Abstract #M42

# M42
Preference of flavored concentrate premixes by young ruminants.
K. Nedelkov1, M. T. Harper*2, A. Melgar2, X. Chen3, S. Räisänen2, C. M. M. R. Martins4, E. H. Wall5, A. N. Hristov2, 1Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Trakia University, Stara Zagora, Bulgaria, 2Department of Animal Science, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 3College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Gansu, China, 4School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of Sao Paulo, Pirassununga, Brazil, 5Pancosma, Geneva, Switzerland.

Three cafeteria design experiments were conducted to test whether young ruminants have flavor preferences. Exp. 1 was with 11 Dorset × Suffolk weaned lambs of both sexes, aged 5 mo and averaging 47.5 (SD = 5.8) kg body weight. The lambs were offered a choice of 5 flavored concentrate premixes (FCP) with 5 synthetic flavors (vanilla, milky, spicy/fenugreek, red summer fruits, and molasses) and an unflavored control for 5 min, 4 times over 10 d at flavor inclusion rates of 200 to 300 g/t (as-is basis). A similar proportion of lambs consumed neutral (control) (84.5%), vanilla (72.1%), and milky (68.2%) flavors. The consumption rate of FCP were similar among treatments (P = 0.26). Lambs spent more time (P ≤ 0.002) eating milky and control at 123 and 144 s/offering, respectively, compared with all other FCP (average 64.8 s/offering). In Exp.2, 12 weaned female Holstein calves (56 to 68 d of age) with 75.8 kg (SD = 8.45) body weight were offered a choice of 4 FCP (vanilla, milky, spicy/fenugreek, and red summer fruits) and unflavored control for 5 min, 4 times over 10 d at inclusion rate of 150 to 200 g/t (as-is basis). There were no differences in consumption rate among FCP (P = 0.40). In Exp. 3, a total of 12 weaned female Holstein calves (47 to 62 d of age) with 65.3 kg (SD = 7.91) body weight were offered a choice of 4 FCP with 2 different flavor combinations, vanilla – fenugreek and milky – vanilla type included at 75 g/t (as-is basis; Low) and 150 g/t (High). FCP were offered daily for 14 d for 30 to 60 min/d. The low dose of the vanilla-fenugreek combination was consumed less (P ≤ 0.008) at 72.1 g/offering compared with the other FCP (average 111 g/offering). There were no other differences among FCP in Exp. 3. Overall, compared with the control, flavors used in the present experiments did not affect feed intake of weaned lambs and calves. Other factors, such as taste, sight, texture of the feed, and their interactions may also play a role in flavor preferences of young ruminants.

Key Words: flavored premix, lambs, calves