Calf Health Champions
Tara Kinsella
Spring 2022
South East Technological University
From studying previous research, the hypothesis of trial 1 was that the overall health score and average daily gain (ADG) in pen B would be greater in comparison to pen A (control) due to the beneficial qualities that the product being examined claimed to offer.
Trial 2 was carried out to determine the impact of another mineral supplement for calves. The trial consisted of 20 male calves, and all the calves were of the same breed, Holstein X Friesian. The calves ranged in age from 10 – 15 days old.Pen A (control) consisted of 10 calves and Pen C (mineral supplement) consisted of 10 calves.
From reading previous research, the hypothesis of trial 2 was that the calves in pen C (mineral supplement) would record a lower overall health score and a greater ADG than the calves in pen A (control) due to the supplementation of the minerals and trace elements in their diets, that the product being examined claimed to offer. The trial was carried out for a duration of 8 weeks.
| Group | Day 1 Starting Weight (kg) | Week 4 Weight (kg) | Week 8 Weight (kg) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Treatment Group 1 (Precision Microbes - Pen B) | 46.7 | 61.65 | 83.3 |
| Treatment Group 2 (Pen C) | 46.55 | 61.05 | 76.0 |
| Control Group (Pen A) | 46.55 | 61.35 | 77.55 |
Trial Results
Treatment Group (Precision Microbes) had a 115g/day in calves from arrival to weaning improvement in comparison to the Control Group.