Performance of post-weaning calves on a diet of whole corn grain

Abstract

This trial evaluated the use of diet with no forage for weaned calves, based on no processed mature corn. Seven calves were weaned at 67 days of age and then allocated to a diet composed exclusively of concentrate based on whole corn grain and soybean meal for 56 days. The daily body weight gain was 0.901 ± .213 kg and dry matter intake was 2.80 ± 0.32 kg. Feed efficiency was 0.320 ± 0061 kg of gain/kg of dry matter intake. Digestibility of dry matter in the total digestive tract was 75.8 ± 10.7% of intake, intake as a percentage of body weight was on average 2.39% during the determination of digestibility. The correlation coefficient between the intake and digestibility was -0.70. The fecal loss of whole corn seeds in feces was 1.03% of the grain consumed and was not correlated to the digestibility of concentrate. There was no case of bloat or disturbance in locomotion, suggesting that ruminal acidosis was not a problem in these animals. Performance of post-weaning calves fed exclusively concentrate based on whole grain corn performance was satisfactory.