Document Type : Article

Authors

• Kamal Vaisi ¹
• teymour tanha ¹
• Rahman Ebne Abbasi ²
• Rabie Rahbar ¹
• Reza Taherkhani ¹

¹ Department of Agriculture, Payame ‎Noor University (PNU), P.O‏.‏Box ‎‎19395-4697, Tehran, Iran‎

² Department of Animal Science, ‎Research and Education Center for ‎Agriculture and Natural Resources, ‎Kurdistan Province, Iran‎

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of strawberry and pea straw forage on metabolic parameters, growth and performance of Simmental fattening calves. The experiment was conducted on 18 male calves with a mean body weight of 285.16±38.15 kg in a completely randomized design with three treatments and six replications during a 4-month fattening period. The experimental diets included a complete feed block without agricultural waste (control), a complete feed block containing strawberry forage (diet 2) and a complete feed block containing pea straw (diet 3). There was a significant difference in the concentration of blood glucose in different experimental groups, so that the concentration of this parameter was lower in the calves receiving the block containing chickpea straw compared to the other two groups, but there was a significant difference between the calves receiving the block containing strawberry plant. There was a significant difference in blood triglyceride concentration in different experimental groups. The highest concentration of this parameter was observed in the blood of calves receiving the block containing strawberry plant and the lowest concentration was observed in the calves receiving the block containing straw and alfalfa. There was a significant difference in blood urea nitrogen concentration in different experimental groups. The lowest concentration of this parameter was observed in the blood of the calves receiving the block containing straw and alfalfa. The crude protein and crude ash of feces of calves receiving the experimental diets were statistically different, so that the crude protein of the feces of calves receiving the control diet was higher than other groups, also the amount of crude ash of the diet containing strawberry plant was higher than the control treatment, but there was a difference between the calves of the two control and treatment groups. It did not contain chickpea straw, despite the fact that the digestibility of the ration was dry 3 did not have a statistically significant difference compared to diet 1, but the percentage of dry matter in the feces of calves consuming diet 3 was higher than diet 1; A logical explanation for this difference cannot be provided. On the other hand, the organic matter and crude protein of feces of calves receiving diet 3 was lower than diet 1. The amount of dry matter in feces of calves receiving ration 3 was lower than ration 1. The average daily dry matter intake and feed conversion ratio for diet 3 were lower than the control diet. According to the obtained results, experimental groups 2 and 3 can be suggested in terms of positive effects on physiological parameters. Without reducing animal performance compared to the standard diet, he pointed out appropriate productivity and acceptable economic justification in the diet of Simmental fattening male calves with block technology. Also, these groups provide the possibility of improving the nutritional system of ruminants and reducing the cost of each kilogram of ration in line with the interests of fatteners and users.

Keywords

• Fecal and urine score
• agricultural waste
• nutritional behavior
• calf fattening
• ‎blood metabolite‎

Main Subjects

• Veterinary