Feed Efficiency for
Intensively Fed Dairy Calves
A recently presented research abstract reported the feed efficiency for their dairy calves.
This was a small sample - 18 calves. They were fed free-access milk up to 16L (17 US Quarts) per day.
At the end of 7 weeks of milk feeding the average feed conversion was 0.10kg weight gain per kg of milk intake.
I used this equation to figure feed conversion.
gain/intake
0.10kg gain / 1 kg intake
I figured 1kg of milk at 12.5% solids = .125kg of dry matter
Thus,
0.10kg gain / .125kg dry matter intake = .8 or 80% feed conversion.
They are repeating the trial this coming winter (Ontario province in Canada) so maybe by this time next year we will find out the impact of a cold environment on feed conversion.
[L.M. Wormsbecher and Others, "An outdoor method of housing dairy calves in groups using individual calf hutches." Journal of Dairy Science, 98, Suppl 2, pg 563, Abstract 496]
[L.M. Wormsbecher and Others, "An outdoor method of housing dairy calves in groups using individual calf hutches." Journal of Dairy Science, 98, Suppl 2, pg 563, Abstract 496]
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