The effects on production of milking crossbred suckler cows grazing a semi-arid area of Kenya. 1: the productivity of the cows
1993
Anindo, D.O. | Topps, J.H. (Aberdeen Univ., School of Agriculture, Aberdeen (United Kingdom))
Three experiments were conducted in successive years using crossbred suckler cows in a semi-arid area of Kenya. The effects of milking (or not milking), supplementing (or not supplementing) cows were examined by measuring liveweight, condition score and milk yield. Weight loss during early lactation differed between the experiments. The dams in experiment 2 lost significantly more liveweight because of the adverse effects of lower rainfall on grass growth in that year. Milking significantly exacerbated weight loss in the cows in the first 12 weeks of experiment 2. While supplementation either significantly increased liveweight losses, it did not affect the total yield. There was a decrease in body condition score (1 - 9) scale, 1 being very lean and 9 very fat, by an average of three units by the end of experiment 2 in the two groups of cows that were not supplemented but this was not significant. The results indicate that under the prevailing conditions in the area, crossbred cows may be milked during the first 6 months of lactation to give an average total yield of approximately 400 kg without seriously reducing the weight of the cows. However, where grass growth is poor because of lower rainfall, weight losses are likely to be exacerbated
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