The effect of cellulase on calves fed an acidified milk diet
Skrivanová, V.; Machanová, L.; Svoboda, T.
Veterinarni Medicina 36(8): 459-466
1991
ISSN/ISBN: 0375-8427 PMID: 1821079 Document Number: 4702
The purpose of this research was to establish the influence of 3 j cX cellulase applied per gram of ČOT concentrate mixture, fed in combination with a milk diet acidified by formic acid to the value of pH 4.6, on calf growth performance in one metabolism and two field experiments. In the metabolism experiment two groups of calves, with six animals in each, were fed acidified whole milk, which was diluted stage by stage till weaning at 60 days of age. The average live weight gain in the control at the end of the milk feeding period, i. e. from 14 to 60 days of age, was 29.90 kg. This corresponds to a daily live weight gain of 0.650 g. The total live weight gain of male calves in the experimental group was 29.30 kg, corresponding to a daily live weight gain of 0.838 g. The calves which received the enzyme supplement tend to have the higher feed conversion rate. During the forage feeding period, i. e. from 61 to 90 days of age, the average daily live weight gains were 1.10 kg and 0.980 kg in the control and experimental groups, respectively. The average live weight of 90 days old male calves was 107.70 kg and 103.90 kg in the control and experimental groups, respectively. The amount of consumed nutrients (digestible protein and starch units); in relation to the total feed intakes, is lower in the experimental groups, which proves the higher feed conversion rate (P<0.05). There were no different metabolic profiles between the experimental and control groups. The field experiments were made in the Lesinka Large-scale Calf House, belonging to the Agri-complex Enterprise at Cheb, where calves receive feed according to the scheme set up a result of earlier tests, using acidified skimmed milk and a KMKS fat supplement. A comparison of daily live weight gains from 18 to 100 days of age in experiment I shows in group P1 (cellulase administered from 16 to 60 days of age) an increase in growth efficiency by 17 % (P<0.05) and in group P2 (cellulase administered from 16 to 100 days of age) an increase by 9.8 %, against the control group. In experiment II (16 to 90 days of age), the increase in daily live weight gain was 15.1 % in group P1 in comparison with the control group and 15.4 % in group P2.
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