title: Soymilk as a novel milk replacer to stimulate early calf starter intake and reduce weaning age and costs.
abstract: The primary objective was to determine the effects of partial replacement of whole milk with soymilk on preweaning calf performance and weaning costs. Following 3 d of colostrum and transition milk feeding, 18 male and 9 female neonatal Holstein calves (41.6 +/- 1.6 kg of body weight; mean +/- SE) were assigned in a completely randomized design to 3 treatments offered at 10% of body weight (wet basis) including 1) whole milk (control), 2) 75% whole milk + 25% soymilk (S25), or 3) 50% whole milk + 50% soymilk (S50). The weaning criterion was defined as the calf age at a daily intake of >/=900 g of starter concentrate. During the first 2 wk of the experiment, treatments did not differ in starter intake and fecal score. Calves fed S25 gained similar amount of body weight as calves fed whole milk diet. By 49 d of age, also, calves on S25 gained similar body weight as did calves on whole milk diet. Calves on S25 and S50 achieved the weaning criterion, respectively, about 10 and 12 d earlier than did peers on whole milk. The soymilk-fed calves consumed less milk than control calves to meet the weaning criterion owing to promoted starter intake. Feed-related weaning costs dropped by about 35% when soymilk was fed because whole milk was about 50% more expensive than both soymilk and starter concentrate. Feeding soymilk at up to 50% of the milk diet maintained health during the first 2 to 4 wk of age when the neonate calf is highly sensitive to nonmilk proteins and plant antinutrients. Results introduce soymilk as an economic partial substitute for whole milk in calf-raising facilities.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan 84156 Iran.
authors.forename: G R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Ghorbani
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kowsar
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alikhani
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nikkhah
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000254:growth & development; D002417:Cattle / Q000254:growth & development*; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D003612:Dairying / Q000191:economics* / Q000379:methods; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D008892:Milk / Q000191:economics; D041941:Milk Substitutes / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000191:economics; D041942:Soy Milk / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000191:economics; D014886:Weaning; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000187:drug effects*