FEEDING CHOLESTEROL AND TALLOW TO YOUNG CALVES

Four groups of eight 4 wk-old Holstein bull calves were fed calf starter diets containing either no additive (control) or added ingredients: 1% cholesterol, 5% tallow, or 1% cholesterol plus 5% tallow. Body weight and size were reduced, and average daily gain was lowered by added 5% tallow. The added dietary tallow and cholesterol increased lipids and cholesterol of plasma by 35 to 40%. The increased intake of fat due to feeding tallow caused both increased fat metabolism and fat excretion as based on chromic oxide estimates of digestibility. Fat digestibility was lowest in animals receiving cholesterol with no added tallow. Organ weights and composition of meat at slaughter at 21 wk of age were not different. © 1979, American Dairy Science Association. All rights reserved.