ChileanJAR

Twenty four calves were used to sludy the effect of including rapeseed meal in calf starting concentrates and to contrast two individual management syslems. The animals were assigned to treatments in a complete randomized design with a factorial arrangement (3 x 2). Malt sprouts were included at three levels: 0 (T₁); 12.5 (T₂) and 25% (T₃). Two management systems were used: individual wood cage (S₁) and colective pen where the animals remained tied lo the neck (S₂). Calves remained twelve hours suckling colostrum, after this period they were separated from the cows and assigned to the different treatments. Artificial leed was established lar all the animals for sixty days receiving four liter/day of whole milk; alfalfa hay (14.6% crude protein) and starter concentrate ad Iibitum (2.7 Mcal/kg E.M. and 20.7% crude protein). Average daily weight gain far periods 1-60,60-90 and 1-90 days of age for T₁, T₂ and T₃ were 0.566, 0.919, 0.684 kg/day; 0.550, 0.809, 0.637 kg/day and 0.521, 0.829, 0.624 kg/day (P > 0.05), respectively. Daily weight gain and concentrate intake were higher (P < 0.05) in the three periods when calves were in cages. Tied calves, consumed more hay (P < 0.01) in the 60-90 and 1-90 periods. significantly more concentrate intake was (P < 0.05) determined in stage 60-90 and 1.90 days, in T₂ and T₃ , respectively. Feed convertion (kg D.M./kg Iive weight) values were non significant (P > 0.05) among differents groups with malt sprouts in their concenlrates.