591. The outdoor rearing of calves on grass with special reference to growth rate and grazing behaviour

1955 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 252-269 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. H. B. Roy ◽  
K. W. G. Shillam ◽  
June Palmer
Keyword(s):  
Weight Gain ◽  
Birth Weight ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Winter Period ◽  
Pasture Grass ◽  
Live Weight Gain ◽  
Permanent Pasture ◽  
Whole Milk ◽  
High Level

1. Five Dairy Shorthorn male calves born in February and March 1953 and three groups of four born in each of the months February, March and April 1954 were placed out of doors on permanent pasture at birth.2. Each calf received 6 or 8 pt. colostrum followed by approximately 45 gal. whole milk during the first 8 weeks of life, and thereafter, except for a small amount of dried grass given in Exp. 1, pasture grass comprised the sole item of diet until 6 months of age.3. Mean growth rates for each month of life and from birth to 6 months are presented. After the first month of life, good progress was made, and it is considered that the live weights at 6 months of age are similar to those obtained with conventional methods of rearing.4. There was a significant effect of birth weight on live-weight gain. After adjustment for birth weight, there were no significant differences in live-weight gain between February, March and April-born groups of calves.5. Weather conditions seemed to have little effect on the incidence of scouring during the first 3 weeks of life.6. On leys, greater weight gains were obtained than on permanent pasture.7. No lungworm larvae were detected in faeces samples examined. In many cases there was a high level of infestation with stomach and intestinal worms as indicated by the number of trichostrongyle eggs/g. faeces. Some aspects of this infestation are discussed.8. Satisfactory growth to 18 months of age was obtained with silage during the 6-month winter period and at grass during the following spring and summer.9. Details of behaviour of the five calves in Exp. 1 studied at approximately monthly intervals to 6 months of age are presented.

The effect of level of nutrition during pregnancy and during lactation on lamb and wool production of grazing sheep

1950 ◽  
Vol 40 (4) ◽  
pp. 311-340 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. E. Coop
Keyword(s):  
Weight Gain ◽  
Birth Weight ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Live Weight Gain ◽  
Wool Production ◽  
Low Level ◽  
Low Levels ◽  
Grazing Sheep ◽  
High Level

Seven different experiments over 3 years and involving a total of 1750 ewes have been designed to study the effects of high and low levels of nutrition during pregnancy and during lactation on grazing sheep. The trials were run as nearly as possible under typical fat-lamb producing conditions. Commencing with breeding ewes in average store condition before tupping, a live-weight gain of 25–40 lb. from tupping to lambing was adopted as a standard of a high level of feeding and a gain of ± 5 lb. was considered to be a low level of feeding. Differential feeding was obtained by keeping the ewes on high-quality pasture as a high level of nutrition, and by stocking heavily on poor pasture as a low level. Under these conditions the following results were obtained:(1) Level of nutrition during pregnancy. The high level of nutrition during pregnancy increased birth weight by about 0.5 lb., but had little if any influence on the rate of growth and the weaning weight of the lambs, irrespective of the subsequent level of nutrition. The high level did not reduce ewe and lamb mortality and there was some evidence to the contrary when the high plane was applied early, leading to large live-weight gain.

scholarly journals Some Environmental Factors Affecting Birth Weight, Weaning Weight and Daily Live Weight Gain of Holstein Calves

2015 ◽  
Vol 3 (7) ◽  
pp. 617 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erdal Yaylak ◽  
Hikmet Orhan ◽  
Alim Daşkaya
Keyword(s):  
Weight Gain ◽  
Birth Weight ◽  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Weaning Weight ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Live Weight Gain ◽  
Weaning Age ◽  
Humidity Index ◽  
Holstein Calves

The present study was conducted to determine some environmental factors affecting birth weight, weaning weight and daily live weight gain of Holstein calves of a livestock facility in Izmir, Turkey. The data on 2091 calves born between the years 2005-2010 were used to assess the relevant parameters. Effects of calving year, calving month, calf gender and the interaction between calving year and calving month on calves’ birth weights were highly significant. The overall mean of birth weights was 39.6±0.15 kg. In addition, effects of calving year, calving month, gender, birth weight, weaning age, calving year x calving month, calving year x gender and calving year x calving month x gender interactions on weaning weight (WW) and daily live weight gain (DLWG) were highly significant. The overall means of WW and DLWG were respectively found to be 79.7±0.20 kg and 525±2.5 g. A one kilogram increase in birth weight resulted in an increase of 0.89 kg in weaning weight and a decrease of 1.26 g in daily live weight gain. Prenatal temperature-humidity index (THI) affected birth weight of calves (R2=0.67). Increasing THI from 50 to 80 resulted in 3.8 kg decrease in birth weight.

Nitrogen response and stocking rate of Pennisetum clandestinum pastures: II. Cattle growth

1974 ◽  
Vol 83 (3) ◽  
pp. 469-478 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. T. Mears ◽  
L. R. Humphreys
Keyword(s):  
Weight Gain ◽  
Subcutaneous Fat ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Winter Period ◽  
Maximum Output ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
Nitrogen Response ◽  
Eye Muscle ◽  
Live Weight Gain ◽  
Pennisetum Clandestinum

SummaryIndividual live-weight gain (LWG) of Angus weaner cattle continuously grazing (Pennisetum clandestinum) pasture was negatively and linearly related to stocking rate (SR) and independent of ammonium nitrate (N) application rate at similar grazing pressures.Live-weight gain varied from 380 to 1056 kg/ha according to N rate in 1970–1 and from 637 to 1477 kg/ha in 1971–2. Calculated SR giving maximum LWG/ha was 3·4, 4·7, 7·6 and 9·8 animals/ha for the 0, 134, 336 and 672kg N/ha treatments respectively in 1970–1 and 6·1, 5·7, 9·1 and 10·6 animals/ha for the same treatments in 1971–2. Highest response to applied N (1·9 and 3·4 kg LWG/kg additional N in successive years) occurred between N131 and N336; response was greater at low and intermediate SR than at high SR. Carcass weight, quality score, depth of subcutaneous fat and area of eye muscle were negatively related to SR; SR's giving maximum output per unit area caused a reduction of ca.25% in production per head and adversely affected carcass quality at 18 months of age.LWG/head was independent of feed availability in spring and summer and was positively related to availability of green kikuyu up to 600 kg D.M./head in the autumn/winter period.

Rearing of dairy cattle 3. A note on the use of whole milk for calves fed once daily

1972 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 315-318 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. D. Leaver ◽  
N. H. Yarrow
Keyword(s):  
Growth Rate ◽  
Weight Gain ◽  
Dairy Cattle ◽  
Daily Intake ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Once Daily ◽  
Live Weight Gain ◽  
The Third ◽  
Whole Milk ◽  
Milk Substitute

SUMMARYWhole milk was given once daily to three groups each of 18 Friesian heifer calves and concentrates and hay were also available. Calves in one group received 2·4 kg milk/day and in a second 3·0 kg milk/day and in both of these groups individual calves were weaned when their daily intake of concentrates reached 400 g. In the third group the calves received 3·0 kg milk/day and were weaned after 28 days. Concentrate and hay intakes were not significantly affected by the treatments. Mean growth rate over 56 days increased with increasing quantity of whole milk offered but the differences between treatments were not significant. The performance of calves given whole milk was compared with the performance achieved in previous experiments where milk substitute was given. It was estimated that 1 kg whole milk gave the same live-weight gain as 170 g milk-substitute powder. From this estimate price/cost relationships were determined to indicate when whole milk or milk substitute should be fed to calves.

An evaluation of the growth promoting effect of the lactoperoxidase system in newborn calves

1981 ◽  
Vol 32 (3) ◽  
pp. 297-306 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Reiter ◽  
Rosemary J. Fulford ◽  
Valerie M. Marshall ◽  
N. Yarrow ◽  
M. J. Ducker ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Weight Gain ◽  
Pilot Trial ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Significant Positive Effect ◽  
Promoting Effect ◽  
Live Weight Gain ◽  
Whole Milk ◽  
Lactoperoxidase System ◽  
Milk Substitute ◽  
Positive Effect

ABSTRACTResults are reported from four trials in which neonatal calves were given either whole milk or milk substitute containing the lactoperoxidase system.Trial 1 was a pilot trial conducted in Sweden in which calves given whole milk with the lactoperoxidase system gained significantly more weight than controls (P< 0·05). Trials 2, 3 and 4 were carried out in successive years at the National Institute for Research in Dairying, using large numbers of newborn, female Friesian calves. In trial 2 a significant positive effect of the lactoperoxidase system with whole milk on live-weight gain was established by 3 weeks of age (P< 0·05) and sustained until weaning at 5 weeks. There was no significant effect of the lactoperoxidase system for the milk substitute treatment. In trial 3 the whole milk comparison from trial 2 was repeated. There was a significant positive effect of the lactoperoxidase system on the live-weight change after 2 weeks of age only (P< 0·05). In trial 4 two different methods of activating the lactoperoxidase system were compared for calves given whole milk. There was no effect of either method on the live-weight gain of the calves. However, as the levels of scouring were extremely low for all calves, a comparison of the two methods of activating the lactoperoxidase system was not justified. The combined results from trials 2, 3 and 4 confirmed that the lactoperoxidase system significantly increased the live-weight gain of calves given whole milk, despite the fact that the overall level of mortality and incidence of scouring was low in these trials.

scholarly journals PASTURE FOR YOUNG DAIRY STOCK: II. EFFECT OF PREVIOUS NUTRITIONAL LEVEL AND AGE ON GROWTH OF HOLSTEIN HEIFER CALVES ON PASTURE

1961 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 63-70
Author(s):  
Vern Miles ◽  
V. S. Logan ◽  
W. J. Pigden
Keyword(s):  
Body Weight ◽  
Weight Gain ◽  
Skim Milk ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Feeding Period ◽  
Live Weight Gain ◽  
The Third ◽  
Whole Milk ◽  
Nutritional Level ◽  
Treatment Comparisons

Thirty-five Holstein heifer calves were assigned at birth to three ration schedules: moderate m; control c; high h. These three groups were weaned from whole milk during the 2nd, 7th and 9th weeks respectively with m and h calves receiving skim milk to 7 and 16 weeks of age respectively. m and c calves were allowed 4 pounds and h calves up to 6 pounds of meal daily with no limit on hay consumption. Moderate and high rationed calves were further sub-divided into three birth groups and were abruptly switched from the above feeding schedules and placed on pasture without supplementation at 56, 112, and 168 days. Treatment comparisons included live weight gain, withers height and heart girth measurements.High rationed calves made greater growth increases than m or c calves during the barn feeding period. These differences were greater for weight than for heart girth or withers increases. Pastured calves made smaller body gains during the first 28-day pasture period than barn-fed controls. This trend was reversed by the third pasture period with some pastured calves gaining over 2 pounds daily, h calves placed on pasture at 2 months of age made greater body weight gains and appeared to be thriftier than calves previously moderately rationed.

The influences of nutrition and management on the growth of red deer calves from weaning to 16 months of age

1987 ◽  
Vol 45 (3) ◽  
pp. 511-522 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. A. Milne ◽  
Angela M. Sibbald ◽  
Heather A. McCormack ◽  
A. S. I. Loudon
Keyword(s):  
Weight Gain ◽  
Red Deer ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Major Influence ◽  
Live Weight Gain ◽  
Weight Gains ◽  
Ad Libitum ◽  
High Level ◽  
Weight Compensation ◽  
Summer Grazing

ABSTRACTThe effects of date of weaning, weaning live weight, autumn grazing management and level and pattern of winter nutrition in relation to summer grazing on the live-weight gain of farmed red deer calves to 16 months of age were tested in three experiments.In experiment 1, the effect of two weaning live weights (37 and 46 kg) in September and two levels of autumn and winter nutrition were examined with 48 calves. In October, live-weight gains were positively related to sward height and herbage mass. The calves lost live weight in November. Compensatory live-weight gains of 28 g/day occurred at summer pasture after the low level of winter nutrition. Weaning live weight had a major influence on live weight at 16 months of age.In experiment 2, the effects of maintenance, ad libitum and intermediate treatments were compared using 50 calves given a complete diet in winter. The intermediate treatment consisted of a maintenance followed by an ad libitum level of feeding. Compensatory live-weight gains of 49 g/day occurred at pasture with the intermediate treatment achieving complete live-weight compensation at 16 months of age.In experiment 3, the effect of two weaning dates (19 September and 14 November) on live-weight gain of calves and on the date of subsequent calving of hinds were compared with 34 lactating hinds. There was no difference in live-weight gain of calves between weaning dates but the subsequent calving date was delayed by 8 days from those hinds weaning in November.A management system is advocated with weaning in September, housing in November after grazing sown swards greater than 6 cm, a pattern of a low followed by a high level of nutrition in winter and the summer grazing of sown swards maintained at 4 to 6 cm.

The effect of sward surface height on the response to mixed grazing by cattle and sheep

2006 ◽  
Vol 82 (2) ◽  
pp. 271-276 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. A. Wright ◽  
J. R. Jones ◽  
D. A. Davies ◽  
G. R. Davidson ◽  
J. E. Vale
Keyword(s):  
Weight Gain ◽  
Animal Species ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Total Output ◽  
Live Weight Gain ◽  
Permanent Pasture ◽  
Sward Height ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Species Combination ◽  
Cattle And Sheep

AbstractAn experiment was conducted to examine the effects of mixed grazing of sheep plus cattle under continuous stocking of permanent pasture at different sward heights. The experiment had a 2×3 factorial design, with two sward surface heights (4–5 and 8–10 cm) and three combinations of animal species viz., sheep only, cattle only and sheep plus cattle. There were two replicate plots of each treatment combination and the experiment was conducted over 2 years consecutively. The sheep were Beulah Speckled Face ewes and their single Suffolk-cross lambs while the cattle were yearling Charolais-cross steers. Six ‘core’ steers and six ‘core’ ewes and their lambs grazed plots, as appropriately, while additional, non-experimental steers and ewes and their lambs were used to maintain sward heights. Each year the steers and the ewes grazed the pastures from May to October, while lambs were weaned and removed each year from the experiment in July. There was no significant effect of mixed grazing on live-weight gain of steers, but ewes had significantly higher live-weight gains on the sheep plus cattle treatment than on the sheep-only treatment (82 v. 61 g/day;P<0·001). The live-weight gain of the lambs was higher on the mixed grazing treatment than on the sheep only treatment on the 8–10 cm sward height treatment (243 v. 212 g/day;P<0·05) but there was no significant difference on the 4–5 cm sward height treatment (260 v. 250 g/day;P>0·05). The total output of live-weight gain per ha from steers, ewes and lambs was not significantly affected by animal species combination. It is concluded that while output per ha is not enhanced by mixed grazing by sheep and cattle when sward height is controlled, the live-weight gain of ewes is increased and the live-weight gain of lambs can be increased on taller swards.

Out-wintering pads for finishing beef cattle: animal production and welfare

2002 ◽  
Vol 75 (3) ◽  
pp. 447-458 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. C. Hickey ◽  
P. French ◽  
J. Grant
Keyword(s):  
Weight Gain ◽  
Food Intake ◽  
Animal Welfare ◽  
Energy Demand ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Animal Production ◽  
Winter Period ◽  
Live Weight Gain ◽  
Fat Score

AbstractThe objective of this experiment was to evaluate the performance and well being of animals accommodated outdoors over the winter period on out-wintering pads (OWPs), relative to animals housed indoors in conventional slatted floor sheds. One hundred and twenty-six steers were assigned at random to one of seven treatments. The first six treatments were accommodated on OWPs. These six treatments were arranged in a three (6, 12 and 18 m2 per head space allowance) by two (wind sheltered or exposed) factorial design. A seventh treatment group (control) was housed indoors in a slatted-floor shed at a space allowance of 3 m2 per head. All animals were offered silage ad libitum and 5 kg concentrate per day. All animals were slaughtered at the end of the 151 day experiment. Animal production and indices (climatic energy demand (CED), behaviour, cleanliness, hoof condition and immune function) of animal welfare were evaluated. There was no significant effect of stocking density outdoors or sheltering on live-weight gain, carcass gain, fat score, fat score per 100 kg carcass, kidney plus channel fat (KCF) as a proportion of carcass, carcass conformation score, killing-out proportion, food intake or food efficiency. Relative to animals housed indoors on slats, animals accommodated outdoors on OWPs had higher daily live-weight gain (F < 0·001), carcass gain (F < 0·05), and food intake (F < 0·05). However, animals on the OWPs had less KCF per kg carcass and lower fat scores per 100 kg carcass. There was no effect of shelter on the CED of animals out-wintered, which was higher (P < 0·001) than their counterparts wintered indoors on slats. Animals housed on slats were cleaner than animals housed at 6 or 12 m2 per head (F < 0·05) but not 18 m2per head. There was no effect of treatment on physiological measures. Animals confined on the OWP with or without shelter, had a greater number of lying bouts per 24 h (F < 0·076), had a greater synchronized lying frequency (F < 0·082) and displayed less hesitation prior to lying when compared with animals housed on slats. Indoor animals had more white line disease (F < 0·01) and under-run (F < 0·001) on their front hoof, when compared with outdoor animals. Animals accommodated outdoors at 18 m2per head had more (F < 0·05) claw erosion while the indoor animals had a greater (F < 0·001) degree of under-run present on their hind hoof. There was no evidence to suggest that out-wintering compromised animal welfare. Further studies are required to determine the reason for the increased carcass growth and leanness of the cattle on the OWPs.

scholarly journals Influence of probiоtic additive “Evitalia” on growth and blood indices of quails

2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (104) ◽  
pp. 55-59
Author(s):  
N. Cherniy ◽  
I. Skvortsova ◽  
B. Gutyj ◽  
R. Mylostyvyi ◽  
V. Voronyak
Keyword(s):  
Weight Gain ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Optimal Dose ◽  
The Body ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Winter Period ◽  
Live Weight Gain ◽  
Group 2 ◽  
Biochemical Indices ◽  
Experimental Group

The results of the studies on the determination of the optimal dose of the probiotic additive “Evitalia” (PAE) for the quails of the Texas breed have been presented in the article. The experiments were conducted on the quails aged 1–35 days. The object of the research was the probiotic additive “Evitalia” that consisted of eight components (the strains of lactic acidmicroorganisms, macro- and microelements). The subject of the investigation was the influence of PAE on the growth, preservation, the morphological composition and biochemical indices of blood. The studies were carried out in the following conditions of microclimate and sanitary regime: the air temperature in the pens-cages was 16–18 ºC in the autumn and winter period that was 5–7 ºC lower than it was provided by the standard; in spring the temperature was 23–15 ºС that was lower than it was provided by the standard (29–35 ºС). The concentration of carbon dioxide ranged within 0.20–0.25 % (2.0–2.5 l/m3), ammonia – 12–13.4 mg/m3, the general contamination of the air by microflora was 50–60 thousand KOE/m3. The experiments were conducted on the four groups of quails, 60 quails in each group. The quails of the control group were fed by water without PAE, the probiotic at the dose of 7 mg/500 ml of water was given to the quails of the experimental group 1 (E-1), 9 mg of probiotic/500 ml water received the birds of the experimental group 2 (E-2) and the quails of the experimental group 3 (E-3) were given the probiotic at the dose of 11 mg/500 ml water. The positive influence of the probiotic additive “Evitalia” on the growth and the body live weight gain of the quails was observedin the experimental groups as compared to the quails of the control group. The trustworthy increase in the growth and live weight gain of the quails was detected on the 7-, 14-, 21-, 35-day of their life (Р < 0.05), especially in the quails that received PAE at the dose of 9 mg (E-2). The quails of the experimental group 2 exceeded the others by the average daily live weight gains. The growth intensity of the quails in the experimental group 2 was 6.43 % higher than that of the control one, higher by 3.47 % and 5.57 % than in the experimental groups 1 and 3, respectively. The preservation of the quails in the control group was lower by 4.8 – 5.1 % as compared to the quails in the experimental groups. By the data on the growth of the body live weight, the composition and biochemical indices of blood of the quails it can be concluded that the optimal dose of the probioticadditive “Evitalia” is 9 mg/500 ml water that activates hematopoesis and stimulates the growth and development of quails.

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