title: Growth and survival of Holstein and Brown Swiss calves reared outdoors in individual hutches.
abstract: The effects of outdoor raising of Brown Swiss and Holstein replacement calves in individual hutches were studied on a farm having northern Mediterranean climatic conditions. A total of 240 female calves was used with 30 calves of each breed and born in each of the four seasons. The animals were kept for 3 months in individual hutches and then in groups of 10 until 6 months of age. The birth weights of the Brown Swiss and Holstein calves were 37.2 +/- 0.21 and 37.9 +/- 0.22, respectively. The average birth weights were highest in spring and lowest in winter. Breed and seasonal effects were evident at 6 months. The live weights for the two breeds at 6 months were 114.1 +/- 1.3 and 126.3 +/- 1.5 kg, respectively. The numbers of health disorders were significantly higher in the first month of life. Mortalities occurred in the following months, being 2.5% in Holsteins and 5% in Brown Swiss by 6 months of age. The results indicated that calves can be reared outdoors successfully.
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Faculty, Ankara University, Turkey. orhan@just.edu.jo
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ertugrul
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Alpan
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Unal
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Azeroglu
mesh_terms: D000822:Animal Husbandry / Q000379:methods*; D000818:Animals; D001724:Birth Weight; D002417:Cattle / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000502:physiology; D002980:Climate; D005260:Female; D006799:Housing, Animal; D012621:Seasons; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014421:Turkey; D015430:Weight Gain; D000078329:Workforce