Performance, growth status, rumen fermentation and some blood metabolites in blood of Holstein bull calves fed starch or fermented fiber based diets

Starch (SS) and fermented fiber (FFS), as energy sources were included in Holstein bull calf diets to evaluate their growth performance, rumen fermentation pattern and concentration of insulin and selected blood metabolites. Fourteen Holstein bull calves (BW=94.5±2.1 kg; age 87±9 d) were allocated to treatments (n=7 calves per treatment) and the study lasted 10 weeks. The diets were based on barley grain and corn silage in SS and FFS treatments, respectively. Dry matter intake was decreased (P 0.05). Fecal score was more watery (= 3.1) in SS compared to FFS (= 2.4) treatment (P