Effects of feeding method and physical form of starter on feed intake and performance of dairy replacement calves

Eighty female Holstein calves (8.4 ± 0.35 d and 41.9 ± 0.66 kg) were individually housed until the age of 56 d with the objective of assessing the effects physical form of the starter and feeding method on intake and performance. Calves were randomly allocated in sets of 20 to either a multiparticle starter offered in a bucket (MBT) or in a feed bin (MFB), or the same starter but pelleted offered in a bucket (PBT) or in a feed bin (PFB). The bucket had an upper diameter of 25 cm and a bottom diameter of 16 cm, with a total height of 23 cm. The feeding bin was 78.5 × 30 × 30 cm and had an opening for the animal access that was 28 cm wide, 22 cm deep, and 44.5 cm high. Both starters had exactly the same ingredient and nutrient composition. Calves had ad libitum access to water and starter and received 4 l/d of the same milk replacer at a 150 g/kg dilution rate in two offers of 2 L throughout the duration of the study. Milk replacer consumption was similar among the four treatments. However, starter consumption was affected by feeding method and by an interaction between feeding method and physical form. When starters were offered in feed bins, total DMI (24.9 kg) was lower (P < 0.01) than when offered in buckets (33.9 kg). The decrease in DMI observed with feed bins was more evident (P < 0.01) with the multiparticle than with the pelleted starter. Consequently, when the multiparticle starter was offered in feed bins, ADG was lowest (364 g/d), whereas ADG from calves consuming the pelleted starter in feed bins was similar to that observed with either multiparticle or pelleted starters offered in buckets. Feed conversion efficiency (ADG/DMI) was not affected by the physical form of starter, but was affected by the feeding method, with calves receiving the starter from a feed bin having a lower (P < 0.05) feed efficiency (38.1%) than those fed from a bucket (42.9%). Feeding multiparticle or texturized starters to calves using feed bins may result in decreased intake and animal performance. Furthermore, independently of the physical form of the starter, solid feed consumption and performance is greater when calves are fed from a bucket than from a feed bin.