Does hay improve performance in pair housed dairy calves?
Research Poster Health & Life Sciences 2025 Graduate ExhibitionPresentation by Gillian Plaugher
Copresented by Breanna Bone and Ingrid Lara Bordin Fernandes
Exhibition Number 121
Abstract
We evaluated in a randomized control trial the effects of feeding pelleted hay to paired dairy calves on body weight (BW), average daily gain (ADG), calf starter intake, and feed efficiency. Holstein heifer calves (n = 32 pairs; 64 calves) were paired (5 ± 3 d of age; mean ± Sd) and randomly assigned in blocks of 4 to a control (CON; no hay) or treatment (HAY; pelleted timothy hay). Starter grain and hay intake and orts were recorded daily. We measured BW twice weekly until 30 d, then weekly, and a final BW was recorded on d 70. We calculated the average pair BW, ADG, starter intake, and feed efficiency by four different periods. Statistical analyses used mixed linear regression models with adjustments for birthweight, serum total protein, and health events. There was an association of HAY (P < 0.0001) and period (P < 0.0001) with paired calf BW and a tendency for a HAY period interaction (P = 0.056). HAY calves had higher BW than CON calves in periods 2, 3, and 4 (P 0.03). There was no association of HAY with ADG (CON 0.85 ± 0.04 kg/d vs. HAY 0.94 ± 0.04 kg/d, P = 0.19; LSM ± SEM), calf starter intake (CON 2.70 ± 0.15 kg vs. HAY 2.50 ± 0.14 kg; P = 0.34), or feed efficiency (CON 0.67 ± 0.08 vs. HAY 0.76 ± 0.07; P = 0.41). We suggest that timothy hay pellets increased calf BW without compromising calf starter intakes.
Importance
Providing forage to young calves has been found to improve their growth performance, however previous studies have found no benefits of feeding pelleted alfalfa hay to calves. Alfalfa has higher levels of crude protein and a lower fiber content than timothy hay, which may inhibit calf growth. Pelleted timothy hay, which has never been studied in calves, could be a better option. We found improved calf body weights when feeding pelleted timothy to pair housed calves, which suggests that feeding pelleted timothy provides a source of fiber to young calves without inhibiting growth or calf starter grain intakes, which are vital for rumen development. These findings offer farmers a new way to provide fiber to calves without compromising growth performance.