2580. 710