The age at first consumption of forage in calves and its effect on growth and rumination in the short- and long-term

Table 6 Effect of the age at first forage consumption on blood variables related to energy metabolism

Item	Treatment				SEM	P value
Item	CON	EHAY	MHAY	LHAY	SEM	Trt
Glucose, mmol/L	6.68	6.60	6.61	6.66	0.11	0.94
BHB, mmol/L	0.42	0.44	0.45	0.44	0.03	0.89
NEFA, mmol/L	0.76	0.80	0.75	0.79	0.04	0.72

BHB Beta-hydroxybutyric acid, NEFA Nonesterified fatty acids
CON = Calves were fed starter concentrate without forage from d 1 to 84, HAY = Starter concentrate and forage were fed to calves free choice from d 1 to 84, EHAY = Calves began to consume forage at the earliest (from d 4 to 6), MHAY = Calves began to consume the forage from d 7 to 9, LHAY = Calves began to consume the forage at latest (from d 10 to 15) time possible

ISSN: 2049-1891