Thirty or sixty percent milk replacer reduction for calves: effects on alfalfa hay intake and digestibility, digestive kinetics and ruminal fermentation

Twelve artificially reared, male Holstein calves, ruminally cannulated at 53 d of age, were used in a split-plot design to study the effects of no milk replacer reduction (CON), or reduction by 30% (30R) or 60% (60R) of this value on alfalfa hay intake and digestibility, ruminal fermentation and digestive kinetics. Milk replacer reduction began at 53 d of age and continued until 135 d of age, after which no milk replacer was fed. All calves had ad libitum access to long-stemmed alfalfa hay from birth. Five collection periods were conducted at average calf ages of 72, 87, 108, 129 and 151 d. Reducing the amount of milk replacer fed resulted in a linear increase (P less than .05) in forage OM intake; however, total OM intake (forage + milk) was not different (P greater than .10) among milk reduction groups. Size of particles in feces exhibited quadratic effects in response to milk replacer reduction (P less than .05) but only in the small (less than 150 microns) size groupings. Ruminal pH and ammonia and individual VFA concentrations (except isobutyrate) were not altered by milk reduction (P greater than .10) but increased (P less than .01) with calf age. Milk replacer reduction had a quadratic effect (P less than .05) on fluid outflow rate from the rumen, increasing as milk replacer was reduced. Other fluid and particulate kinetic data, as well as NDF digestion rate and DM digestion showed no effects (P greater than .10) from milk replacer reduction but changed with calf age. Milk replacer reduction increased forage intake but had minimal effects on digestive variables evaluated, suggesting that intake of milk replacer by calves can be reduced by up to 60% without disturbing forage fermentation and passage.