Long-term growth of male and female Bali cattle fed Sesbania grandiflora

Abstract

This study examined the long-term growth of male and female Bali cattle (Bos javanicus) fed a diet consisting solely of Sesbania grandiflora (sesbania) or sesbania with rice bran. Twelve male (71.6 ± 2.2 kg mean liveweight and standard error of the mean; LW) and six female (80.3 ± 2.8 kg LW) weaned Bali cattle, ~6 months of age at the commencement were used in this experiment. LW, wither height (WH), hip height and chest circumference (girth) were measured from ~6 to 27 months of age. Dry matter intake and the concentration of glucose, urea and insulin-like growth factor-1 in the plasma were measured at ~9, 18 and 27 months of age. There was no difference in LW gain of male and female Bali cattle between 6 and 18 months of age but males had a greater average LW gain (0.40 kg/day) than females (0.22 kg/day) between 18 and 27 months of age. Overall females displayed a curvilinear growth path in LW, WH and girth between 6 and 27 months of age, while males displayed a linear growth path in LW and girth but curvilinear in WH over the same age. Dry matter intake did not differ with stage of development or between male and female cattle. The plasma urea concentration declined in male Bali cattle with stage of development but was constant in female cattle across the experiment. The concentration of insulin-like growth factor-1 in the plasma increased with age and tended to be greater in male (268 ng/mL) than female (222 ng/mL) Bali cattle. In conclusion, Bali cattle display sexual dimorphism in growth after ~18 months of age, which is important to consider when developing feeding strategies across the full growth path.