Effect of Different Rearing during the Milk-Feeding Period on Growth of Dairy Calves

Abstract

The objective was to determine the impact of calves’ rearing, gender, and the sire lineage on the growth and health. One hundred-and-five Holstein calves were assigned to one of three treatments: single suckling (SS), multiple suckling (MS), and artificially rearing in hutches (H). All calves received a comparable amount of milk/milk replacer (MR) across treatments. All calves were weaned at the 84th day. After weaning, all calves were separated by sex in age-balanced groups. At weaning, the highest body weight was in MS and the lowest in H (SS 94.97 kg, MS 109.85 kg, H 80.80 kg, p < 0.001). The average gains from the birth to weaning were 0.67 kg (SS), 0.81 kg (MS), 0.48 kg (H), (p < 0.001). A difference (p < 0.01) was found for the period from birth to 180th day of life (SS 0.75 kg, MS 0.82 kg, H 0.67 kg). We did not notice a gender differences (p > 0.05). The Sire 1 progeny showed a lower body weight at 180 days (p < 0.01) and 360 days (p < 0.05). The results indicate that the method used to rear calves and sire lines had a significant impact on their later performance.

Pre and Post-Weaning Growth and Survivability of Three Genotypes of Cattle at TALIRI Tanga, Tanzania

“…This study revealed that calves fed direct suckling have higher weaning weight and preweaning growth than those given bucket milk, this is the same as reported in other investigations by [39] and [40], this could be related to bucket milk feeding, in which the calf is often given significantly less milk than in direct suckling due to variables such as attendant errors and others. By doing so, the present study concluded that direct suckling of the calves promotes pre-weaning weight gain in dairy calves as also concluded in the study by [41], because direct suckling results in relatively high milk intake which improves average daily gain, increase energy intake and consequently high DM intake leads to higher live weight gain [42]. However, direct suckling of calves may have the negative effect of delayed development of the rumen due to limited uptake of solid feeds [43].…”

Effect of Raising Dairy Heifers on Their Performance and Reproduction after 12 Months

“…The LBW growth was the highest in the US group, while the lowest growth of the LBW was in the CR group. This was actually a continuation of the previous experiment course [42], when the highest live weight at weaning from milk-liquid nutrition in the US group was recorded. Additionally, the trend of the highest LBW of the US group was shown from the beginning of the present experiment on the 360th day until the 570th day.…”

“…The study was performed in Nitra, Slovakia. It was the continuation of a long-term experiment, the first part of which was published last year [42], and evaluated the growth and health condition of calves under the age of 360 days. The present study examines the growth and reproduction of heifers from 361 to 570 days of age.…”

Assessing short-term economic consequences of cow-calf contact systems in dairy production using a stochastic partial budgeting approach

“…The contact time of 15 minutes twice a day is consequential in the sense that it drives the amount of milk consumed by each calf (median of 5.1 kg/day). Broucek et al (2020) reports a similar milk intake for calves sucking the dam for 30 minutes per day. This is, however, a relatively low milk intake as most countries recommend intakes between 6-8 liters per day, or 10-15% of the body weight (Code of Welfare, 2019; Kalvportalen, 2021).…”