Year 2016, Volume 1, Issue 2

Year : 2016
Volume : 1
Issue : 2
   
Authors : Aija ILGAZA, Astra ARNE, Sintija GORODKO, Agris ILGAZS
Title : IMPACT OF INULIN ON CALVES’ GROWTH AND POSSIBLE REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSION
Abstract : To reduce greenhouse gas emission (GGE) researchers propose to shorten the period of breeding calves of dairy breeds (Mirzaei-Aghsaghali et al., 2015, Fao, 2010). However, producers try to prolong the time of rising animals in order to get more valuable production. The aim of this research was to determine the impact of different dosages of inulin concentrate (50%) produced in Latvia by using special technologies on calves’ health, amount of obtained production and to evaluate possible reduction of GGE. Research has been supported by the National research programme AgroBioRes (2014-2017).Four week old clinically healthy Holstein Friesian calves which were kept in barn in individual cages were included in this research. Ten were in control group (CoG) and thirty were fed with additional flour supplement (groups: Pre6 (n=10), Pre12 (n=10), Pre24 (n=10)) until the groups’ median weight was above 90kg. We found out that inulin supplement reduced the cases of diarrhoea especially in Pre12 (P=95%) less than in CoG. Also, the overall health condition in Pre12 was the most stable. The best rate of live weight showed calves from Pre12 and Pre24, the desired weight was exceeded on 42nd test day (median increase rate respectively 0.85 kg/day and 0.95 kg/day). Pre6 reached that goal on day 56 (0.76 kg/day), CoG only on 70 (0.55 kg/day). Conclusion: the optimal dose of that supplement for speeding up the growth rate is 12g which can stabilize the health and reduce breeding time. Besides shortening breeding time minimum to 3 weeks (i.e. 17%), GGE can be reduced too.
For citation : Ilgaza, A., Arne, A., Gorodko, S., Ilgazs, A. (2016). Impact of inulin on calves’ growth and possible reduction of greenhouse gas emission. AGROFOR International Journal, Volume 1. Issue No. 2. pp. 88-94. DOI:10.7251/AGRENG1602088I
Keywords : calf,inulin, greenhouse gas emission, live weight
   
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