Effects of calving month, pasture conditions and management on the growth of Holstein-Friesian × Ankole crossbred calves in a semi-arid rangeland.
Daily weight gain of crossbred calves was studied in relation to seasonal changes in pasture quality and quantity, and management routines. A total of 171 and 56 calves were monitored up to the ages of 6 and 9 months, respectively, on ten farms in a semi-arid region of Uganda. Daily weight gains of calves were 288, 315 and 442 g/day at ages 0-2, 2-6 and 6-9 months, respectively. Average live weights of calves at ages 6 and 9 months were around 90 and 120 kg, respectively. Daily weight gain of calves at ages 6-9 months increased by 81 g for each additional percentage of crude protein in pasture (p < 0.05). At ages 0-2 (p < 0.05) and 0-6 (p < 0.05) months, crosses with >75 % Holstein-Friesian (HF) had 30 and 60 g lower daily weight gain, respectively, than crosses with 75 % HF and 25 % Ankole. Birth month (August-January) and the number of days with low pasture quantity (<800 kg dry matter (DM)/ha) had no significant effect on calf weight gain. A significantly higher weight gain was obtained for calves with the opportunity to suckle twice daily, compared with once. This indicates that suckling is beneficial for calves in semi-arid environments where seasonal pasture shortage regularly occurs.
Department of Animal Nutrition and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, P.O. Box 7024, 750 07, Uppsala, Sweden.
Christina
C
Johansson
Ewa
E
Wredle
Denis
D
Mpairwe
Elly
E
Sabiiti
Eva
E
Spörndly
D000822:Animal Husbandry; D000818:Animals; D000833:Animals, Suckling / Q000254:growth & development*; D002417:Cattle; D003433:Crosses, Genetic; D055864:Droughts; D005260:Female; D007774:Lactation / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D012621:Seasons; D014454:Uganda; D015430:Weight Gain