Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-gb8f7 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-24T03:59:09.222Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

The herbage intake and performance of autumn-calving beef cows and their calves when grazing continuously at two sward heights

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

I. A. Wright
Affiliation:
Macaulay Land Use Research Institute, Pentlandfield, Roslin, Midlothian EH25 9RF
T. K. Whyte
Affiliation:
Macaulay Land Use Research Institute, Pentlandfield, Roslin, Midlothian EH25 9RF
K. Osoro
Affiliation:
Macaulay Land Use Research Institute, Pentlandfield, Roslin, Midlothian EH25 9RF
Get access

Abstract

Thirty-nine Hereford × Friesian autumn-calving cows (mean calving date 17 September) and their Charolais-cross calves were used in a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial experiment to assess the effects of feeding level in winter and sward height in summer on intake and performance. Mean estimated metabolizable energy intakes during winter (30 October to 6 May) were 63 (L) or 92 (H) MJ/day. Two sward heights, 4·8 (SI) or 7·6 (Tl) cm, were imposed from turn-out to weaning on 3 July, and a further two sward heights, 4·7 (S2) or 8·0 (T2) cm, from weaning to housing on 1 October. At turn-out the H cows were 17 kg heavier (P > 0·05) than the L cows and their calves were 30 kg heavier (P < 0·01). Cow herbage intakes were significantly higher on the Tl and T2 treatments compared with the SI and S2 treatments as were live-weight changes: 0·94 v. –0·01 kg/day (P < 0·001) for Tl and SI treatments and 0·96 v. –0·18 kg/day (P < 0·001) for T2 and S2 treatments respectively. Calves on the Tl treatment had higher live-weight gains than those on the SI treatment (1·40 v. 0·63 kg/day; P < 0·001). After weaning the SI cows had significantly higher herbage organic matter intakes than the Tl cows (P < 0·05) and had significantly higher live-weight gains (0·51 v. 0·28 kg/day; P < 0·05). Calving difficulty and calf birth weight were not affected by any of the treatments. The results demonstrate that both previous and current level of nutrition have an effect on cow performance. When cows are turned out to pasture at body condition scores of 2·25 to 2·5, the sward heights recommended for spring-calving cows are equally appropriate for autumn-calving cows.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1990

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

REFERENCES

Baker, R. D. and Barker, J. M. 1978. Milk-fed calves. 4. The effect of herbage allowance and milk intake upon herbage intake and performance of grazing calves. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 90: 3138.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Baker, R. D., Barker, J. M., Le du, Y. L. P. 1982. 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. Animal Production 34: 225237.Google Scholar
Baker, R. D., Le du, Y. L. P. and Alvarez, F. 1981. The herbage intake and performance of set-stocked suckler cows and calves. Grass and Forage Science 36: 201210.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Baker, R. D., Le du, Y. L. P. and Barker, J. M. 1976. Milk-fed calves. 1. The effect of milk intake upon herbage intake and performance of grazing calves. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 87: 187196.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Barthram, G. T. 1986. Experimental techniques: the HFRO swardstick. Biennial Report, Hill Farming Research Organisation, 1984-85, pp.2930.Google Scholar
Hodgson, J., Peart, J. N.Russel, A. J. F., Whitelaw, A. and MacDonald, A. J. 1980. The influence of nutrition in early lactation on the performance of spring-calving suckler cows and their calves. Animal Production 30: 315325.Google Scholar
Lawes Agricultural Trust. 1984. Genstat V, Mark 4·04B. Rothamsted Experimental Station, Harpenden, Hertfordshire.Google Scholar
Le du, Y. L. P., Baker, R. D. and Barker, J. M. 1976. Milk-fed calves. 2. The effect of milk feeding period and milk intake upon herbage intake and performance of grazing calves. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 87: 197204.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Le du, Y. L. P., MacDonald, A. J. and Peart, J. N. 1979. Comparison of two techniques for estimating the milk production of suckler cows. Livestock Production Science 6: 277281.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lowman, B. G., Scott, N. A. and Somerville, S. H. 1976. Condition scoring of cattle. Rev. ed. Bulletin, East of Scotland College of Agriculture, No. 6.Google Scholar
Mayes, R. W., Lamb, C. S. and Colorove, P. M. 1986. The use of dosed and herbage n-alkanes as markers for the determination of herbage intake. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 107: 161170.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
O'Donovan, P. B. 1984. Compensatory gain in cattle and sheep. Nutrition Abstracts and Reviews — Series B 54: 389410.Google Scholar
Russel, A. J. F., Wright, I. A., Hodgson, J. and Hunter, E. A. 1986. Factors affecting production from grazing beef cows and calves. In Hill Land Symposium, Galway, 1984 (ed. O'Toole, M. A.), pp. 255269. An Foras Talùntais, Dublin.Google Scholar
Wright, I. A. 1985. The relationships between body condition, nutrition, and performance of beef cows. In Emerging Technology and Management of Ruminants (ed. Baker, F. H. and Miller, M. E.), pp. 110118. Westview Press, Boulder, Colorado.Google Scholar
Wright, I. A. and Russel, A. J. F. 1987. The effect of sward height on beef cow performance and on the relationship between calf milk and herbage intake. Animal Production 44: 363370.Google Scholar
Wright, I. A., Russel, A. J. F. and Hunter, E. A. 1986. The effect of winter food level on compensatory growth of weaned, suckled calves grazed at two sward heights. Animal Production 43: 211223.Google Scholar
Wright, I. A., Russel, A. J. F. and Hunter, E. A. 1987. The effects of genotype and post-weaning nutrition on compensatory growth in cattle reared as singles or twins. Animal Production 45: 423432.Google Scholar
Wright, I. A. and Whyte, T. K. 1989. Effects of sward surface height on the performance of continuously stocked spring-calving cows and their calves. Grass and Forage Science 44: 259266.CrossRefGoogle Scholar