The effect of winter food level on compensatory growth of weaned, suckled calves grazed at two sward heights

1986 ◽  
Vol 43 (2) ◽  
pp. 211-223 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. A. Wright ◽  
A. J. F. Russel ◽  
E. A. Hunter
Keyword(s):  
Weight Gain ◽  
Compensatory Growth ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Food Level ◽  
Live Weight Gain ◽  
Subsequent Performance ◽  
Herbage Intake ◽  
Winter Food ◽  
Weight Gains ◽  
Winter Feeding

ABSTRACTTwo experiments were conducted with weaned, suckled calves to investigate the effect of feeding level during the post-weaning winter on their subsequent performance when continuously grazed on pasture maintained at two sward heights. Low, medium and high levels of winter feeding resulted in winter live-weight gains of 0·31, 0·58 and 0·79 (s.e. 0·027) kg/day (P < 0·001) during the 152-day winter in experiment 1 and 0·44, 0·69 and 0·84 (s.e. 0·029) kg/day (P < 0·001) for 189 days in experiment 2. During summer (93 days in experiment 1 and 87 days in experiment 2) there was a significant effect of winter food level on performance when live-weight gains were 1·10, 1·02, 0·87 and 1·35, 1·23 and 1·19 (s.e. 0·060) kg/day for the low, medium and high winter food levels on the short and tall swards respectively in experiment 1 (P < 0·01) and 0·86, 0·66, 0·51 and 1·26, 1·18 and 0·91 (s.e. 0090) kg/day in experiment 2 (P < 0·001). The cattle showing compensatory growth had higher herbage intakes and it is postulated that this occurred because of a negative association between body fat and herbage intake. Sward height had a large positive effect on herbage intake and live-weight gain and it is concluded that for maximum intake on ryegrass swards, herbage height should be at least 8 cm. Lower levels of winter live-weight gain delayed the time to slaughter, but allowed cattle to achieve heavier carcass weights at a fixed level of fatness.It is concluded that there is no single optimum winter food level for weaned, suckled calves but that the choice will depend upon several factors, including availability of winter and summer food resources, the length of the winter feeding period, the desired date of slaughter and type of carcass to be produced.

Compensatory growth in cattle grazing different vegetation types

1989 ◽  
Vol 48 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-50 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. A. Wright ◽  
A. J. F. Russel ◽  
E. A. Hunter
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Weight Gain ◽  
Compensatory Growth ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Vegetation Types ◽  
Live Weight Gain ◽  
Feeding Level ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Weight Gains ◽  
Winter Feeding

ABSTRACTFifty-four Charolais-cross weaned suckled calves were used in an experiment to investigate the effects of feeding level during the post-weaning winter on their subsequent performance, when grazing different vegetation types in summer. During winter they were given grass silage and barley at one of three levels (low, medium and high). The winter live-weight gains were 0·50, 0·75 and 0·96 (s.e. 0·019) kg/day (P < 0·001) for the low, medium and high treatments respectively. During summer they grazed either a sown ryegrass pasture (S), a hill reseed (R) or part of an unimproved hill (H).Live-weight gain during summer was inversely related to winter feeding level on all grazing treatments, the mean live-weight gains being 1·01, 0·79 and 0·65 (s.e. 0·027) kg/day (P < 0·001) for the low, medium and high winter feeding levels respectively. Summer treatment significantly affected performance, the live-weight gains being 0·88, 0·94 and 0·61 (s.e. 0·027) kg/day for the S, R and H treatments respectively. There was no interaction between winter and summer feeding treatment on live-weight gain. The organic matter intake was highest on the H treatment but the digestibility of herbage consumed was the lowest, resulting in the lowest digestible organic matter intake.Similar and high levels of performance were obtained on sown ryegrass pastures and reseeded hill land, while unimproved hill vegetation supported only moderate levels of live-weight gain. Compensatory growth occurred when a wide range of vegetation types were grazed in summer.

The effect of plane of nutrition and type of diet offered to yearling Friesian steers during a winter store period on subsequent performance

1986 ◽  
Vol 42 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. W. J. Steen
Keyword(s):  
Weight Gain ◽  
Treatment Period ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Compensatory Growth ◽  
Control Diet ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Live Weight Gain ◽  
Subsequent Performance ◽  
Digestible Organic Matter ◽  
Medium Quality

ABSTRACTThree randomized block experiments, involving a total of 80 castrated male cattle, were carried out to examine the effects of plane of nutrition and type of diet offered during a winter store period from about 10 to 15 months of age on the subsequent performance of late-maturing, Friesian steers slaughtered at 22 to 23 months of age. A control diet of medium-quality grass silage (mean digestible organic matter in the dry matter (DOMD) 0·617) offered ad libitum and supplemented with 0·3 kg concentrates (17·1 to 25·6 g nitrogen per kg dry matter) per head daily, which was designed to sustain a live-weight gain of 0·4 kg/day, was compared with three diets which were designed to sustain a live-weight gain of 0·7 kg/day. These were medium-quality silage supplemented with 1·6 kg concentrates, medium-quality silage supplemented with 0·6 kg concentrates and 0·25 kg fish meal and high-quality silage (mean DOMD 0·704) supplemented with 0·3 kg concentrates. The animals were at pasture for 5 months after the treatment period and were then given silage and concentrates for 3 months until slaughter. The low and high planes of nutrition sustained mean daily live-weight gains of 0·43 and 0·73 kg respectively, giving a difference in live weight at the end of the treatment period of 45 kg. Compensatory growth at pasture reduced this difference to 30 kg. This resulted in a difference of 17 kg carcass weight between the two planes of nutrition. The type of diet offered at the high plane of nutrition did not affect subsequent performance. It is concluded that, when the live-weight gain of late-maturing, Friesian, yearling cattle was reduced below about 0·7 kg/day, there was relatively little compensatory growth during the subsequent period at pasture and consequently the optimum live-weight gain during the winter for this type of animal may be higher than that previously recommended.

scholarly journals Effect of breed on growth performance and carcass composition of Aberdeen Angus, Charolais,Herefordand Simmental bulls

2011 ◽  
Vol 51 (No. 2) ◽  
pp. 47-53 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Bartoň ◽  
D. Řehák ◽  
V. Teslík ◽  
D. Bureš ◽  
R. Zahrádková
Keyword(s):  
Weight Gain ◽  
Growth Performance ◽  
Subcutaneous Fat ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Carcass Composition ◽  
The Other ◽  
Live Weight Gain ◽  
Weight Gains ◽  
Dressing Percentage

Breed effects on live weight gain, slaughter characteristics and carcass composition were compared in Aberdeen Angus, Charolais, Hereford and Simmental bulls. The experiment extended over 2 years and involved totally 96 animals. The target slaughter live weights were determined 550 kg for earlier maturing breeds Aberdeen Angus and Hereford and 630 kg for later maturing breeds Charolais and Simmental. Charolais and Simmental gained more rapidly (P &lt; 0.05) than Aberdeen Angus while Hereford were intermediate. Hereford had lower (P &lt; 0.05) dressing percentage than the other breeds. Percentages of grade I meat were significantly higher (P &lt; 0.05) in Charolais and Simmental. The highest percentage of separable fat was recorded in Hereford (P &lt; 0.05). Charolais and Simmental had lower (P &lt; 0.05) thickness of subcutaneous fat over MLLT than Aberdeen Angus andHereford. The later maturing bulls generally tended to achieve higher live weight gains during the experiment, produced less fat and had higher percentage of meat from high priced joints in comparison with earlier maturing animals. &nbsp;

Milk-fed calves: 2. The effect of length of milk feeding period and milk intake upon herbage intake and performance of grazing calves

1976 ◽  
Vol 87 (1) ◽  
pp. 197-204 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. L. P. Le Du ◽  
R. D. Baker ◽  
J. M. Barker
Keyword(s):  
Weight Gain ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Feeding Period ◽  
Live Weight Gain ◽  
Herbage Intake ◽  
Milk Substitute ◽  
Weaning Age ◽  
Behavioural Factors ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Reconstituted Milk

SUMMARYForty-eight Hereford × Friesian steer calves purchased at 7–10 days of age were reared on reconstituted milk substitute and groups of 12 were weaned at 86, 128, 170 or 212 days. Six calves at each weaning age were fed high (H) and low (L) quantities of milk normally associated with 240-day lactation yields of 2000 or 1000 kg. Calves were housed until day 63 of the experiment and then strip-grazed on swards of Loliun perenne with a daily allocation of herbage dry matter equivalent to 60 g/kg LW.Herbage intake per unit live weight prior to weaning was consistently greater for the calves receiving low quantities of milk. Following weaning there was a rapid rise in herbage intake towards a maximum of 30 g OM/kg LW when sward conditions were non-limiting. The amount of milk fed prior to weaning affected herbage intake after weaning, and H groups did not achieve similar intakes to their L contemporaries until some weeks after weaning. The H groups grew faster from birth to weaning than the L groups but they experienced a more severe check in live-weight gain after weaning which nullified the advantage of better weight gains between the start of the grazing period and weaning. In consequence, there was no significant effect of the quantity of milk consumed prior to weaning upon live-weight gain during the grazing season. The results indicate a marked benefit from distributing a given quantity of milk over a longer feeding period as similar growth rates occurred for the H86 v. L128, H128 v. L170 and H170 v. L212 groups. Calves receiving milk consumed less herbage and spent a smaller proportion of the day grazing than weaned contemporaries, which suggests that metabolic rather than physical or behavioural factors are likely to limit their intake.

A study of subclinical worm infestation in sheep: Part II. The ‘tolerance’ level of infestation

1957 ◽  
Vol 49 (2) ◽  
pp. 223-228 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. R. W. Spedding ◽  
T. H. Brown
Keyword(s):  
Weight Gain ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Infected Group ◽  
High Rate ◽  
Live Weight Gain ◽  
Tolerance Level ◽  
Worm Infestation ◽  
Weight Gains ◽  
Nematode Eggs ◽  
Different Levels

1. The live-weight gain of lambs initially infected at five different levels was compared with that of similar but worm-free animals, under conditions of set-stocking at a high rate per acre.2. Over a period of 9 months the worm-free controls gained 67·7% more weight than the total infected group, but the live-weight gains of the five levels did not appear to be related to their original infection or to their egg counts.3. Although a few nematode eggs were detected in the faeces of some control lambs, reinfection was negligible under the conditions of this experiment.4. It was concluded that a marked depression of productivity may be associated with an egg count as low as 114 e.p.g. in sheep 4–7 months of age.

Hexoestrol implantation of steers fattened at pasture II. Effects on empty weight, carcass weight and carcass quality

1964 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 57-71 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. E. Alder ◽  
J. C. Tayler ◽  
J. E. Rudman
Keyword(s):  
Weight Gain ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Carcass Weight ◽  
Carcass Quality ◽  
Live Weight Gain ◽  
Herbage Intake ◽  
Winter Grazing

The first paper of this series (Alder, Tayler and Rudman, 1964) described experiments carried out over 4 years on the effects of hexoestrol on live-weight gain and herbage intake in grazing steers. The 52 steers used weighed between 750 and 1,100 lb. initially and included four pairs of twins. The experiments lasted between 55 and 124 days and involved both summer and winter grazing. This paper is concerned with observations made on the animals after slaughter.

A comparison of the performance of suckled lambs with lambs weaned at seven weeks of age and either grazed or given concentrates

1970 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 543-549 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. Rutter
Keyword(s):  
Weight Gain ◽  
Conversion Efficiency ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Beef Cows ◽  
Food Conversion ◽  
Live Weight Gain ◽  
Slaughter Weight ◽  
Weight Gains ◽  
Food Conversion Efficiency

SUMMARY1. Seventy-two Blackface ewes with 96 Greyface (Border Leicester ♂ × Blackface ♀) lambs were allocated to three groups. Twenty-four ewes with 32 suckling lambs were set-stocked on 2·4 hectares (ha) of grass (A); 32 lambs were weaned and set-stocked on 2·4 ha of grass (B) and 32 lambs were weaned, housed and given concentrates (C). Beef cows with calves were used to control the grass in the two grazing groups.2. The average initial live weight of the lambs was 18 kg. Treatments had a significant effect on performance, the live-weight gains per lamb over the initial 35 days being 11·2, 9·1 and 5·9 kg for groups A, B and C respectively. The total gains over 70 days, when the suckled lambs (A) were weaned, were 17·6, 15·5 and 14·3 kg.3. The total live-weight gain per ha from lambs and calves over 88 days was higher on treatment B than on treatment A. The lambs weaned on to grass took 9 days longer than the suckled lambs to reach a slaughter weight of 42 kg and had significantly poorer killing-out percentages.4.The lambs given concentrates had an overall food conversion efficiency of 4·89 kg concentrates per kg live-weight gain.

Rearing of dairy cattle. 4. Effect of concentrate supplementation on the live-weight gain and feed intake of calves offered roughages ad libitum

1973 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-52 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. D. Leaver
Keyword(s):  
Weight Gain ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Poor Quality ◽  
Barley Straw ◽  
Regression Equations ◽  
Maize Silage ◽  
Live Weight Gain ◽  
Concentrate Supplementation ◽  
Grass Silage ◽  
Weight Gains

SUMMARYThe effects of three levels of concentrate supplementation on the live-weight gain and intake of roughages of 12-week-old British Friesian female calves were examined. Each supplement was offered for 12 weeks to two replicates of five calves which were group fed. The following six roughages were studied; high quality hay, dried grass wafers, grass silage, barley straw, poor quality hay and maize silage. The digestibility of the roughages was measured with sheep by total collection of faeces.Increasing the level of concentrate supplementation gave linear increases in live-weight gains of calves with all roughages, the greatest response occurring with roughages of low digestibility. The intake of roughage was depressed by increasing the level of concentrate supplementation, the greatest depressions occurring with roughages of high digestibility. Live-weight gains and roughage intakes were higher with dried grass wafers and lower with maize silage than would be expected from their respective digestibility coefficients.Multiple regression equations were calculated to relate live-weight gains or roughage intakes to concentrate intake and roughage digestibility. These equations predict from the digestibility of a roughage, the amount of concentrates required daily to produce a given live-weight gain, and the amount of roughage which is eaten under these circumstances.

Effect of winter environment on growth of young beef cattle 1. Effects of exposure during winter to rain or wind and rain combined on performance of 9-month-old Friesian steers fed on two planes of nutrition

1972 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 97-105 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. B. McCarrick ◽  
M. J. Drennan
Keyword(s):  
Weight Gain ◽  
Beef Cattle ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Weight Changes ◽  
Live Weight Gain ◽  
Treatment Groups ◽  
Weight Gains

SUMMARYThree experiments were conducted to compare the performance of 9-month-old Friesian steers wintered in three environments, (a) conventional cattle houses, (b) wind-sheltered roofless sawdust pads and (c) unsheltered roofless sawdust pads. Within each environment animals were fed on two planes of nutrition.In each experiment, winter live-weight gains of animals accommodated on the three winter environments were similar as were weight changes during the subsequent four weeks at grass in Experiments 2 and 3.No interaction on live-weight gain was found between plane of nutrition and winter environment. Health of outwintered animals was good throughout. The response to feeding barley with hay in these experiments (obtained by comparing low-plane with high-plane treatment groups) showed that on average 5·5 kg of barley dry matter were required to produce 1 kg of additional live-weight gain above that obtained from hay fed alone.

The effect of plane of nutrition during calfhood on the subsequent performance of Hereford × Ayrshire steers

1969 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 155-160 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. J. Broadbent ◽  
C. Ball ◽  
T. L. Dodsworth
Keyword(s):  
Weight Gain ◽  
Carcass Characteristics ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Restricted Feeding ◽  
Live Weight Gain ◽  
Subsequent Performance ◽  
Liquid Feed ◽  
Carcass Conformation

SUMMARYThe growth and carcass characteristics of autumn-born Hereford × Ayrshire castrated male calves reared on two planes of nutrition have been studied. Restricted feeding for 12 weeks after weaning from liquid feed to the time the calves were turned out to grass created a difference of 52·0 lb per head in live-weight gain and 15·2 lb of this difference persisted at slaughter. There were small differences in carcass conformation and composition.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document