Effects of different weaning strategies on postweaning growth rate, mortality and fertility of Bos indicus cross cattle

1990 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
RG Holroyd ◽  
PK O'Rourke ◽  
R Tyler ◽  
HP Stephenson ◽  
GWJ Mason ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Growth Rate ◽  
Bos Indicus ◽  
Dry Season ◽  
Subsequent Growth ◽  
Wet Season ◽  
Lower Growth ◽  
Treatment Groups ◽  
Pooled Data ◽  
Dry Tropics ◽  
Native Pastures

Three drafts of Brahman cross calves (phenotypically half to three-quarters Bos indicus) were either early weaned (EW) in April (mean age 5 months) or late weaned (LW) in July (mean age of 8 months). Their postweaning performance on native pastures in the dry tropics of North Queensland was monitored through to 2.5 years of age for females and 3.5 years for males. At late weaning, LW calves of both sexes were significantly (P<0.01) heavier than EW calves. Mean liveweight differences over the 3 drafts were 53.8 kg for males and 54.4 kg for females. From late weaning until final liveweight, EW animals partially compensated in growth and were on average 13.6 kg lighter at 3.5 years for males and 20.3 kg lighter at 2.5 years for females than LW animals. In draft 2, pregnancy rate at 2.5 years favoured LW heifers (P<0.05) by 38% units. Mortalities occurred only in the first dry season postweaning with 0, 5 (11.1%) and 5 (8.9%) deaths from poverty in the EW group in drafts 1 to '3 respectively but none in the LW group. Pooled data across treatment groups showed that older calves at weaning had lower growth rates during the first dry season but still had heavier final liveweights. Age at weaning did not influence subsequent growth rate in the first wet season or males in year 2 or year 3 postweaning.

The effect of spraying for buffalo fly (Haematobia irritans exigua) on infestations, growth rate and lesion development on Bos indicus × B. taurus cattle in the dry tropics of north Queensland

1984 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 595 ◽  
Author(s):  
RG Holroyd ◽  
DJ Hirst ◽  
AW Merrifield ◽  
MA Toleman
Keyword(s):  
Growth Rate ◽  
Bos Indicus ◽  
Coat Colour ◽  
Dry Season ◽  
Wet Season ◽  
Lesion Development ◽  
Haematobia Irritans ◽  
Dry Tropics ◽  
Positive Correlations ◽  
June July

The effect of spraying for buffalo fly (Haematobia irritans exigua) on infestations, growth rate and lesion development on Bos indicus x B. taurus steers (18 months old) and bullocks (30 months old) were studied in the dry tropics of North Queensland. There were four consecutive drafts commencing between July and September and terminating the following June-July. Half of the animals were sprayed with 200 g/l fenvalerate to control buffalo flies. Treated animals carried, at most, a few flies. The size of the fly populations on the untreated animals varied with the seasons, with the most flies being recorded during the wet season. Light coloured animals carried fewer flies than those with darker colours and bullocks carried more flies than steers. Except for steers in one dry season, repeatabilities of fly counts were significant (P < 0.01). In steers, treatment had no significant (P > 0.05) effect on growth over the four treatment periods, although there were significant effects of treatment on growth in some intermediate periods. Treatment significantly (P < 0.05) affected bullock growth in two of the four years. Significant (P < 0.05) positive correlations were found between fly counts and growth rate in two years. Few lesions were recorded on treated animals. Lesion prevalence and size on untreated animals were generally not associated with fly counts, coat colour or growth rate.

Relocation does not have a significant effect on the growth rate of Bos indicus cross steers

2008 ◽  
Vol 48 (5) ◽  
pp. 608 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. G. Holroyd ◽  
V. J. Doogan ◽  
M. R. Jeffery ◽  
J. A. Lindsay ◽  
B. K. Venus ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Growth Rate ◽  
Phase 1 ◽  
Bos Indicus ◽  
Poor Performance ◽  
The Other ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Phase 2 ◽  
Treatment Groups ◽  
Normal Ranges ◽  
Native Pastures

This experiment tested the hypothesis that relocating cattle is detrimental to their growth. The study examined the effect of having relocated cattle mixed with, or segregated from, the local acclimatised cattle at the destination property. Bos indicus cross steers (120) were allocated to three groups and were relocated, in two separate cohorts, 980 km from northern Queensland to improved pastures in central Queensland. At the start of Phase 1, the control group (C) was moved 3 months before the other two groups. The remaining two groups grazed native pastures; one group was supplemented (SR) to increase growth rate similar to that expected from improved pasture in central Queensland and the other was not supplemented (R). At the end of Phase 1, C was significantly (P < 0.05) heavier than SR, which was significantly (P < 0.05) heavier than R. At the start of Phase 2, the SR and R groups were relocated and after transportation the R and SR groups lost 12 kg or 4.4% of liveweight and 18 kg or 5.7% of liveweight, respectively; this weight loss was recovered after 5 days. All steers were reallocated to segregated (SEG) or mixed (MIX) treatment groups forming six treatments (SEG.C, SEG.R and SEG.SR and MIX.C, MIX.R and MIX.SR). There were no significant differences in liveweights within the SEG treatments by 57 days or within the MIX treatments by 106 days after relocation. There were few if any significant differences in the plasma constituents and differential leucocyte counts of the steers and most results were within physiologically normal ranges. We conclude on the basis of these results and of other experiments that the anecdotal poor performance of cattle after relocation appears to be unfounded.

Effects of weaning and supplementation on performance of Brahman cross cows and their progeny

1988 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
RG Holroyd ◽  
GWJ Mason ◽  
ID Loxton ◽  
PT Knights ◽  
PK O'Rourke
Keyword(s):  
Birth Weight ◽  
Pregnancy Rate ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Bos Indicus ◽  
Mortality Rates ◽  
Dry Season ◽  
Early Weaning ◽  
Monoammonium Phosphate ◽  
Dry Tropics ◽  
Native Pastures

In a 3-year study in the dry tropics, 2 management practices of dry season supplementation of cows and early weaning of calves were concurrently examined as possible techniques for improving reproductive, liveweight and survival performance of Brahman cross cows (phenotypically 1/2 - 3/4 Bos indicus) grazing native pastures. Cows were either supplemented with a drylick mixture of salt, urea and sulfur (DL) commencing in July for 4-6 months; supplemented with a crisis mixture of salt, urea, grain, molasses, meatmeal and monoammonium phosphate (CM) in the latter part of the dry season; or were not supplemented (C). Mating commenced in January, and calves were either early weaned (EW) at the end of mating in April (mean age of 5 months) or late weaned (LW) in July (mean age of 8 months). Supplements and weaning treatments had little effect on cow liveweight, except between early weaning and late weaning when EW cows gained more or lost less weight (mean advantage of 30.8 kg) than LW cows and were heavier (mean advantage of 44.8 kg) than LW cows at late weaning time. Across all years, 1.4, 2.1 and 4.2% of cows in DL, CM and C groups respectively died from malnutrition or required survival feeding; whereas, in the second and third years, mortality rates due to malnutrition were 0.7 and 2.1% in EW and LW groups respectively. Neither supplement nor weaning treatments had any significant effect on lactating cow pregnancy rates, although data pooled across treatments showed that liveweights at various stages pre-mating were correlated with pregnancy rate. Supplementation or weaning treatments did not influence calving date or birth weight, but LW calves grew significantly faster (mean advantage of 0.52 kg/day) between early weaning and late weaning and were significantly heavier (mean advantage of 57.4 kg) at late weaning than EW calves.

Influence of pasture type and supplement on fertility and liveweight of cows, and progeny growth rate in the dry tropics of northern Queensland

1983 ◽  
Vol 23 (120) ◽  
pp. 4 ◽  
Author(s):  
RG Holroyd ◽  
PK O'Rourke ◽  
MR Clarke ◽  
ID Loxton
Keyword(s):  
Growth Rate ◽  
Reproductive Performance ◽  
Fold Increase ◽  
Dry Season ◽  
Wet Season ◽  
Calf Growth ◽  
Dry Tropics ◽  
Stylosanthes Humilis ◽  
Native Pasture ◽  
One Year

The reproductive performance of cows and growth rate of their calves to weaning was examined over a four-year period (1973-1977). Cows grazed either native pasture stocked at 1cowl4 ha, or native pasture oversown with Townsville stylo (Stylosanthes humilis) and fertilized with superphosphate stocked at 1 cow/2 ha. Animals were supplemented on each pasture type with urea-molasses in the dry season, phosphorus all year round plus urea-molasses in the dry season, or were unsupplemented. Mating was for three months from mid-January. Calving began towards the end of the dry season and cows lactated through the following wet season. Cows grazing fertilized legume pasture had significantly higher conception rates and earlier calving dates in one year only. In all years, foetal and calf losses between pregnancy diagnosis and weaning were lower on native pasture than on fertilized legume pasture. Cows grazing fertilized legume pasture were generally in better body condition and heavier throughout and their calves grew faster to weaning than on native pasture. Fertilized legume pasture produced a 2.4 fold increase over that of native pasture in cow and calf liveweight per unit area (382.7 kg/ha vs 159.8 kg/ha) over the four years. Supplementation did not influence liveweight or reproductive performance of cows or calf growth rate except during the final dry season when non-supplemented cows lost significantly more weight than those supplemented with phosphorus and urea.

Prepartum supplementation effects on growth and fertility in Bos indicus-cross cows

1997 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
pp. 141 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Fordyce ◽  
L. A. Fitzpatrick ◽  
T. J. Mullins ◽  
N. J. Cooper ◽  
D. J. Reid ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Condition ◽  
Post Partum ◽  
Bos Indicus ◽  
Late Pregnancy ◽  
Dry Season ◽  
Pregnancy Rates ◽  
Wet Season ◽  
Calf Growth ◽  
Treatment Groups ◽  
Calving Season

Summary. Three experiments were conducted in the dry tropics of north Australia using Bos indicus-cross cows. Cows in mid–late pregnancy were either unsupplemented during the late dry season or offered ad libitum (2 kg/day) molasses with 7.4% urea (w/w) (M8U) or cottonseed meal (1 kg/day) for up to 54 days commencing 2 months before the start of the calving season. Supplementation reduced weight loss in experiments 1 and 2 (P<0.05), but had no significant effect on weight or body condition in experiment 3. Supplementation had no effect on subsequent calf growth or cow lactation yields. Following early wet season rains in experiment 1, 9 and 49% of cows were ovulating 40 and 80 days post-partum, respectively, with no effect of supplementation. In experiment 2, 10 and 100% of cows had ovulated by 60 and 200 days post-partum, respectively. At any time between 80 and 180 days post-partum, supplemented cows were more likely to be cycling (P<0.05), independent of supplementation effects on weight or body condition. The average post-partum interval to oestrus was 30 days less in cows supplemented for 42 days (P = 0.08). In experiment 3, pregnancy rates in 1/2 and 3/4 Brahmans supplemented with M8U for 54 days (MU54) or whose calves were weaned at 2–3 months of age (WEAN) were 14% higher in the latter 2 months of mating than in cows supplemented for less than 40 days. Good seasonal conditions resulted in high pregnancy rates in all mature 5/8 Brahmans; when not weaned early, their average calving to conception interval (CCI) was 54 days (s.e. = 8.5 days). Pregnancy rates of first-lactation 5/8 Brahmans (average CCI of 125 days) supplemented for 39 days or less and weaned when calves averaged 6 months of age were 14–32% lower between 2 and 9 months post-partum than in contemporaries in the MU54 or WEAN treatment groups. It was concluded that dry-season supplementation of mid- to late-pregnant Bos indicus-cross cows with an energy concentrate for 42–54 days (‘spike’ feeding) may reduce post-partum anoestrus intervals via a mechanism which is not dependent on the effects on weight or body condition.

Factors affecting mature size and dry-season weight loss in Bos indicus cross cows in northern Queensland

1988 ◽  
Vol 39 (6) ◽  
pp. 1169 ◽  
Author(s):  
G Fordyce ◽  
S Saithanoo ◽  
ME Goddard
Keyword(s):  
Growth Rate ◽  
Weight Loss ◽  
Adult Height ◽  
Bos Indicus ◽  
Dry Season ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Weight Growth ◽  
Dry Tropics ◽  
Condition Score ◽  
Mature Size

Mature size and dry season weight loss affect the feed requirements, mortality rate and fertility of cows in the dry tropics. The aim of the work reported here was to study the effects of genotype and selection for growth rate on these parameters. The data consisted of: growth rate to 18 months; weight, height and condition score of cows over 5 years old; the change in these parameters during the dry season; and the past fertility of these cows. The cows were + or + bred Brahman of Sahiwal crosses. The Brahman crosses had the same growth rate but a higher mature weight than the Sahiwal crosses. The +-breds lost less weight during the dry season than the +-breds, implying a lower maintenance requirement. Growth rate to 18 monthswas correlated with adult height (r = 0.54) and weight (r = 0.58-0.68). Growth rate was correlated with dry season weight loss (r = 0.36), but only because weight loss was correlated with weight at the start of the dry season. After correcting for this starting weight, growth rate was not correlated with weight loss, and in fact growth rate was positively correlated with condition score late in the dry season (r = 0.17). Adult height was weekly correlated with dry season weight loss (r = 0.13). Past fertility was correlated with current fertility and with ability to maintain condition during the dry season.

The relationships between liveweight, growth from weaning to mating and conception rate of Bos indicus cross heifers in the dry tropics of north Queensland

1991 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 139 ◽  
Author(s):  
VJ Doogan ◽  
G Fordyce ◽  
RK Shepherd ◽  
TA James ◽  
RG Holroyd
Keyword(s):  
Growth Rate ◽  
Growth Rates ◽  
Bos Taurus ◽  
Bos Indicus ◽  
Cohort Effect ◽  
Dry Season ◽  
Conception Rate ◽  
Dry Tropics ◽  
Factors Influencing ◽  
Conception Rates

Factors influencing the conception rates of 1332 Bos indicus cross maiden heifers in the dry tropics of North Queensland were studied between 1973 and 1986. The heifers, which were 112 and 314 Bos indicus (Brahman or Sahiwal) crosses with Bos taurus, were mated at 24-27 months of age over a 3-month period commencing in mid to late January. The effects of liveweights and growth rates on conception rate were initially assessed in separate models which always included cohort (year of branding group) as an additional factor. Cohort and liveweight at weaning, 18 months of age or the start of mating significantly (P<0.05) affected conception rate in maiden heifers. Response to liveweight was curvilinear, being marked for liveweights up to 125-150 kg at weaning, 200-225 kg at 18 months of age and 225-250 kg at the start of mating, with reduced response for greater liveweights. Liveweights of about 270 kg were indicated as targets at the start of mating in a typical year to achieve an 80% conception rate. Average daily gains during the post-weaning dry season and the dry season prior to mating did not influence conception rates after adjusting for cohort. Further analyses using models incorporating both liveweight and growth rate with and without the cohort effect gave indications that the significant cohort effect on conception rate was partly related to post-weaning dry season growth rate. F2 et seq. maiden heifers with low liveweights at either 18 months of age or mating had appreciably higher conception rates if they had gained weight in the post-weaning dry season, rather than losing weight.

Nutrition of beef breeder cows in the dry tropics. 1. Effects of nitrogen supplementation and weaning on breeder performance

2011 ◽  
Vol 51 (6) ◽  
pp. 515 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. M. Dixon ◽  
C. Playford ◽  
D. B. Coates
Keyword(s):  
Near Infrared ◽  
Body Condition Score ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Bos Indicus ◽  
Dry Season ◽  
The Body ◽  
Wet Season ◽  
Lactating Cows ◽  
Dry Tropics ◽  
Body Reserves

The effects of two dry season management strategies consisting of timing of weaning and/or nitrogen (N) supplementation on the body reserves, nutritional status and reproductive performance were, commencing in the early dry season, examined in Bos indicus × Bos taurus breeder cows (n = 122) grazing native pasture in the seasonally dry tropics. Cows were early-weaned in April in the early dry season or late-weaned in September in the late dry season. The supplement consisted of loose mineral mix which provided on average 14 g N/day, principally as non-protein N. In the early dry season in April 1997 all of the cows had been lactating for 3–5 months, averaged 363 kg (s.d. = 28) conceptus-free liveweight (CF.LW) and 4.7 (s.d. = 0.6) body condition score (9-point scale), and 53% were pregnant. In addition, from April to June 1997 10/26 non-pregnant lactating cows, and 24/31 non-pregnant non-lactating (i.e. early-weaned) cows became pregnant so that 81% of cows were pregnant by June. Predictions of diet from near-infrared spectroscopy of faeces indicated that the forage diet selected during the dry season (April–November) by the cows contained on average 9% (s.d. = 2) non-grass dicotyledonous plants and 4.4% (s.d. = 0.38) crude protein (CP), while DM digestibility was 51.1% (s.d. = 1.3). The diet CP concentration, the ratio of CP to metabolisable energy (ME) in the diet (mean 5.7, s.d. = 0.53, g CP/MJ ME) and faecal N concentration (mean 1.05, s.d. = 0.097, % N) all indicated that unsupplemented cows were deficient in dietary N during the dry season. Microbial CP synthesis in unsupplemented non-lactating cows decreased from 360 to 107 g microbial CP/day, or from 6.5 to 2.4 g microbial CP/MJ ME intake, as the dry season progressed from May to September 1997. Net endogenous N transfer to the rumen of up to 2 g CP/MJ ME apparently occurred from May to August. Microbial CP synthesis was 25% higher (P < 0.001) in lactating than in non-lactating cows. From April to September cow CF.LW was improved by 0.35 kg/day (P < 0.001) by early weaning, and by 0.11 kg/day (P < 0.10) by N supplementation, but there was no interaction (P > 0.10) between these treatments. From April to June 1997 calf LW gain averaged 0.79 kg/day, but from June to September was only 0.10 kg/day in unsupplemented paddocks and 0.13 kg/day in N-supplemented paddocks. Pregnant cows calved from November 1997 to March 1998. During subsequent mating 96% of non-lactating cows, but only 17% of lactating cows became pregnant. During the 1997–98 wet season there was compensatory LW gain of lower CF.LW non-lactating cows but not of lactating cows. In conclusion, weaning early in the dry season had a much greater effect than a non-protein N-based supplement to conserve breeder cow body reserves, and the effects of the two management strategies were additive.

scholarly journals Seasonal changes in water quality and macrophytes and the impact of cattle on tropical floodplain waterholes

2012 ◽  
Vol 63 (9) ◽  
pp. 788 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. E. Pettit ◽  
T. D. Jardine ◽  
S. K. Hamilton ◽  
V. Sinnamon ◽  
D. Valdez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Seasonal Changes ◽  
Aquatic Macrophyte ◽  
Plant Cover ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Dry Season ◽  
Nutrient Concentrations ◽  
Wet Season ◽  
Dry Tropics ◽  
The Impact

The present study indicates the critical role of hydrologic connectivity in floodplain waterholes in the wet–dry tropics of northern Australia. These waterbodies provide dry-season refugia for plants and animals, are a hotspot of productivity, and are a critical part in the subsistence economy of many remote Aboriginal communities. We examined seasonal changes in water quality and aquatic plant cover of floodplain waterholes, and related changes to variation of waterhole depth and visitation by livestock. The waterholes showed declining water quality through the dry season, which was exacerbated by more frequent cattle usage as conditions became progressively drier, which also increased turbidity and nutrient concentrations. Aquatic macrophyte biomass was highest in the early dry season, and declined as the dry season progressed. Remaining macrophytes were flushed out by the first wet-season flows, although they quickly re-establish later during the wet season. Waterholes of greater depth were more resistant to the effects of cattle disturbance, and seasonal flushing of the waterholes with wet-season flooding homogenised the water quality and increased plant cover of previously disparate waterholes. Therefore, maintaining high levels of connectivity between the river and its floodplain is vital for the persistence of these waterholes.

Diet selection by cattle grazing Stylosanthes-grass pastures in the seasonally dry tropics: effect of year, season, stylo species and botanical composition

1996 ◽  
Vol 36 (7) ◽  
pp. 781 ◽  
Author(s):  
DB Coates
Keyword(s):  
Cattle Grazing ◽  
Diet Selection ◽  
Dry Season ◽  
Major Influence ◽  
Botanical Composition ◽  
Wet Season ◽  
Seasonally Dry ◽  
Dietary Preference ◽  
Dry Tropics ◽  
Opportunity For Selection

The dietary preference of cattle grazing Stylosanthes-based pastures in the seasonally dry tropics of North Queensland was studied using faecal carbon ratios (S13C) to determine grass-legume proportions. Estimates were made at monthly intervals for several years in 1 experiment to determine the effect of year, season and botanical composition on dietary stylo proportions. In another experiment, the effect of stylo cultivars (Verano and Seca) on dietary preference was monitored for 17 months. Where pastures provided ample opportunity for selection, cattle showed a strong preference for grass in the early wet season and in the late dry season. The proportion of stylo in the diet increased during the wet season and reached peak proportions (as high as 80%) in the late wet season or early dry season. Dietary stylo proportions decreased as pastures dried off and as the stylo shed leaf or became more stemmy. The length of the wet season and the amount and distribution of rainfall had a major influence on the seasonal pattern of diet selection. Stylo rarely fell below 20% in the diet. On an annual basis, stylo accounted for about 45% of the diet which was appreciably higher than the proportion of stylo in the pasture. Dietary stylo proportions were higher on Seca-based pasture than on Verano-based pasture. The avoidance of stylo in the early wet season was less pronounced with Seca compared with Verano. Later in the season Seca was the dominant dietary component for a much longer period than Verano. The effect of botanical composition on dietary grass-legume proportions varied between and within years. Correlations between grass-legume proportions in the pasture and in the diet were highest in the late dry season and early wet season when preference for grass was strongest. At the end of the wet season when cattle preferred stylo, dietary stylo was not related to pasture stylo content except in a drought year. Averaged over the full year, dietary stylo content was significantly correlated with pasture stylo content in all years and the correlation was highest in a drought year when there was a high level of utilisation and less opportunity for selection. A simple model relating dietary stylo to pasture stylo was developed and is discussed.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document