Impacts of feeding milk replacer containing 20% or 24% protein and fat on growth and feed efficiency of beef × dairy crossbred calves

Abstract

It is becoming more prominent for dairy producers to breed their lower genetic merit cows and heifers to beef sires to increase the value of calves when they are sold to beef markets. However, data are currently lacking on optimal feeding strategies for rearing these crossbred calves until weaning. Therefore, the objective of the current study is to compare the effects of feeding 2 milk replacers (20% CP and 20% fat [MR20] vs. 24% CP and 24% fat [MR24]) on calf growth, feed efficiency, and scouring frequency. Forty individually housed 2- to 5-d-old Angus × Holstein crossbred calves with a BW ranging from 34.0 to 47.6 kg were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 milk replacer (MR) treatments. Calves were fed 2.84 L of their respective MR twice per day (5.68 L total) from d 1 to 42 of the experiment and 2.84 L once per day from d 43 to 49. Feeding crossbred calves MR24 increased ADG and gain per feed by 23.6% and 9.80%, respectively, compared with calves fed MR20 from d 1 to 56. Feeding crossbred calves MR24 tended to increase calf starter intake and total feed intake compared with calves receiving MR20. Results suggest feeding a MR of higher nutritive value is a simple and effective strategy to increase weight gain and feed efficiency of beef × dairy calves.