Effects on production of milking crossbred suckler cows grazing a semi-arid area of Kenya. 3 - post-weaning growth of crossbred calves

Anindo, D.O.; Topps, J.H.

Effects on production of milking crossbred suckler cows grazing a semi-arid area of Kenya. 3 - post-weaning growth of crossbred calves

1993

Anindo, D.O. | Topps, J.H. (Aberdeen Univ., School of Agriculture, Aberdeen (United Kingdom))

Studies the effect of milking and/or supplementation of crossbred suckler cows grazing on a ranch in a semi-arid area of Kenya on post weaning liveweight changes in their calves. Milking the suckled cows was the most important factor affecting growth rates and liveweights of calves post-weaning in the three experiments. Liveweight at 12 months of age were significantly lower in calves from milked cows than in those from unmilked cows in all three experiments. A similar significant difference was observed at 15 months and 24 months of age. But as the calves grew from weaning to the age of 15 or 24 months, the difference became smaller. The decrease of weight with age at weaning indicated that the calves that had been restricted by the amount of milk obtained from the dam had exhibited compensatory growth. Provision of concentrates to the cow and/or the calf had only a small insignificant effect on the growth of the calf post-weaning. It was concluded that the withdrawal of milk from the crossbred cows had a relatively small effect on the performance of their calves post-weaning. Feeding concentrates to the cows and calves had little effect on this performance which was not worthwhile in terms of economy of use and biological efficiency

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