Calf rearing practice at the National Agricultural Centre Beef and Calf Unit

1992 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
pp. 145-147
Author(s):  
A. Spedding
Keyword(s):  
Health Management ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Milk Replacer ◽  
Food Conversion ◽  
Weight Gains ◽  
High Care ◽  
Calf Rearing

AbstractA system of high-care calf rearing which was developed and demonstrated at the National Agricultural Centre Beef and Calf Unit is described. The unit reared around 600 calves per year which were purchased at 2 to 3 weeks of age, reared and then transferred to one of several finishing systems on the unit. The system depends on good calf nutrition, airy buildings which were rested regularly, careful disinfection of equipment and buildings and a programme of health management.The calves were purchased mostly in batches of about 40 from a farmers' co-operative and reared on milk replacer which was restricted and given twice daily to force a discipline for inspection of calves. They were also fed through teats which gave more efficient food conversion than buckets. They were penned in pairs because it had been found they were less stressed in pairs than penned singly. Detail of management and health routines are described. Target live-weight gains on the system were 0.5kg per day up to weaning and 1.0 kg per day thereafter. For simplicity the commercial names of foods, drugs and vaccines are given.

EFFECTS OF FAT LEVELS IN MILK REPLACERS AND PROTEIN LEVELS IN CREEP FEED ON THE PERFORMANCE OF ARTIFICIALLY REARED LAMBS

1975 ◽  
Vol 55 (3) ◽  
pp. 377-381
Author(s):  
A. D. L. GORRILL ◽  
J. W. G. NICHOLSON ◽  
T. M. MACINTYRE
Keyword(s):  
Body Weight Gain ◽  
Milk Powder ◽  
Skim Milk ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Milk Replacer ◽  
Optimum Level ◽  
Creep Feed ◽  
Weight Gains ◽  
Ad Libitum ◽  
Milk Replacers

Two growth trials were conducted to determine an optimum level of fat in milk replacer and an optimum level of protein in creep feed for artificially reared lambs. In experiment 1, milk replacers containing 31 or 36% fat (dry matter, DM, basis) were fed ad libitum to 58 lambs at 1 day of age. The protein was supplied by low-heat spray-dried skim milk powder and Na caseinate and the fat from a mixture of 10% coconut oil and 90% tallow. A finely ground unpelleted creep feed with 20% protein, on a DM basis, was fed ad libitum. The lambs consumed more of the 31% fat milk replacer and gained more live weight (288 vs. 254 g/day; P < 0.025) to weaning at 25–30 days of age than did lambs fed the 36% fat formula. Weight gains to 10 wk of age were 190 and 170 g/day, respectively (P < 0.10). In experiment 2, 84 lambs were fed a 26% fat milk replacer ad libitum, and creep feeds with 15, 20 or 25% protein (DM basis). The supplementary protein was supplied by herring meal and soybean meal. Weight gains of lambs to weaning at 24 days of age were similar on the three creep feeds. However, gains to 10 wk of age averaged 218, 235 and 244 g/day (P < 0.05) on the 15, 20 and 25% protein diets, respectively. One and 2 kg of DM were consumed/kg lamb body weight gain to weaning and to 10 wk of age, respectively. It was concluded that the milk replacer should contain 26–31% fat, and the creep feed 20% protein or more for maximal performance of artificially reared lambs.

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.

The ability of piglets 4 to 8 weeks old to digest and perform on diets containing two contrasting sources of non-starch polysaccharide

1994 ◽  
Vol 58 (3) ◽  
pp. 405-410 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. C. Longland ◽  
J. Carruthers ◽  
A. G. Low
Keyword(s):  
Live Weight ◽  
Apparent Digestibility ◽  
Uronic Acids ◽  
Food Conversion ◽  
Large White ◽  
Fermentative Capacity ◽  
Young Pigs ◽  
Weight Gains ◽  
Gross Energy ◽  
Daily Intakes

AbstractTwelve Large White × Landrace boars, initial mean live weight (kg) 5·51 (s.e. 0·8) were offered cereal-based diets containing 0 (diet C) or 150 g sugar-beet pulp per kg (containing no molasses or other additive) (diet 15SB) and the indigestible marker titanium dioxide from 21 to 57 days of age. The daily intakes, live-weight gains and food conversion ratios of the piglets were monitored from day 28. The apparent digestibilities of nitrogen (N), gross energy (GE) and non-starch polysaccharides (NSP) were measured on days 32 and 56. There were no significant differences either in voluntary intakes, or in the daily live-weight gains and food conversion ratios between the two diets. Likewise, there were no significant differences in the apparent digestibility of N and GE of the two diets. However, the capacity at 56 days of age to digest N from diet 15SB was greater than at 32 days of age. The apparent digestibility of total NSP at both 32 and 56 days of age was significantly greater for diet 15SB (averaging 0·75) than for diet C (averaging 0·54) (P < 0·001). The major NSP components of diet 15SB were arabinose, glucose and uronic acids, but the predominant NSP constituents of diet C were arabinose, xylose and glucose. The apparent digestibilities of arabinose (P < 0·05), mannose (P < 0·05), glucose (P < 0·05) and uronic acids (P < 0·001) were significantly greater from diet 15SB than from diet C. The apparent digestibility of NSP components from both diets tended to increase with age of piglet. These results are discussed in relation to the early establishment of an efficient gut microflora and indicate that the fermentative capacity of very young pigs may be higher than previously thought.

The effect of climatic housing and level of nutrition on the performance of calves

1981 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 133-141 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. E. V. Williams ◽  
D. Day ◽  
A. M. Raven ◽  
J. A. McLean
Keyword(s):  
Live Weight ◽  
Metabolizable Energy ◽  
Milk Replacer ◽  
Feeding System ◽  
Once Daily ◽  
South West ◽  
Bull Calves ◽  
Weight Gains ◽  
Low Levels ◽  
Daily Milk

ABSTRACTFive hundred and seven British Friesian × Ayrshire bull calves were reared on a once-daily milk replacer feeding system from approximately 6 to 72 days of age in four naturally ventilated, unheated calf houses differing in design and degree of insulation. Environment within the calf houses was monitored each hour. Differences in design and degree of insulation produced small but significant differences in internal house temperature, humidity and air movement which had no measurable effect on calf daily live-weight gains.Calves receiving 0·6 kg/day compared with 0·3 or 0·4 kg/day of milk replacer plus concentrates ad libitum ate less concentrates but had higher daily live-weight gains (0·56 compared with 0·49 kg/day respectively) (P < 0·001). Rations supplying similar amounts of metabolizable energy from varying proportions of milk:concentrate resulted in comparable live-weight gains. Results suggest that calf viability was affected by level of nutrition and that low levels of milk replacer feeding resulted in higher mortality. Naturally ventilated, unheated calf houses were demonstrated to be suitable for rearing calves in south-west Scotland.

A note on the performance of artificially reared lambs fed cold milk substitute from birth to slaughter

1971 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 365-368 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. D. Penning ◽  
P. G. E. Bradfield ◽  
T. T. Treacher
Keyword(s):  
Growth Rates ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Carcass Composition ◽  
Milk Replacer ◽  
Food Conversion ◽  
Milk Substitute ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Voluntary Intake ◽  
Conversion Efficiencies

SUMMARYTwo groups of five lambs were removed from their dams within 48 hr of birth and artificially reared to a slaughter weight of approximately 32 kg on a milk replacer given cold, hay and concentrates. Voluntary intake of the feeds was recorded together with growth rates and carcass composition of the lambs.The two groups of lambs were slaughtered at 58 or 67 days of age with growth rates of 459 and 433 g/day, respectively. The mean milk replacer dry matter consumed per lamb was 34·9 kg and 39·3 kg and concentrate dry matter intakes were 3·1 kg and 4·1 kg. Intakes of hay were negligible. Food conversion efficiencies were 0·70 and 0·67 kg of live-weight gain per kg of dry matter consumed. The mean carcass weights were 18·1 kg and 19·5 kg with mean muscle, bone and fat contents of 48·7%, 16·2% and 35·1 % for lambs slaughtered at 58 days and 48·0%, 14·7% and 37·2% for those slaughtered at 67 days.

Growth of broilers on diets containing field beans (Vicia faba L.)

1968 ◽  
Vol 71 (3) ◽  
pp. 355-358 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Blair ◽  
W. Bolton
Keyword(s):  
Vicia Faba ◽  
Treatment Effects ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Food Conversion ◽  
Significant Treatment ◽  
Vicia Faba L ◽  
Weight Gains ◽  
Field Beans

SUMMARYDuring the 4· to 9·week stage Ross Chunky H broilers were fed on diets containing two varieties of field beans at 0, 10, 20 and 30 % rates of inclusion. No significant treatment effects were observed on live-weight gains, amounts of food eaten or food-conversion ratios.

A note on the performance and management of calves reared on cold acidified milk replacer fed ad libitum

1983 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 147-150 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. S. Thickett ◽  
N. H. Cuthbert ◽  
T. D. A. Brigstocke ◽  
M. A. Lindeman ◽  
P. N. Wilson
Keyword(s):  
Milk Powder ◽  
Skim Milk ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Skim Milk Powder ◽  
Barley Straw ◽  
Milk Replacer ◽  
Bull Calves ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Ad Libitum ◽  
Dry Food

ABSTRACTResults are presented from six trials dealing with aspects of management on the cold ad libitum system of calf rearing using an acidified milk replacer containing over 600 g skim milk powder per kg.Thirty-six calves were housed in pens of six for each trial and were fed through a teat and pipeline from a storage barrel. Acidified milk replacer, pH 5·6, was mixed cold at 125 g/1 and made available ad libitum to 3 weeks. A rationed allowance was given daily, on a reducing scale, over the following 2 weeks with weaning completed at 35 days. A pelleted dry food containing 180 g crude protein per kg, together with water in buckets and barley straw in racks, was available ad libitum throughout. Each trial lasted 8 weeks. Results for the mean of the six cold ad libitum trials involving 216 calves were compared with the mean results of 10 conventional bucket-fed trials carried out separately at the same unit, involving 912 calves. All calves were purchased British Friesian male (bull) calves.Calves on the ad libitum system showed improved live-weight gains of 9·4 kg at 3 weeks, 8·8 kg at 5 weeks and 7·5 kg at 8 weeks, compared with the conventional system. The consumption of milk replacer powder was higher in ad libitum trials at 29·4 kg cf. 12·5 kg by bucket but intake of pelleted dry feed was lower on the ad libitum system at 50·7 kg cf. 71·3 kg to 8 weeks. Calf appearance scores were significantly improved on the ad libitum system which gave the main improvement in performance in the first 3 weeks.

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.

An evaluation of beef carcass quality 1. The influence of cereal feeding on the growth and carcass quality of Friesian steers

1972 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 215-227 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. E. Hinks ◽  
J. H. D. Prescott
Keyword(s):  
Meat Quality ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Carcass Composition ◽  
Factorial Experiment ◽  
Carcass Quality ◽  
Grazing Cattle ◽  
Weight Gains ◽  
Second Period ◽  
Tasting Panel

SUMMARYTwenty-four Friesian steers, initially 5 months of age, were involved in a 2 × 2 factorial experiment which spanned grazing and silage feeding periods of 22 weeks' duration. In the first period, cattle were stocked at a uniformly high density, with half of the group being fed 1·25 kg/head per day of supplementary barley. In the second period, the cattle were subdivided into four groups and fed varying levels of barley with silage. Finally all the animals received 3·65 kg/head per day of barley. Replicates of the four treatments were slaughtered at random after 5 to 11 weeks on this treatment. Whilst supplementary cereal feeding significantly increased the live-weight gains of steers at grass by 11%, this live-weight advantage was offset by their slower gains in the final weeks before slaughter. Feeding cereals to grazing cattle had little effect on carcass composition or the proportions of carcass joints, but their beef was considered, by a tasting panel, to be more tender than the meat from the control steers.Increasing the level of barley fed with silage only increased live-weight gains by 2%, and had little effect on carcass or meat quality.

Effects of nutrition in late pregnancy on subsequent milk production in Ewes

1970 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-36 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. T. Treacher
Keyword(s):  
Milk Production ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Late Pregnancy ◽  
Lower Content ◽  
Weight Changes ◽  
Total Birth ◽  
Weight Gains ◽  
Ad Libitum ◽  
Voluntary Intake

SUMMARY1. Scottish Half-bred ewes carrying twin foetuses were fed individually to make live-weight gains in the last six weeks of pregnancy of (1) 20%, (2) 10% and (3) 0% of their live weight in week 14 of pregnancy. In lactation the ewes were fed ad libitum. The lambs were removed 12 to 16 hr after parturition and the ewes were machine-milked twice daily for the first six weeks of lactation.2. Total birth weights per ewe of twin lambs from the treatments were (1) 10·10 kg, (2) 9·44 kg and (3) 8·18 kg and differed significantly.3. The level and pattern of voluntary intake in lactation did not differ significantly between the treatments. Total dry-matter intakes in the six weeks of lactation were (1) 121·9 kg (2) 105·9 kg and (3) 109·5 kg.4. The pregnancy treatments affected the level of milk production and the shape of lactation curves. The total yields in the first six weeks of lactation were (1) 58·8 kg, (2) 43·5 kg and (3) 26·9 kg. Higher contents of fat and protein and the lower content of lactose in the milk from treatment-3 ewes on days 1 and 3 of lactation indicated a slower onset of lactation in these ewes. Between days 7 and 35 of lactation the contents of fat and SNF were lowest on treatment 3 but the differences were not significant.5. The live-weight changes in lactation, which were in inverse order to the gains in late pregnancy, were (1) 3·4 kg, (2) 5·5 kg and (3) 9·5 kg.

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