Desempenho de bezerros aleitados com substituto proteico do leite de vaca

Abstract

The present study aimed to evaluate the performance of 8 Jersey calves and Purunã x Jersey crossbred calves consuming milk replacer in place of cow's milk in the period from 30° to 60° days of age. The animals were distributed in a completely randomized design, with a 2x3 factorial arrangement, corresponding to the type of liquid diet (whole milk or milk replacer at 30th day, 45th day and 60th day of age). The evaluated parameters were: weight (kg), average daily gain (ADG), feed intake (FI), carcass length (CL), thoracic circumference (TC) and withers height (WH). In the period from the 30th to the 60th day, the ADG was 682 grams, a value 17% higher than the calves fed with the milk replacer that presented ADG 584 grams in the experimental period. There was a significant difference (P<0.05) between the weights of calves fed with Milk Replacer in relation to those fed with Milk in the period of 30th and 45th day, where the animals that received the milk replacer showed greater weight gain in the period, however, there was no significant difference between the treatments at weaning at 60 days. The calves that received the diet with milk replacer and concentrate, presented, at the time of weaning at 60°, performance similar to those fed with raw whole milk and concentrate.