Live Weight Gain Of Calves Research Articles

Effects of sward surface height on the performance of continuously stocked spring‐calving beef cows and their calves

AbstractThe response of continuously stocked spring‐calving beef cows and calves to a range of sward surface heights was determined. Mean sward heights of 4‐5, 60, 70, 91 and 11‐0 cm (treatments A to E respectively) were maintained from mid‐May to mid‐August (Period 1) and treatments C, D and E continued until the end of September (Period 2), during which time mean sward heights were 5‐4, 7‐8 and 9‐2 cm respectively. Hereford x Friesian or White Shorthorn‐x Galloway cows with their Charolais‐cross calves were used, with 9, 6, 6, 5 and 9 cows on treatments A to E respectively. During Period 1 the mean live weight gains of cows were‐0‐52,‐005,0‐32,075 and 0 40 (s.e.d. 0167) kg d−1 on treatments A to E respectively and during Period 2.‐0‐31, 057 and 059 (s.e.d. 0153) kg d−1 for treatments C, D and E respectively with maximum cow liveweight gain at sward heights of 8 to 10 cm. Calf liveweight gains were 0 88,091, 098, 1 04 and 1‐06 (s.e.d. 0068) kg d−1 in Period 1 for treatments A to E respectively and 098, 1‐22 and 1 35 (s.e.d. 0067) kg d−1 in Period 2 for treatments C, D and E. The percentage of area infrequently grazed was generally less than 20% on treatments A to D, but on treatment E it was more than 40% for 6 weeks after turnout and thereafter remained between 20 and 40%. Maximum calf liveweight gain per hectare was achieved on the shorter swards, but maximum total liveweight gain of cows and calves per hectare occurred on treatment D. It is concluded that for maximum cow and calf performance on continuously stocked pastures, sward height should be maintained at no more than 8 cm in spring and early summer and then increased to 9 to 10 cm later in the grazing season.

The effect of additive treatment of grass silage and the food additive avoparcin on the response of calves to supplementation of silage-based diets with fish meal

ABSTRACTTwo experiments have been carried out to examine the effects of the fermentation quality of grass silage and the inclusion of avoparcin in the diet on the response in the performance of calves to supplementation of silage-based diets with fish meal. The eight treatments used in each experiment consisted of untreated and formic acid-treated (2·5 1/t) silages offered ad libitum and supplemented with either barley (B) or a barley/fish meal (BF) concentrate (200 g fish meal per kg), without or with 150 mg avoparcin per head daily in a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial design. All animals received 1·25 and 1·0 kg concentrates per head daily in experiments 1 and 2 respectively. In each experiment, the diets were offered to 40 castrated male cattle which were initially 126 and 110 kg live weight in experiments 1 and 2 respectively. On average over the two experiments the untreated and formic acid-treated silages contained 24·8 and 24·5 g nitrogen (N) per kg dry matter (DM); 475 and 571 g protein N per kg total N; 76 and 62 g ammonia-N per kg total N and 45-9 and 27·5 g volatile fatty acids per kg DM respectively. Silage DM intakes for the untreated silages supplemented with B and BF and the acid-treated silages supplemented with B and BF without avoparcin and for the untreated silages supplemented with B and BF and the acid-treated silages supplemented with B and BF with avoparcin were 3·0, 3·2, 3·2, 3·0, 2·9, 3·0, 3·0 and 3·2 (s.e. 0·16) kg/day respectively. Live-weight gains for the corresponding treatments were 0·97, 1·12, 0·98, 1·01, 1·00, 1·07, 1·10 and 1·13 (s.e. 0·032) kg/day respectively. It is concluded that the inclusion of fish meal in diets based on well preserved, grass silage and barley did not affect intake and produced a small response (70 g/day) in the live-weight gain of calves. The inclusion of avoparcin in the diet did not significantly affect the response to fish meal.

The effect of winter feeding level and summer sward height on the performance of autumn calving beef cows and their calves

It has been demonstrated previously that sward height has a large effect on herbage intake and performance of spring calving cows and their calves (Wright and Russel, 1986) with maximum cow and calf live-weight gain occurring when sward height is maintained at 8 to 10 cm. No comparable information is available for autumn calving cows, and the aims of the present experiment were to examine the effect of sward height on cow and calf performance, in the pre- and post-weaning periods in cows that were turned out to pasture in late lactation at two levels of body condition.The experiment was a 2 x 2 x 2 factorial, with two levels of winter feeding, two sward heights from turn-out to weaning, and two sward heights from weaning to housing. During the summer grazing periods there were two replicates. Thirty-nine Hereford x Friesian cows (mean calving date 17 Sept, 1986) with Charolais-cross calves were used. The experiment started on 30 October 1986 when the cows and calves were housed in two groups. One group (L) was fed silage alone and the other group (H) was fed silage plus barley. Estimated daily metabolisable energy intakes were 63 MJ (L) and 92 MJ (H). Calves were fed 1 kg barley/day plus hay ad 1ibitum. The cows were mated to Charolais bulls for 8 weeks from 15 November 1986.

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

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 wilting and short-chopping of grass on the subsequent voluntary intake of silage, and live-weight gain of calves

ABSTRACTFour silages were prepared from perennial ryegrass. Half the crop was picked up soon after mowing and the remainder left to wilt for 24 h. Half the unwilted and half the wilted grass was chopped by a forage harvester with its normal complement of knives; the remainder was chopped by a forage harvester with all but two of its knives removed. The ensiled material was offered ad libitum for 80 days as the sole food to 32 British Friesian male castrates initially 14 weeks of age and 111 kg live weight.Wilting raised silage dry-matter content by 31 g/kg fresh weight and gave lower concentrations of acetic acid whilst short chopping gave lower butyric acid. Concentrations of acetic acid, butyric acid and ammonia nitrogen were high on all treatments. Organic matter digestibility was significantly increased by wilting (P < 0·001) and significantly depressed by chopping (P < 0·001). There was no response in dry-matter intake to short chopping, but wilting raised daily intake from 18·4 to 19·9 g silage dry matter per kg live weight (P < 0·001). Live-weight gain was increased from 0·42 to 0·46 kg/day by short chopping (P < 0·05) and from 0·40 to 0·48 kg/day by wilting (P < 0·01)

The influence of winter nutrition, grazing system and stocking rate on the performance of spring-calving Hereford × Friesian cows and their calves 2. Grazing system and stocking rate

ABSTRACTForty-eight Hereford × Friesian cows and their South Devon calves were paddock grazed at high or low stocking rates of 412 or 206 cows and calves per ha in experiment 1, and either paddock grazed or set stocked at high or low stocking rates of 4·12 or 2·74 cows and calves per ha in experiments 2 to 4.There was no significant effect of grazing system on milk yield, milk composition or calf growth but in experiment 2 paddock-grazed cows gained more weight than those set stocked. Cows at low stocking rates gained more weight than those at high stocking rates and, in general, gave more milk. Calf growth rates were also higher at low stocking rates in experiments 1, 3 and 4 but not in experiment 2. Milk composition was not significantly affected by stocking rate. There were substantial increases in calf live-weight gain per ha at the high stocking rate but, because of a lower gain by cows, the differences in total live-weight gains per ha for cows and calves were much smaller.

Effect of unwilted and wilted silages and hay, supplemented with different amounts of concentrate, on live-weight gain of calves

ABSTRACTThree experiments were carried out to investigate the effect of different forage types on the performance of male British Friesian calves up to 6 months of age. Unwilted and wilted silages were compared in all experiments, and in experiment 1 hay was also compared with the two silages. All the forages were compared at different levels of concentrate supplementation ranging, in different experiments, from none to ad libitum.Calves fed wilted silage consumed 490, 90 and 200g/kg more forage dry matter respectively than those fed unwilted silage in the three experiments but this extra intake was generally not reflected in an increased rate of gain. Hay which was of lower digestibility than silage gave significantly lower live-weight gain. Quantities of silage consumed at an early age were small, with a mean daily intake over the first five weeks of 0·13 kg dry matter. Concentrate reduced silage dry-matter intake by 0·49 kg/kg concentrate dry matter consumed. Estimated mean concentrate intake required to achieve a daily gain of 0·75 kg in 1- to 6-month-old calves with silage offered ad libitum was 0·83 kg dry matter.

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

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.

The effect of trace elements on stock liveweight gain on West Coast soils

Abstract The results of trials investigating lamb and calf live weight responses to the trace elements selenium, copper, and cobalt are reported. Twenty-seven trials involved Se eight trials involved Cu, and four trials involved Co. When the trials were grouped on the basls of sod type the only concluslve result was a significant calf live weight gain response to Se on recent soils. However, there was a large variation in treatment effect between trials within soil types, and more trial work is required before discarding the posslblhty that effects other than soil type may exist.

Comparison of ruminal and post-ruminal digestion of a concentrate feed in the young calf.

Pre-ruminant calves were pair-fed a concentrate feed in either liquid form (LC) from a nipple bottle or in dry form (DC). We then studied the effects of these two forms of feed on body weight gain, feed utilization, digestibility, digestive enzyme secretion and volatile fatty acids in the rumen liquor. The live weight gain of calves receiving the liquid concentrate was depressed by 34 p. 100. The digestibility of total dry matter, protein, starch and energy was lower in the LC than in the DC group. The daily amounts of trypsin, chymotrypsin and amylase excreted in the faeces were similar in both groups. Lipase secretion was significantly increased in the LC group. Due to a 2.7-fold increase in the amount of faeces excreted, faecal digestive enzyme concentration was depressed in the LC group. Feeding dry concentrate to young calves reduced the pH in the rumen liquor and markedly increased the concentration of volatile fatty acids, especially C2, C3 and C4. The processes occurring in the rumen increased the digestibility of the concentrate protein by about 60 p. 100 and that of starch by 20 p. 100.

Correction - Rearing dairy replacements on the Atherton Tableland, Queensland. II. Effect of number of calves per cow and grain supplementation

Ninety-six calves born between October 1974 and January 1975 were either a. bucket fed once daily on a commercial milk replacer, or multiple suckled once daily at b. four or c. five calves cow-1. Nurse cows suckled either two or three calves in the morning and the remaining two calves in the afternoon. Calves were supplemented with nil or ad libitum hammermilled maize. Weaning was at eight weeks of age. Calves in treatments a., b. and c. averaged 0,39, 0.45 and 0.38 kg liveweight gain calf-1 day-1. Calves suckled at four per cow gained significantly more weight than other calves (P < 0.05). Suckling three rather than two calves in the mornings reduced liveweight gain of calves from 0.50 to 0.36 kg day-1 (P < 0.01). Growth rates of afternoon suckled calves were 0.42 and 0.41 kg day-1 for calves reared at four and five calves cow-1 respectively. Maize supplementation increased liveweight gain of calves from 0.36 to 0.45 kg calf-1 day-1 (P < 0.01 ). The interaction of supplement level and rearing system was not significant. The relevance of these results to the local dairy industry is discussed.

Rearing dairy replacements on the Atherton Tableland, Queensland. II. Effect of number of calves per cow and grain supplementation

Ninety-six calves born between October 1974 and January 1975 were either a. bucket fed once daily on a commercial milk replacer, or multiple suckled once daily at b. four or c. five calves cow-1. Nurse cows suckled either two or three calves in the morning and the remaining two calves in the afternoon. Calves were supplemented with nil or ad libitum hammermilled maize. Weaning was at eight weeks of age. Calves in treatments a., b. and c. averaged 0,39, 0.45 and 0.38 kg liveweight gain calf-1 day-1. Calves suckled at four per cow gained significantly more weight than other calves (P < 0.05). Suckling three rather than two calves in the mornings reduced liveweight gain of calves from 0.50 to 0.36 kg day-1 (P < 0.01). Growth rates of afternoon suckled calves were 0.42 and 0.41 kg day-1 for calves reared at four and five calves cow-1 respectively. Maize supplementation increased liveweight gain of calves from 0.36 to 0.45 kg calf-1 day-1 (P < 0.01 ). The interaction of supplement level and rearing system was not significant. The relevance of these results to the local dairy industry is discussed.

Rearing dairy beef calves by multiple suckling. 2. Effects on liveweight gain of calves

Three experiments were conducted in which dairy cows multiple suckled beef x dairy cross calves during early lactation. After weaning calves grazed nitrogen fertilized kikuyu grass (Pennisetum clandestinum). In the first experiment each cow suckled two, three or four calves for 12 weeks. Pre-weaning calf growth rate increased significantly (P < 0.01) as the number of calves suckled was reduced, In the second experiment, calves suckled at three per cow for 6, 9 or 12 weeks gained at similar rates to weaning, reaching weaning liveweights of 52, 64 and 72 kg respectively. Neither the number of calves suckled in experiment 1 nor the length of the suckling period in experiment 2 significantly affected post-weaning growth rates. In the third experiment there was no significant difference between the growth rates of calves sired by Friesian and Angus bulls. After weaning, stocking rate treatments were imposed, there being a significant (P < 0.05) but small linear decline in growth rate as stocking rate was increased. The post-weaning growth rates of calves in all three experiments were poor when compared with growth rates reported for calves grazing temperate pastures.

Rearing of dairy cattle. 4. Effect of concentrate supplementation on the live-weight gain and feed intake of calves offered roughages ad libitum

SUMMARYThe effects of three levels of concentrate supplementation on the live-weight gain and intake of roughages of 12-week-old British Friesian female calves were examined. Each supplement was offered for 12 weeks to two replicates of five calves which were group fed. The following six roughages were studied; high quality hay, dried grass wafers, grass silage, barley straw, poor quality hay and maize silage. The digestibility of the roughages was measured with sheep by total collection of faeces.Increasing the level of concentrate supplementation gave linear increases in live-weight gains of calves with all roughages, the greatest response occurring with roughages of low digestibility. The intake of roughage was depressed by increasing the level of concentrate supplementation, the greatest depressions occurring with roughages of high digestibility. Live-weight gains and roughage intakes were higher with dried grass wafers and lower with maize silage than would be expected from their respective digestibility coefficients.Multiple regression equations were calculated to relate live-weight gains or roughage intakes to concentrate intake and roughage digestibility. These equations predict from the digestibility of a roughage, the amount of concentrates required daily to produce a given live-weight gain, and the amount of roughage which is eaten under these circumstances.

The artificial rearing of calves and their growth on grass diets: I. The effect of type and temperature of milk substitute given ad libitum

SUMMARYTwo experiments were carried out to study the effect of the ad libitum feeding of whole-milk substitutes, either warm or cold, and the availability of drinking water, on the level of food intake and live-weight gain of calves. Freshly cut grass or pasture was the sole source of solid feed.In Exp. 1 forty Hereford x Friesian male calves were reared individually indoors in a 2x2x2 factorial design experiment. The treatments were full-cream milk powder υ milk substitute, temperature at which the milk was offered, and drinking water υ no drinking water available to the calves. Fresh grass was cut daily and fed ad libitum to all animals from the sixth day of treatment.In Exp. 2, twelve Hereford x Friesian male calves were reared at pasture on warm or cold full-cream milk during weeks 1–7, and on milk substitute during weeks 8–15.During both experiments calves receiving warm milk drank slightly more than calves receiving cold milk; this difference was significant in Exp. 1 only. There was a tendency for calves receiving cold milk to make higher live-weight gains (0·05 < P < 0·1) when drinking water was available than when it was not. In Exp. 1, the rates of live-weight gain of calves receiving warm or cold milk substitute with drinking water available were 0·99 and 0·89 kg/head/day, respectively: for calves receiving full-cream milk powder the corresponding rates were 0·86 and 0·80 kg/head/day. When drinking water was not available the rates of gain of calves on warm or cold milk substitute were respectively 0·93 and 0·82 kg/head/day, and on full-cream milk powder, 0·94 and 0·55 kg/head/day.In Exp. 2 the rate of live-weight gain measured during the first 7 weeks, whilst calves were receiving full-cream milk powder, was 0·88 kg/head/day irrespective of the temperature at which the milk was given. During weeks 8–14 milk substitute was given, which resulted in rates of live-weight gain of 1·05 kg/head/day for calves receiving warm milk and 0–92 kg/head/day for calves receiving cold.The rates of gain attained on cold milk are considered adequate for rearing calves intended for an intensive system of production. It is also suggested that the use of cold milk could facilitate a marked decrease in the daily labour requirements associated with the artificial rearing of calves.