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2012 - 11th Annual NC State Summer Undergraduate Research Symposium
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Session Time :
8/1/12 1:30 PM - 8/1/12 2:45 PM
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Content Area : NC State Independent Researchers
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Lead Student Presenters : Kelly Elizabeth Holding
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Abstract Title : Evaluating the Intake and Digestibility of Angus Bull Calves using Alkanes as Markers
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Abstract :
The objective of this research was to predict and evaluate the intake and digestibility of Angus bull calves using alkanes as markers. For this research twelve bull calves were used. There were three phases to this study. The bulls (phase 1, 21 days) were fed independntly in one pen, and were offered the same diet. This main diet, fed ad libitum, was a corn silage; supplement total mixed ration consisted of 180g of soyhulls and corn mixture along with 160g of C32 and C36 alkanes. The bulls were fed the supplement by itself for a few weeks before giving them the total mized ration. They were given 2lbs of feed for the total 61 days. The bulls had specific keys around their necks to open the Calan gates to each of their feed bins. In phase 2 the bulls were fed the same mixture but were group fed (21 days). Then they wwere brought down to teh Calan gates and fed like ther were in phase 1 (this is now phase 3, the last 21 days of the study). The bulls were weighed at the beginning and end of each phase (average weight at the end was around 641 pounds). Also during the last five days of each phase fecal grabs were collected on each bull. After the 63 days were up, their fecal samples and left over feed samples were taken to labs where a saponification and other analyses were ran to provide us with our results.
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Mentor and/or Co-Author : Gerald B. Huntington
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