The effect of roughage and buffers in the diet of early weaned calves

Abstract

Eighty-four calves were weaned at five weeks of age on to barley-based pellets containing 0, 2, or 4 per cent of mixed buffers. An additional treatment was to provide access or no access to straw chaff. Growth rates from six to twelve weeks of age were 0.94 and 0.71 kg day- 1 for calves with and without access to straw chaff. With 0, 2, and 4 per cent buffers in the pellets the growth rates after weaning were 0.79,1.00, and 1.02 kg day-1 respectively for calves eating chaff and 0.66,0.71 and 0.77 kg day-1 respectively for calves without access to chaff. There were two deaths due to bloat at each of the 0 and 2 per cent levels of buffers when chaff was not available. The responses to buffers and roughage are discussed in relation to saliva production and rumen function.