EFFECT OF DIFFERENT CONCENTRATIONS OF OLIVE PULP ON BODY WEIGHT AND SOME BIOCHEMICAL PARAMETERS IN FRIESIAN CALVES

This study was conducted at El-Khaer and El-Barka project, El-Salhya town, El-Sharkia governorate, Egypt. Forty Friesian calves with average body weight of 320 kg were used in this research and divided into four experimental groups. Olive pulp was incorporated in the four groups R1, R2, R3 and R4 at rates of 0, 10, 20 and 30% in calves feeds to replace similar amounts of maize, respectively. Diets were fed for 60 days then body weight was recorded at the beginning and at the end of the experiment and the daily weight gain was calculated for each animal. Blood samples were taken from each animal at the end of the experiment to determine some blood biochemical parameters. The results indicated that the maximum average daily body weight gain was achieved by Friesian calves in R4 (1.38 kg/d). Non-significant changes were recorded in total protein, AST, T4 and lipids but the increase in calcium, phosphorus, urea and creatinine levels was within the normal levels. Feed efficiency was highest in R4 (30% olive pulp) and the feed cost for total weight gain was the lowest value in the same group. It could be recommended to use olive pulp in ruminant ration at 30%, especially when the traditional feed grains are not available and feed costs would be reduced