Abstract:
The objective of this study was to compare the effects of substitution of brewers grain (BG) in concentrates on production performances of dairy male cattle during growing period. The experiment was a 4 x 4 replicated latin square design. Eight growing-male Holstein Friesian crossbred cattle were fed with concentrates plus 30 percent tamarind kernel powder substituted with 4 different levels of BG. The experiment was composed of four periods. Each period lasted for 15 days; a 5-day for adjustment and 10 days for data collection. The result showed that there were no significant differences in roughage intake among all experimental groups both under the air dry basis and dry matter basis. However, the cattle fed with higher concentration of BG take concentrate in dry matter basis at the lower amount throughout the experimental period, averaging at 4.16, 3.81, 3.32, and 2.87 kg per head per day, respectively. The growth rates of cattle in each group were comparable with the averages of 1.52, 1.36, 1.39, and 1.45 kg per head per day, respectively. In addition, feed costs per Kilogram of body weight gain of cattle fed with high concentration of BG in the concentrates were considerably decreased, averaging at 39.40, 35.28, 31.77, and 23.45 baht, respectively.