A High Roughage System for Raising Calves. XIII. Corn Cobs in Complete High Roughage Pellets

Abstract In two experiments ground corn cobs were compared with soybean flakes as the major roughage in complete high-roughage pelleted diets for calves fed to 16 wk of age, with milk to 7 wk. In a third experiment ground corn cobs were compared with ground dehydrated alfalfa in high-roughage pellets fed to 8 wk of age, with milk to 30 days. Ground corn cobs can be used successfully instead of either alfalfa or soybran flakes as the major roughage in balanced high-roughage pelleted diets for calves. Similar calf performance with weaning at 30 days compared to 7 wk resulted when the basic high-roughage pelleted diet was supplemented further with wheat mids, urea, fat, whey, and molasses, or when the concentrate portion of the high-roughage pellets was replaced with dry milk replacer.