The objective of this trial was to evaluate intake, digestibility, performance, development, feed efficiency and feeding costs in dairy heifers fed increasing levels of citrus pulp that partially replaced Tifton-85 hay (Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pear) in the diet. Twenty-eight Holstein dairy heifers averaging 12 months of age and 184 kg of BW at the beginning of the trial were blocked by initial BW and, within each block (7 blocks), randomly assigned to one of the following four treatments: 0, 16.6, 33.3, or 50% of a concentrate based on citrus pulp that partially replaced Tifton 85 hay in the diet. Intakes of DM, OM, CP,TCHO, TDN, Ca, and P all increased linearly while that of NDF was the opposite by partially replacing Tifton 85 hay with citrus pulp. A significant quadratic effect was observed for ether extract intake (EE) with quadratic minimum at 2.27% of hay replaced by citrus pulp. Apparent total tract digestibilities of DM, OM, CP, and NDF decreased linearly whereas that of EE and TCHO was not affected by replacing hay with citrus pulp in the diet. Although the average daily weight gain and heart girth increased linearly, the opposite was observed for wither height while hip height was not affected by replacing hay with citrus pulp. It was observed a linear increase in gross revenue and gross margin and a linear reduction in the cost per kg of weight gain on dairy heifers fed increasing levels of dietary citrus pulp. It can be concluded that up to 35% of citrus pulp can be included in the total diet DM of dairy heifers with significant reduction in the feeding costs.
feeding efficiency; fiber digestion; hip height; heart girth; non fiber carbohydrates; wither height
