Factors affecting animal performance during the grazing season in a mountain cattle production system1

Abstract

The factors influencing weight changes during the grazing season of Brown Swiss autumn-calving cows and Brown Swiss and Pirenaica spring-calving cows and their calves were studied over an 8-yr period in Spanish mountain conditions. The data set comprised 552 annual production cycles of cows that calved in two consecutive years. The animals grazed on alpine ranges during the summer and on forest pastures in the spring and autumn. They were housed during the winter and fed at different feeding levels (83 to 117% of their energy requirements) throughout the years of study. Weights were recorded every 3 mo and corrected to account for changes of digestive content and fetal growth, using theoretical relationships. Cow weight gains both on forest pastures and high mountain ranges were higher in autumn- than in spring-calving Brown Swiss cows, and therefore also during the whole grazing season (52.1 vs 7.7 kg, respectively, P < 0.001). Therefore, weight at calving and thereafter was significantly higher in autumn- than in spring-calving cows, which was associated with better reproductive performance (35.5 vs 49.1 d from calving to first ovulation, P < 0.01). In the spring-calving herd, Pirenaica cows had slightly higher gains than Brown Swiss cows during the grazing period (18.5 vs 7.7 kg, P < 0.001), mainly due to their higher gains on forest pastures, but their reproductive performance was similar (44.5 vs 49.1 d from calving to first ovulation, respectively, not statistically significant). Gains were higher in multiparous than in primiparous cows (31.1 vs 14.1 kg, respectively, P < 0.001), especially in the case of Brown Swiss cows, which were younger at first calving. Gains were affected by year of study (P < 0.001) and previous weight changes during the housing period (r = -0.35 and r = -0.21 in autumn- and spring-calving cows respectively, P < 0.001). In the case of autumn-calving cows, performance on pasture was also affected by the stage of pregnancy at housing (r = -0.51, P < 0.001). Growth rates through lactation were higher in autumn- than in spring-born calves (P < 0.001), although the shorter lactation period resulted in lower weight at weaning of the former (P < 0.001). Breed was a significant source of variation in the performance of spring-born calves, weights and gains being higher in Brown Swiss than in Pirenaica calves (P < 0.001).

Adipocyte cellularity in different adipose depots in bulls of seven Spanish breeds slaughtered at two body weights

“…Over the past few decades these breeds have been bred specially for meat production, which ordinarily requires animals to mature more slowly, and as a consequence these breeds do indeed mature later (Gutié rrez et al, 2006). The degree of lipid accumulation was intermediate in the Pirenaica and Parda Alpina breeds, which, together with the Asturiana and Rubia Gallega breeds, are raised principally in northern Spain (Casasú s et al, 2002). A comparison of Pirenaica bulls and Holstein bulls, deemed to be an early-maturing breed, showed that the latter exhibited a higher degree of lipid accumulation than the former (Eguinoa et al, 2003).…”

Effect of age at weaning on the physiological stress response and temperament of two beef cattle breeds

“…In European dry mountain areas, the harsh climate imposes long winter-housing periods for suckler cattle farms (Casasú s et al, 2002). In the Spanish Pyrenees, autumnborn calves are traditionally reared indoors with their dams and they are weaned at the start of the spring season (aged 5 months).…”

“…Stress response may also be influenced by breed, because genetic factors can be important in the neuroendocrine and metabolic adaptation to stressing conditions (García-Belenguer et al, 1996). Pirenaica and Parda de Montañ a breeds have similar mature weight but different milk production, calf growth (Villalba et al, 2000;Casasú s et al, 2002) and sensitivity to stress (Palacio, 2000). The objective of this study was to assess the effect of age at weaning on the physiological response, immune function, temperament and performance in calves of Parda de Montañ a and Pirenaica, two Spanish beef cattle breeds.…”

Blood Plasma Metabolic Profile of Aberdeen Angus Bulls during Postnatal Ontogenesis

“…Influence of temperature, season and breed on the indicators of the internal environment was studied, too (Doornenbal et al 1988;Thrall et al 2004;Grundwaldt et al 2005;Yokus and Cakir 2006;Ndlovu et al 2009). The concentration of metabolites in animals' blood is an important indicator associated with the production of particular animal products (Rueg et al 1992;Casasus et al 2002;Ban-Tokuda et al 2007). Determining indicators of the metabolic profile during the breeding season is helpful in diagnosing metabolic problems in animals (Jagos et al 1985;Verheyen et al 2007).…”