The performance of calves fed after weaning until slaughter with high moisture grains silage or dry ground grains of corn or sorghum was evaluated, for production of pink meat veal. Thirty Holstein calves were allotted to a complete randomized blocks experimental design with five blocks and six concentrate rations with similar contents of protein (18.5% CP) and energy (3.2 Mcal ME/kg DM), formulated with dry ground corn (GC), high moisture corn silage (HMCS), dry ground sorghum with tannin (GSWT), high moisture whole sorghum with tannin silage (HMWSWTS), dry ground sorghum without tannin (GSWTT) or high moisture whole sorghum without tannin silage (HMWSWTTS). The animals were raised in collective plots until reaching the fixed weight for slaughter (170 ± 10 kg BW). No treatment effects were observed on shoulder height and age at slaughter, days on experiment and daily and total weight gains. Costs per kg of weight gain of the concentrate rations containing sorghum were lower as compared with concentrate rations formulated with corn. All evaluated feeds could be used in concentrate rations for calves after weaning, because they do not impair performance and confer similar results.
costs of production; tannin; veal calves
