Use of dry beet by red deer calves after weaning

Abstract

This study compares the differences in winter growth of weaned male and female red deer calves receiving, ad libitum, a diet of dehydrated beet pulp with a ration based on a commercial complete concentrate. The pulp was supplemented with soy oil-cake (24 % of the total) and with minerals and vitamins (1 %). These three constituents were given either in the form of a farm mix or as agglomerate. Otherwise, the fawns received, ad libitum good hay of natural pasture. Over the whole period, the fawns fed on pulp had a total live weight gain greater than 15 % of that of fawns fed on complete feed (34.5 kg compared to 31.1 kg) but their antlers were less-well developed. The differences were however not significant. The amount of concentrate ingested was higher in the case of the groups receiving the pulp (1460 g as compared to 1295 g DM/fawn/d). The dehydrated beet pulp supplemented with nitrogen and minerals enables the fawns to gain weight in an equivalent way to those fed with more costly complete feeds. Under our experimental conditions the form in which the pulp (farm mix or agglomerates) was given had no effect on performance.