Acceptability and Nutritional Response Comparisons Between Calf Starters

Forty-eight ttolstein calves were assigned at birth to one of three calf starter treatments to 1) compare the acceptability (palatability) and nutritive value of starters containing principally barley and cottonseed oil meal, prepared as pellets or mash, and a pelleted cmnmercial starter containing a complexity of protein sources, vitanfins, and minerals; 2) obse1-ce growth rate and feed utilization on the different starters ; 3) determine daily feed consumption when starters and hay are fed ad libitum; and 4) compare the TDN values of the starters as well as utilization of absorbed nitrogen.Calves consuming the simple starter, as either mash or pellets, consumed more starter (P < .01)daily than calves offered the complex starter and, accordingly, made more rapid gains (P < .05)than calves fed the complex starter.Those calves fed the complex starter consumed more hay (P <-.05) per day than calves fed the sinlple starter.Pelleting the simple starter was not advantageous except for preventing feed wastage.TDN content and nitrogen utilization valu.es of the different starters were approximately equal.Factors affecting palatability are discussed.