Grass intake and behaviour of young calves fed on pasture or zero-grazing

Authors

• Paavo Tiihonen Department of Animal Husbandry, Agricultural Research Centre, 001200 Vantaa30
• Esko Poutiainen Department of Animal Husbandry, University of Helsinki, 00710 Helsinki 71

DOI: https://doi.org/10.23986/afsci.71940

Abstract

Comparisons were made between two groups of four Ayrshire calves, one group feeding on pasture and the other fed indoors on cut grass as the only food between 8— 18 weeks of age. For determination of pasture grass intake of clipping method was compared with the indicator technique, chromium oxide being used as an indicator. Studies on behaviour were made to clarify the development of the ruminating function of the calves as well as the effect of cut and pasture grass plus a concentrate supplement on their behaviour. The digestibility of organic matter of pasture grass was I—4 %-units higher than that of cut grass. Intake of grass indoors was approximately 1940 g DM per animal per day. With the clipping method the average intake of pasture grass was 1355 g DM per animal per day and with the indicator technique 2061 g. The latter value seemed to be nearer the correct one, if a conlcusion is to be drawn from the live weight gain of the calves. Time used for intake of grass increased rapidly once the liquid feeding period was ended, that is during the whole experimental time up to eight of the 14.5 hours of the observation interval. Calves at the age of 26—37 days ruminated for approximately 116 min in eight hours. Supplementation of concentrates considerably decreased the time spent eating and increased the time spent ruminating by a small amount.