Effects of sucrose addition with or without calcium salts of fish oil on performance, rumen fermentation and blood metabolites of Holstein steers

This experiment was conducted to study the effects of inclusion of sucrose with or without calcium salts of fish oil on growth performance, ruminal fermentation and blood metabolites of fattening Holstein steers. Thirty sixth Holstein bull calves (269±57 kg body weight and 7 months of age) were used in a completely randomized design with a 2×2 factorial arrangement for 128 days. Dietary treatments were 1- control, 2- calcium salts of fish oil (Ca-FO) (2.5 % DM), 3- sucrose (SU)(5% DM), 4- SU and Ca-FO. Average daily gain increased with added SU (P<0.05). Diets containing Ca-FOreduced dry matter intake (DMI) and using SU and Ca-FO together increased DMI in this group (P<0.05). A tendency for higher organic matter digestibility obsereved in bulls fed Ca-FO (P>0.05). An increase in ruminal acetate concentration observed using Ca-FO in the diet, although Lower propionate and higher acetate concentrations were observed in rumen fluid of SU provided bulls (P<0.05). Addition of SU increased ruminal fluid pH (P<0.05). Feeding steers with Ca-FO increased plasma concentration of triglyceride and cholesterol (P<0.05). The results of this study showed that replacing corn grain with sucrose could have stimulatory effect on dry matter intake in Ca-FO containing diet, which have positive effects on average daily gain of fattening steers.