Effects of a limited period of iron supplementation on the growth performance and meat colour of dairy bull calves for veal production
K. Cui A , Y. Tu A , Y. C. Wang A , N. F. Zhang A , T. Ma A and Q. Y. Diao A B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Key Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology, Ministry of Agriculture/Feed Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences; Beijing Key Laboratory for Dairy Cow Nutrition, Beijing, China.
B Corresponding author. Email: diaoqiyu@caas.cn
Animal Production Science 57(4) 778-784 https://doi.org/10.1071/AN15388
Submitted: 20 July 2015 Accepted: 26 January 2016 Published: 20 May 2016
Abstract
The effects of restricting iron intake for the final 60 days of a 180-day growth trial on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, slaughter performance and meat quality of dairy bull calves used in veal production were evaluated in this study. Twenty-four newborn Holstein bull calves with an average weight of 41.0 ± 1.62 kg were randomly assigned to two groups of n = 12 calves/group. Calves in the Control group were fed a basal diet that included a milk replacer and pellet feed for 180 days. The iron level in the basal diet was 50 mg/kg. Calves in the Treatment group received the basal diet supplemented with 70 mg/kg iron for the first 120 days, then received the basal diet for the remaining 60 days. Five calves from each group were slaughtered at the end of the trial, and samples of the M. longissimus dorsi and rumen fluid were collected. No differences were found in dry matter intake, growth performance or digestibility and metabolism of nutrients between the two groups (P > 0.05). The dietary iron regimen did not affect the concentrations of blood urea nitrogen, total protein, albumin, or glucose (P > 0.05); however, the haemoglobin content increased with the supplementation of iron in the diet (P < 0.05). Compared with the Control group, increasing dietary iron increased the meat percentage (P < 0.05) rather than the meat nutritional composition or quality of veal.
Additional keywords: ferrous sulfate, meat quality, slaughter performance.
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