ACTA VETERINARIA ET ZOOTECHNICA SINICA ›› 2014, Vol. 45 ›› Issue (11): 1815-1823.doi: 10.11843/j.issn.0366-6964.2014.11.011

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Effects of Dietary Energy Levels on Growth Performance,Digestion and Metabolism of Nutrients of Weaned Heifers

CUI Xiang1,DIAO Qi-yu1,ZHANG Nai-feng1,QIU Guo-liang2,LIU Ce1,ZENG Shu-qin1,TU Yan1*   

  1. (1.Key Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology of Ministry of Agriculture,Feed Research Institute,Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences,Beijing 100081,China;2.Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences Achievements Conversion Board,Beijing 100081,China)
  • Received:2014-03-21 Online:2014-11-23 Published:2014-11-23

Abstract:

The current study was performed to investigate the effects of different energy levels on nutrients digestion and metabolism of weaned heifers.Thirty-two Holstein heifers aged 98 days were divided into 4 groups (A,B,C and D),each with 8 heifers,and was fed with a diet which the net energy for lactation (NEL) was 6.24,7.04,7.53 or 7.85 MJ•kg-1 for 89 days,respectively.The weight,feed intake and glucose,urea nitrogen,and triglyceride content of serum were measured.Two digestion and metabolism trails were conducted at 151-157 and 181-187 day-old,respectively.Four heifers were randomly selected from each group,feces and urine were collected and the apparent digestibility,utilization rate of energy and nitrogen were measured.The results showed that:the average daily gain of heifers in 4 groups at aged 150-180 days were 0.77,0.91,0.86 and 1.11 kg•d-1,respectively,the value of group D was significantly higher than that of group A (P<0.05).Body weight of heifers aged 180 days had an increasing trend with the amount of dietary NEL increasing (P<0.10);the apparent digestibility of gross energy increased before decreased (P<0.10).The NEL level had significant effect on the apparent digestibility of dry matter,neutral detergent fiber and acid detergent fiber,digestible energy and metabolic energy (P<0.05);When heifers aged 180 days,the ratio of retained nitrogen/nitrogen intake and retained nitrogen/nitrogen digestion increased first and decreased later with dietary NEL increasing(P<0.10),and the value of group C reached the peak.In conclusion,as for the overall nutrition balance of heifers and digestion and metabolism levels,the optimum dietary NEL of heifers is 7.53 MJ•kg-1.

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