Nutritive value of milk replacers through digestion trial with calves

Abstract

Eight calves were used in a digestibility assay, to evaluate digestibilities and mineral absorption rates of four milk replacers, used as only feed sources, and varying according to the nature of their protein: (A) 100% of digestible protein from milk, (B) 20% of Digestible Protein as Soybean Protein Concentrate, (C) 40% of Digestible Protein as Soybean Protein Concentrate and (D) 60% of Digestible Protein as Soybean Protein Concentrate. The apparent Digestibility Coefficient for Dry Matter, Crude Protein and Ash absorption were: (A) 87.63, 85.39 and 69.97%; (B) 83.73, 79.82 and 52.54%; (C ) 80.95, 71.37 and 65.35% and (D) 75.7, 69.03 and 42.86%, respectively, with significant linear regression effect (p < 0.01), (p < 0.05) and (p < 0.05). No differences among treatments were observed for diarrhea incidences.