Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-qsmjn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-18T02:19:29.577Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The performance of crossbred dairy calves given different levels of whole milk and weaned at different ages

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

H. Khalili ,
S. Crosse  and
T. Varvikko
H. Khalili
Affiliation:
International Livestock Centre for Africa, PO Box 5689, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
S. Crosse
Affiliation:
International Livestock Centre for Africa, PO Box 5689, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
T. Varvikko
Affiliation:
International Livestock Centre for Africa, PO Box 5689, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Get access

Abstract

Forty-five Friesian × zebu crossbred calves (4 days old) were used to evaluate the effect of feeding different levels of whole milk and weaning at different ages. A total of 252 I whole milk offered over 12 weeks was compared with a feeding level of 134 I milk offered over 8 weeks. Water given ad libitum was also compared with allowing access to water once daily. The calves were penned and fed individually. The average daily gain of the calves weaned at 12 weeks was 464 g compared with 378 g for the calves weaned at 8 weeks of age and allowed access to water once daily and 422 g for the calves weaned at 8 weeks and given water a d libitum. Feeding extra milk and weaning at 12 weeks decreased the intake of concentrates and significantly (P < 0·05) increased live-weight gain. Allowing ad libitum access to water was associated with an increase in concentrate intake but this was not reflected in a significant increase in animal performance.

Keywords

calvescrossbredsearly weaningmilk consumptionwater intake
Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Production , Volume 54 , Issue 2 , April 1992 , pp. 191 - 195
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1992

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Alemu, M. 1983. Care of young animals. Ethiopia Ministry of Agriculture (MOA), Ethiopia.Google Scholar
Anonymous. 1987. National breeding policy on dairy cattle Ministry of Agriculture (MOA), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.Google Scholar
Davey, A. W. F. 1974. Nutrition of the pre-ruminant calf. Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal 34: 133–144.Google Scholar
Fallon, R. J. and Harte, F. J. 1986. Effect of giving three different levels of milk replacer on calf performance. Irish Journal of Agricultural Research 25: 23–29.Google Scholar
Fallon, R. J. and Harte, F. J. 1988. Effect of giving different levels of milk replacer for different periods on calf performance. Irish journal of Agricultural Research 27: 21–29Google Scholar
Gryseels, G. 1988. Role of livestock on mixed small holder farms in the Ethiopian Highlands. Ph.D. Dissertation, Agricultural University, Wageningen, The Netherlands.Google Scholar
Harte, F. J., Fallon, R. J. and Clancy, M. J. 1984. Effects of level of feeding in the calf stage on the lifetime performance of Friesian steers. Animal Production 38: 533 (abstr.).Google Scholar
Hodgson, J. 1971. The development of solid food intake in calves. 5. The relationship between liquid and solid food intake. Animal Production 13: 593–597.Google Scholar
Kebede, B. and Galal, E. S. E. 1982. A study of body weight from birth to 1 year of age in European-zebu crossbred cattle in Ethiopia. Animal Production 34: 85–93.Google Scholar
Kertz, A. F., Reutzel, L. F. and Mahoney, J. H. 1984. Ad libitum water intake by neonatal calves and its relationship to calf starter intake, weight gain, faeces score, and season. Journal Dairy Science 67: 2964–2969.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Leaver, J. D. and Yarrow, N. H. 1972. Rearing of dairy cattle. 2. Weaning calves according to their concentrate intake. Animal Production 14: 161–165Google Scholar
Little, D. A., Anderson, F. M. and Durkin, J. W. 1991. Influence of partial suckling of crossbred dairy cows on milk offtake and calf growth in the Ethiopian highlands. Tropical Animal Health and Production 23: 108–114.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Little, D. A., Chigaru, P., Crosse, S. and Doyle, A. 1989. Calf rearing: restricted suckling versus bucket rearing for crossbred calves. Annual report, International Livestock for Africa.Google Scholar
Riordan, T. F. and Everitt, G. C. 1972. Effects of pre-weaning nutrition on subsequent growth rate, feed conversion efficiency and carcass composition of identical twin steers. Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Production 32: 26–38.Google Scholar
Roy, J. H. B. 1980. The calf. 4th ed., pp. 53–131, Butterworths, London.Google Scholar
Snedecor, G. W. and Cochran, W. G. 1980. Statistical methods. 7th ed. Iowa State University Press, Ames, la.Google Scholar
Statistical Analysis Systems Institute. 1987. User's guide: statistics. SAS Institute, Inc., Cary, NC.Google Scholar
Thickett, W. S., Cuthbert, N. H., Brigstocke, T. D. A., Lindeman, M. A. and Wilson, P. N. 1981. The management of calves on an early-weaning system: the relationship of voluntary water intake to dry feed intake and live-weight gain to 5 weeks. Animal Production 33: 25–30.Google Scholar