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Effect of weight change on the performance of autumn-calving suckler cows

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

D. M. B. Chestnutt
D. M. B. Chestnutt
Affiliation:
Agricultural Research Institute of Northern Ireland, Department of Agriculture and the Queen's University, Belfast
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Summary

Over a period of 3 years 18 autumn-calving, single suckled, April-weaned cows were stocked at three rates at pasture to gain 132, 70 or 25 kg (H, M and L respectively) between April and August and fed to lose 100, 54 or – 13 kg (H, M and L respectively) while housed between November and April, the relative total energy intake over winter being 0·64, 0·83 and 1·00 respectively. Milk yield was reduced by 2·68 kg/day on the H and 1·25 kg/day on the M treatment and as a result calves gained 37 and 10 kg less respectively over winter than on the L treatment. However, despite poorer calf performance economic considerations would indicate a preference for high weight gain during the grazing season and a corresponding loss over winter.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 102 , Issue 2 , April 1984 , pp. 353 - 359
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1984

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