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This study examined the effects of frequency of feeding high-solids milk and milk replacer (MMR) blend combined with dry matter (DM) content of starter feed on the performance of dairy calves. Forty-eight Holstein calves (40.2 ± 3.33 kg of body weight) were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 treatments in a completely randomized design. Based on a combination of 2 MMR feeding frequencies (once versus twice daily) and 2 starter DM levels (91.1 and 50% DM), 4 treatments were designed as (1) once daily + dry starter feed (OD), (2) once daily + wet starter feed (OW), (3) twice daily + dry starter feed (TD), and (4) twice daily + wet starter feed (TW). The amount of milk replacer powder added to whole milk was adjusted at each feeding frequency to ensure that calves received similar solids from the MMR blend via the twice-daily (total solids = 18.6%) or once-daily (total solids = 31.0%) programs. Starter intake in the preweaning period did not differ between treatments (average 0.39 kg of DM/d), but the postweaning starter intake was greater in calves fed the wet starter (OW and TW) than in those fed the dry starter (OD and TD). Calves receiving the high-solids MMR blend twice versus once daily grew faster before weaning, which was reflected by a greater weaning weight in the TD and TW groups (88.9 kg) than in the OD and OW groups (83.2 kg). The daily growth rate after weaning did not differ between treatments and averaged 1.15 kg/d. Gain-to-feed ratio during the preweaning period was greater in calves from TD and TW (mean 0.67) than in calves from the OD or OW groups (mean 0.58). Postweaning gain-to-feed ratio was not different among treatments and averaged 0.38. Days to first diarrhea and duration of diarrhea (4.66 ± 0.38), as well as days that animals were treated with antibiotics, remained unaffected with treatments. Although preweaning body weight gain was lower with once-daily milk feeding, calves were twice as heavy at weaning as at birth in both milk feeding programs regardless of starter moisture content, which may qualify the once-daily milk feeding program as a cost-effective management strategy in commercial calf-rearing operations. Feeding solutions with a high solids content (above 15%) may be associated with an increased risk of abomasal bloat and should be used with caution.

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of substitution of soybean meal (SBM) for formaldehyde-treated sesame meal (FTSM) on nutrient intake and digestibility, ruminal and blood parameters and milk production and composition in lactating Murciano-Granadina goats. Forty lactating goats were randomly assigned to one of the following four treatments: (1) diet with 16.5% CP, containing SBM (CON); (2) diet with 16.5% CP, containing untreated SM (USM); (3) diet with 16.5% CP, containing FTSM (FT); and (4) diet with 14.5% CP containing FTSM (LPFT). The results showed that nutrient intake was highest in the FT group ( p  < 0.001), while it was similar between the CON and LPFT groups, except for the intake of CP, which was higher in the CON group. The FT and LPFT had lower ruminal pH compared to CON and USM groups ( p  < 0.001), with goats in group FT having the highest volatile fatty acids (VFA) production ( p  < 0.001). The highest propionate concentration was observed in the LPFT treatment ( p  < 0.001), followed by the FT, CON, and USM treatments. Goats offered USM and LPFT treatments presented the highest and lowest acetate: propionate values, respectively, among the experimental groups ( p  < 0.001). The results also showed that LPFT goats had the lowest blood urea nitrogen (BUN) level ( p  = 0.004), while FT goats presented a lower non-esterified FA (NEFA) level compared with CON and LPFT goats ( p  = 0.01). Goats offered the FT diet had the highest milk yield ( p  = 0.002) and energy-corrected milk yield ( p  < 0.001) among all dietary groups. The highest milk fat ( p  < 0.001), protein ( p  = 0.001), lactose ( p  = 0.007), total solids ( p  = 0.003), and solids-not-fat (SNF) ( p  = 0.003) contents were observed in FT goats, which didn't differ from USM goats. The inclusion of formaldehyde-treated SM increased the percentage of C18:3 ( p  < 0.001) and C20:1 ( p  = 0.04) FAs compared with USM and CON treatments. Milk from USM, FT, and LPFT goats had lower levels of saturated ( p  < 0.001) and medium-chain FAs ( p  = 0.014) compared with CON goats, whereas milk from CON goats had lower levels of unsaturated, monounsaturated, and long-chain FAs compared to other groups ( p  < 0.001). The lowest and the highest concentrations of polyunsaturated FAs were observed in CON and LPFT goats, respectively ( p  = 0.001). It can be concluded that SBM can be advantageously replaced by formaldehyde-treated SM in the diet as a feasible alternative to improve feed intake and production performance of dairy goats.