24 holstein calves were assigned on a completely randomized experiment with eight repetitions and three treatments: integral milk (LI) and two types of milk replacer, DestetorÒ (DES) and LactalÒ (LAC), during the period of suckling (60 days), when the variables were studied: body weight gain, dry matter intake and corporal measure (wither height, heart and abdominal girth circumference). The mean daily body weight gain, wither height, heart and abdominal girth circumference did not had statistically significant differences (P>0.05). The mean daily body weight gain was 0.32; 0.41 and 0.26 kg/calve/day in LI, DES and LAC treatments respectively. The total dry matter intake was more to the calves that received the DES compared with those that received LAC (P<0.05). The total daily dry matter intake was: 0.79, 0.94 and 0.68 kg/calf by the treatments LI, DES and LAC respectively.
Intake; body weight gain; corporal measures; milk replacer
