scholarly journals Effect of Raising Dairy Heifers on Their Performance and Reproduction after 12 Months

Agriculture ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. 973
Author(s):  
Michal Uhrincat ◽  
Jan Broucek ◽  
Anton Hanus ◽  
Peter Kisac

The objective of this study was to test the hypotheses that a heifer’s growth, health, and reproduction after 12 months are impacted by rearing (feeding/housing) before weaning, their season of birth, and the father’s lineage. Fifty-one Holstein heifers, born during January–March (SB1), April–June (SB2), July–September (SB3), and October–December (SB4) and originating from four fathers, were assigned to one of the three rearing treatments: restricted suckling (RS), calf in a pen with the mother until the 21st day, sucking three times daily, then group pen (6 kg milk) to weaning; unrestricted suckling (US), calf in a pen with foster cows (6 kg milk) to weaning; and conventional rearing (CR), calf in a hutch until the 56th day, then group pen to weaning (milk replacer 6 kg). After weaning on the 84th day, heifers were kept in groups with the same ration. The growth of the live body weight (LBW), health, and reproduction were recorded. The LBW had a tendency to increase from the 360th to the 570th days in the US, and the reduced growth of the LBW was shown in the CR. Heifers of SB2 had the highest LBW at 570 days of age. The ages of the first insemination service and the conception varied significantly among the rearing groups. The results indicate that a heifer rearing method may have a significant impact on their later growth and fertility.

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 81-84
Author(s):  
Szandra Tóth

The objective of the current study was to examine the effects of mannan-oligosaccharides or inulin on HF dairy heifers’ starter feed intake and daily weight gain in farm situations. We measured these parameters across two experiments. In Trial 1 (T1), next to the control group, 15-15 HF heifers received MOS or inulin supplementation from 1st day of age to weaning. The amount of the supplementations changed according the calves’ age and the amount of milk replacer from 12 g to 24 g/calf/day. We measured the individual feed intake daily, the live weight at 0, 14, 21 and 60 days. In the second experiment (T2) we used 30 HF heifers also in three group (Control, MOS, Inulin) but we gave more from the experiment materials (28 g/calf/day MOS or Inulin). We started dosing the supplements with the colostrums feeding, and gave up on 14th day of age. We also measured the individual feed intake daily and the live body weight (BW) at 0, 14, 28, 42 and 56 days. The treatments in T1 did not cause significant differences in average feed intake, body weight and average daily weight gain. When the calves got the supplementation with colostrum too, the ADWG was significant lower in the group fed inulin than control and group fed MOS (P<0.05). We calculate the ADWG all of the experimental periods. From 0 to 14 day, and from 0 to 56 day the ADWG in inulin group was lower than control group, but the datas of group MOS did not differ from the others. Due to the distribution of the birth weights, the lower ADWG did not manifest in differences in body weight in other points of the experiments. We did not find an interaction between the treatments and the daily feed intake of calves. According with our measurements,


2018 ◽  
Vol 101 (9) ◽  
pp. 8021-8031 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Santos ◽  
F.J. Giráldez ◽  
C. Valdés ◽  
E. Trevisi ◽  
L. Lucini ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Vol 64 (1) ◽  
pp. 69-82
Author(s):  
Jan Broucek ◽  
Michal Uhrincat ◽  
Peter Kisac ◽  
Anton Hanus

Abstract. The objective was to find whether cow growth, milk performance, and behaviour are affected by (1) rearing conditions until weaning after a milk-fed period of 84 d and (2) the sire lineage. Thirty-five Holstein heifers were assigned to one of three treatments: SM, n=13, pen with mother to 21st day, then group pen (they received a maximum of 6 kg of milk daily); SN, n=9, after 3 d with own mother in pen with nursing cow (they received a maximum of 6 kg of milk daily); H, n=13, in hutch from the 2nd to 56th day (6 kg of milk replacer daily), then loose housing pen to weaning (6 kg of milk replacer daily). After weaning at the 84th day, all heifers were kept in pens with the same ration as during calving. During lactation, live body weight (LBW) was measured each month and milk yield each day. Maze learning was evaluated in the fifth month of lactation. The data were analysed using a general linear model ANOVA. At the 30th day, the LBW tended to be the highest in SN (SM 528.2 ± 11.4 kg, SN 571.7 ± 15.3 kg, H 533.2 ± 12.3 kg). When lactation ended, the highest LBW was in SN and the lowest in H (SM 612.6 ± 12.2 kg, SN 623.1 ± 16.4 kg, H 569.8 ± 13.2 kg; P<0.05). The SN tended to have the highest production of milk (SM 7143.9 ± 241.5 kg, SN 7345.1 ± 319.0 kg, H 7146.7 ± 234 kg), and the H for FCM (SM 6290.3 ± 203.2 kg, SN 6307.6 ± 268.4 kg, H 6399.3 ± 197.1 kg) for 305 d lactation. Group SN crossed the maze fastest (SM 1141.4 ± 120.5 s, SN 810.3 ± 160.5 s, H 1120.8 ± 118.6 s). The vocalization number differed significantly (SM 32.3 ± 5.7, SN 20.8 ± 4.4, H 9.9 ± 2.6; P<0.01). The results indicated that the rearing method up to weaning may have an impact on dairy cows' performance and behaviour.


Author(s):  
Setegn W. Alemu ◽  
Olivier Hanotte ◽  
Fasil G. Kebede ◽  
Wondmeneh Esatu ◽  
Solomon Abegaz ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Vol 98 (Supplement_4) ◽  
pp. 307-307
Author(s):  
Matthew McIntosh ◽  
Alfredo Gonzalez ◽  
Andres Cibils ◽  
Rick Estell ◽  
Shelemia Nyamuryekung’e ◽  
...  

Abstract Raramuri Criollo (RC) are one of 33 known biotypes of heritage Criollo cattle that exist throughout the Americas today. They have been raised by the Tarahumara peoples of the Copper Canyon in Chihuahua, Mexico, for over 400 years and exhibit remarkable rusticity and adaptation to harsh grazing environments. To date, no quantitative phenotypic description of this biotype exists. Our objective was to characterize RC cattle via 26 phenotype traits to provide a preliminary biotype standard. Twenty-eight multiparous RC cows, 4 primiparous heifers, and 4 bulls were selected from a purebred herd of approximately 200 animals at the USDA-ARS Jornada Experimental Range. These 36 animals were selected by a Criollo cattle expert based on body conformation correctness. SAS 9.4 was used to determine means, SEs or frequency of measured traits. Multiparous pregnant and cycling cows averaged 366.8 ± 9.8 kg live body weight, 121.8 ± 0.9 cm withers height, horn widths of 60.3 ± 1.6 cm, horn diameters of 5.7 ± 0.1 cm, chest girths of 183.6 ± 12.0 cm, hip widths of 44.5 ± 0.5 cm, flank girths of 52.2 ± 0.9 cm, body length of 90.0 ± 1.7 cm, neck lengths of 52.0 ± 0.9 cm, and tail lengths of 83.3 ± 1.4 cm. Bulls consistently averaged higher values for all traits and weighed 618.2 ± 9.8 kg with scrotal circumferences of 36.8 ± 0.7 cm. RC cattle exhibited mostly convex nose bridges (89%), open-back horns (49%), black muzzles, hooves, and eyes (62, 69, and 81%, respectively), small ears (78%), oblique eyes (70%), high-set tail heads (86%), short hooves (95%), and short hair (78%). Our preliminary characterization of RC phenotypes will be useful in selecting RC individuals for genotypic evaluation to eventually maintain a distinct purebred registry of this Criollo biotype.


2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandeep Kumar ◽  
M. Ajmal Khan ◽  
Emma Beijer ◽  
Jinxin Liu ◽  
Katherine K. Lowe ◽  
...  

Abstract Background The nutrition of calves from birth until weaning is predominantly from liquid (milk or milk-based) feeds. Liquid feed allowances are often restricted during artificial rearing to accelerate the development of the rumen by promoting solid feed intake. Liquid feeds bypass the rumen and are digested in the lower digestive tract, however, the influence of different types of milk feeds, and their allowances, on the calf hindgut microbiota is not well understood. In this study, faecal samples from 199 calves raised on three different allowances of milk replacer: 10% of initial bodyweight (LA), 20% of initial bodyweight (HA), and ad libitum (ADLIB), were collected just prior to weaning. Bacterial community structures and fermentation products were analysed, and their relationships with calf growth and health parameters were examined to identify potential interactions between diet, gut microbiota and calf performance. Results Differences in the total concentrations of short-chain fatty acids were not observed, but higher milk replacer allowances increased the concentrations of branched short-chain fatty acids and decreased acetate to propionate ratios. The bacterial communities were dominated by Ruminococcaceae, Lachnospiraceae and Bacteroides, and the bacterial diversity of the ADLIB diet group was greater than that of the other diet groups. Faecalibacterium was over three times more abundant in the ADLIB compared to the LA group, and its abundance correlated strongly with girth and body weight gains. Milk replacer intake correlated strongly with Peptococcus and Blautia, which also correlated with body weight gain. Bifidobacterium averaged less than 1% abundance, however its levels, and those of Clostridium sensu stricto 1, correlated strongly with initial serum protein levels, which are an indicator of colostrum intake and passive transfer of immunoglobulins in early life. Conclusions Higher milk replacer intakes in calves increased hindgut bacterial diversity and resulted in bacterial communities and short chain fatty acid profiles associated with greater protein fermentation. Increased abundances of beneficial bacteria such as Faecalibacterium, were also observed, which may contribute to development and growth. Moreover, correlations between microbial taxa and initial serum protein levels suggest that colostrum intake in the first days of life may influence microbiota composition at pre-weaning.


Author(s):  
Mihai Marian BORZAN ◽  
Dana PUSTA ◽  
Liviu BOGDAN ◽  
Alexandra TABARAN ◽  
Attila MATE ◽  
...  

Abstract: The research aims to compare some qualitative characteristics of purebred Tsigaia lambs and Tsigaia crossed with Blanc du Massif Central lambs. The criteria assessed were: chemical composition of purebred and Tsigaia crossed meat, the live body weight, the slaughtering performance, the weight of different carcass cut. For almost all criteria chosen the crossed individuals registered better results.


1981 ◽  
Vol 61 (4) ◽  
pp. 853-860
Author(s):  
DOMINIQUE D. RONY ◽  
MOHAMED H. FAHMY ◽  
WILFRIED B. HOLTMANN

Body weight and seven body dimensions measuring the length, height, width and depth were taken at birth and every 180 days up to 720 days of age on 49 pure Canadian, 49 first cross of 1/2 Brown Swiss 1/2 Canadian, and 30 backcross of 1/4 Brown Swiss 3/4 Canadian heifers. The animals were raised up to 180 days of age at the Deschambault Station, then half the pure Canadian and the first cross were transferred to the La Pocatière Station. At birth, the pure Canadian calves weighed 29.2 kg and were lighter than the first and backcrosses by 6.9 kg (24%) and 4.8 kg (16%), respectively. The two crosses exceeded the pure Canadian in all the dimensions, the differences being significant in height at shoulder and width at rumps. At 360 days of age the two crosses were about 6% heavier and 4% higher at shoulder than the pure Canadian. With the exception of body length after 1 yr of age in which the backcross was slightly inferior to the pure Canadian, the two crosses were generally larger than the pure Canadian, with the backcross being intermediate between the first cross and the pure Canadian. The effects of season of birth and age of dam were found to be non-significant on most of the traits studied in this experiment.


The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of Moringa oleifera aqueous seed extract on live body weight, gonadal and extragonadal dimensions and sperm reserves of Yankasa rams. Twenty five apparently healthy Yankasa rams aged 1-2 years and weighing 19.0 ± 2.1 Kg were used for the study. The rams were randomly selected into five groups: A, B, C, D and E with five rams in each group as treatment and control groups respectively. Groups A - D were given oral dose of Moringa oleifera aqueous seed extract at a dose rate of 1000, 2000, 3000, 4000 (mg/kg), respectively while group E was given 10 ml/kg water orally, daily for five months. Live body weight, gonadal and extragonadal reserves were determined according to standard techniques. The results showed a significant increase in live body weight in the months of April to June among rams treated with different doses of Moringa oleifera aqueous seed extract compared with the control group. The control group showed no significant differences in the body weight, gonadal and extragonadal dimensions and sperm reserves. In conclusion, the treatment of Yankasa rams with Moringa oleifera aqueous seed extract increased live body weight, but had no significant effects on gonadal and extragonadal dimensions and sperm reserves in Yankasa rams. Therefore, it is recommended that M. oleifera aqueous seed extract can be used at doses of 2000mg/kg to 3000mg/kg in Yankasa rams for optimum gain in live body weight.


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