Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-gxg78 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-26T18:53:02.007Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Milk-fed calves: 3. The milk intake, herbage intake and performance of suckled calves

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

Y. L. P. Le Du ,
R. D. Baker  and
J. M. Barker
Y. L. P. Le Du
Affiliation:
The Grassland Research Institute, Hurley, Berkshire SL6 5LR
R. D. Baker
Affiliation:
The Grassland Research Institute, Hurley, Berkshire SL6 5LR
J. M. Barker
Affiliation:
The Grassland Research Institute, Hurley, Berkshire SL6 5LR
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

Two trials were conducted to measure the herbage intake of South Devon cross calves suckling Hereford × Friesian cows and to test the validity of applying the relationships established between milk and herbage intake and milk intake and live-weight gain for artificially fed calves to suckled calves. In Expt 1 the milk and herbage intakes of eight calves were monitored. Their average milk consumption was 2250 kg and their growth rate was 1·14 kg/day. Both milk consumption and growth rate were higher than those recorded in other studies with artificially-reared calves. Nevertheless, it was possible to predict the herbage intake and growth rate of the calves from the relationship previously established for artificially reared calves. The nutrition of cows in Expt 2 was manipulated to induce changes in milk production and the consequent effect on the herbage intake of their calves assessed. Milk consumption was at a lower level and herbage intakes fell within the expected range. Herbage intake also responded to changes in the milk production of the cows. The observed herbage intakes and live-weight gains were similar to those predicted from previously established relationships with artificially fed calves.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 87 , Issue 1 , August 1976 , pp. 205 - 211
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1976

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

Back, H. L., Alder, F. E. & Gibbs, B. G. (1969). An evaluation of an electronic instrument for pasture yield estimation. 2. Use of double sampling for regression estimation. Journal of the British Grassland Society 24, 168–72.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Baker, R. D., Le Du, Y. L. P. & Barker, J. M. B. (1976). Milk-fed calves. 1. The effect of milk intake upon the herbage intake and performance of grazing calves. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 87, 187–96.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gifford, W. (1953). Records of performance tests for beef cattle in breeding herds. Milk production of dams and growth of calves. Arkansas Agricultural Experimental Station Bulletin no. 531.Google Scholar
Heyns, N. (1960). The growth of the Afrikaner calf in relation to the production and composition of the milk of its dam. 2. The milk production of the dam and the growth of the calf. South African Journal of Agricultural Science 3, 517–30.Google Scholar
Jeffery, H. B. & Berg, R. T. (1971). Evaluation of milk variables as measures of milk effect on preweaning performance of beef cattle. Canadian Journal of Animal Science 51, 21–30.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jeffery, H. B., Berg, R. T. & Hardin, R. T. (1971). Factors affecting pre-weaning performance in beef cattle. Canadian Journal of Animal Science 51, 561–77.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Johnson, P. T. C. & Elliott, R. C. (1972). Dietary energy intake and utilisation by young Friesland calves. 2. Digestibility and metabolisable energy contents of whole milk and spray-dried skim milk powder, and energy retentions of calves given these foods. Rhodesian Journal of Agricultural Research 10, 125–33.Google Scholar
Lamond, D. R., Holmes, J. H. G. & Haydock, K. P. (1969). Estimation of yield and composition of milk produced by grazing beef cows. Journal of Animal Science 29, 606–11.Google Scholar
Le Du, Y. L. P. (1974). The herbage intake of milk-fed calves. Ph.D. Thesis, University of Reading.Google Scholar
Le Du, Y. L. P., Baker, R. D. & Barker, J. M. B. (1976). Milk-fed calves. 2. The effect of length of milk feeding period and level of milk intake upon herbage intake and performance of grazing calves. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 87, 197–204.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rodriguez Capriles, J. M. (1973). The herbage intake of young grazing cattlo. Ph.D. Thesis, University of Reading.Google Scholar
Stobo, I. J. F. (1970). Appetite and energy and protein relationships: in ‘Calf Rearing’. Agricultural Development Association Report 4, 28–31.Google Scholar