The effects on production of milking crossbred suckler cows grazing a semi-arid area of Kenya. 2 - the performance of calves from birth to weaning
1993
Anindo, D.O. | Topps, J.H. (Aberdeen Univ., School of Agriculture, Aberdeen (United Kingdom))
Three experiments were conducted in successive years using 32, 53 and 74 calves of crossbred suckler cows in a semi-arid area of Kenya. A2 x 2 factorial experimental design with milking and supplementation (2 kg concentrate/head/day) as the main treatment was used. The effects of milking (or not milking), supplementing (or not supplementing) cows were examined by measuring the growth rate of the calves from birth to weaning at 5 months of age. In experiments 2 and 3 each of the four groups of calves either receiving or not receiving a small (upto 1 kg/day) of weaner pellets. The growth rates for calves of milked cows were 0.58 kg/day. The growth rates of calves of unmilked cows were 0.81 kg/day, 0.70 kg/day and 0.67 kg/day. Provision of concentrate to either the cow and/or the calves did not have a significant effect on the growth of the calves except in the first 12 weeks in experiment 1. Therefore, although withdrawal of milk from crossbred suckler cows significantly reduced the growth rate of the calves, acceptable weights at weaning in the range of 120 to 140 kg were obtained
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