Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-xtgtn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-18T11:00:18.575Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The effect of energy intake during late pregnancy on the production from two genotypes of suckler cow

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

A. J. F. Russel ,
J. N. Peart ,
J. Eadie ,
A. J. Macdonald  and
I. R. White
A. J. F. Russel
Affiliation:
Hill Farming Research Organisation, Bush Estate, Penicuik, Midlothian EH26 0PH
J. N. Peart
Affiliation:
Hill Farming Research Organisation, Bush Estate, Penicuik, Midlothian EH26 0PH
J. Eadie
Affiliation:
Hill Farming Research Organisation, Bush Estate, Penicuik, Midlothian EH26 0PH
A. J. Macdonald
Affiliation:
Hill Farming Research Organisation, Bush Estate, Penicuik, Midlothian EH26 0PH
I. R. White
Affiliation:
Hill Farming Research Organisation, Bush Estate, Penicuik, Midlothian EH26 0PH
Get access

Abstract

The effect of energy intake during the final 12 weeks of pregnancy on the production of 59 Blue Grey (Shorthorn × Galloway) (BG) and 56 Hereford × Friesian (HF) cows inseminated with Hereford semen was studied over 2 years.

Energy intakes ranged from 34·3 to 78·2 and from 30·3 to 58·2 MJ ME/day for a 500 kg cow in the 2 years respectively. The cows were fed ad libitum for 22 weeks after calving.

Plasma 3-hydroxybutyrate concentrations in late pregnancy were closely and inversely related to energy intake.

In the first year there was a curvilinear relationship between calf birth weight and pre partum energy intake, maximum birth weights occurring at an intake of about 58 MJ ME/day. Over the lower range of intakes in the second year the relationship was linear and positive; the difference in calf birth weights between extreme levels of intake was 15%.

Pre partum energy intake had a small inverse effect on voluntary food intake some 16 to 20 weeks after calving, and a large inverse effect on cow live-weight change throughout lactation, but had no measurable effect on milk production or calf growth rate.

HF cows gave birth to heavier calves which grew more quickly in the 2nd year, had higher voluntary food intakes during lactation, and produced more milk than did the BG cows.

Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Production , Volume 28 , Issue 3 , June 1979 , pp. 309 - 327
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1979

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Agricultural Research Council. 1965. The Nutrient Requirements of Farm Livestock. No. 2, Ruminants. Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London.Google Scholar
Bellows, R. A., Short, R. E., Anderson, D. C., Knapp, B. W. and Pahnish, O. F. 1971. Cause and effect relationships associated with calving difficulty and calf birth weight. J. Anim. Sci. 33: 407–415.Google Scholar
Corah, L. R., Dunn, T. G. and Kaltenbach, C. C. 1975. Influence of prepartum nutrition on the reproductive performance of beef females and the performance of their progeny. J. Anim. Sci. 41: 819–824.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Drennan, M. J. 1971. Single-suckled beef production. 2. Influence of stocking rate during the grazing season, creep grazing of the calf and double-suckling on calf performance. Ir. J. agric. Res. 10: 297–305.Google Scholar
Drennan, M. J. and Bath, I. H. 1976a. Single-suckled beef production. 3. Effect of plane of nutrition during late pregnancy on cow performance. Ir. J. agric. Res. 15: 157–168.Google Scholar
Drennan, M. J. and Bath, I. H. 1976b. Single-suckled beef production. 4. Effect of plane of nutrition during late pregnancy on subsequent calf performance. Ir. J. agric. Res. 15: 169–176.Google Scholar
Drewry, K. J., Brown, C. J. and Honea, R. S. 1959. Relationships among factors associated with mothering ability in beef cattle. J. Anim. Sci. 18: 938–946.Google Scholar
Eley, R. M., Thatcher, W. W., Bazer, Fuller W., Wilcox, C. J., Becker, R. B., Head, H. H. and Adkinson, R. W. 1978. Development of the conceptus in the bovine. J. Dairy Sci. 61: 467–473.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ferrell, C. L., Garrett, W. N. and Hinman, N. 1976. Growth, development and composition of the udder and gravid uterus of beef heifers during pregnancy. J. Anim. Sci. 42: 1477–1489.Google Scholar
Forrest, R. J. 1964. The relationship between birth weight, subsequent weights, body weight gain, and feed consumption of Holstein-Friesian steers. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 44: 187–194.Google Scholar
Halliday, R., Russel, A. J. F., Williams, M. R. and Peart, J. N. 1978. Effects of energy intake during late pregnancy and of genotype on immunoglobulin transfer to calves in suckler herds. Res. vet. Sci. 24: 26–31.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hight, G. K. 1966. The effects of undernutrition in late pregnancy on beef cattle production. N.Z. Jl agric. Res. 9: 479–490.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hight, G. K. 1968a. Plane of nutrition effects in late pregnancy and during lactation on beef cows and their calves to weaning. N.Z. Jl agric. Res. 11: 71–84.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hight, G. K. 1968b. A comparison of the effects of three nutritional levels in late pregnancy on beef cows and their calves. N.Z. Jl agric. Res. 11: 477–486.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jeffrey, H. B., Berg, R. T. and Hardin, R. T. 1971. Factors affecting preweaning performance in beef cattle. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 51: 561–577.Google Scholar
Jordan, W. A., Lister, E. E. and Rowlands, G. J. 1968a. Effect of planes of nutrition on wintering pregnant beef cows. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 48: 145–154.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jordan, W. A., Lister, E. E. and Rowlands, G. J. 1968b. Effect of varying planes of winter nutrition of beef cows on calf performance to weaning. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 48: 155–161.Google Scholar
Kelly, J. M. 1977. Changes in serum B hydroxybutyrate concentrations in dairy cows kept under commercial farm conditions. Vet. Rec. 101: 499–502.Google ScholarPubMed
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland, Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland. 1975. Energy Allowances and Feeding Systems for Ruminants. Tech. Bull. No. 33. Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London.Google Scholar
Melton, A. A., Riggs, J. K., Nelson, L. A. and Cartwright, T. C. 1967. Milk production composition and calf gains of Angus, Charolais and Hereford cows. J. Anim. Sci. 26: 804–809.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Plum, M. and Harris, L. 1971. Holstein cows and calves under beef management. J. Dairy Sci. 54: 1086–1089.Google Scholar
Powell, T. L. 1974. Feeding levels for single suckler cows in late pregnancy and early lactation. Proc. Br. Soc. Anim. Prod. (New Series) 3: 87 (Abstr.).Google Scholar
Robinson, J. J. 1977. The influence of maternal nutrition on ovine foetal growth. Proc. Nutr. Soc. 36: 9–16.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Russel, A. J. F. 1978. The use of measurements of energy status in pregnant ewes. In The Use of Blood Metabolites in Animal Production. Br. Soc. Anim. Prod., Occas. Publ. No. 1, pp. 31–39.Google Scholar
Russel, A. J. F., Doney, J. M. and Reid, R. L. 1967. The use of biochemical parameters in controlling nutritional state in pregnant ewes, and the effect of undernourishment during pregnancy on lamb birth weight. J. agric. Sci., Camb. 68: 351–358.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Smithson, L., Ewing, S. A. and Renbarger, R. 1966. Influence of level of nutrition of the dam on birth weight of beef calves. J. Anim. Sci. 25: 909–910 (Abstr.).Google Scholar
Tudor, G. D. 1972. The effect of pre- and post-natal nutrition on the growth of beef cattle. 1. The effect of nutrition and parity of the dam on calf birth weight. Aust. J. agric. Res. 23: 389–395.Google Scholar
Walker, D. E. 1962. Suckling and grazing behaviour of beef heifers and calves. N.Z. Jl agric. Res. 5: 331–338.Google Scholar
Wiltbank, J. N., Rowden, W. W., Ingalls, J. E., Gregory, K. E. and Koch, R. M. 1962. Effect of energy level on reproductive phenomena of mature Hereford cows. J. Anim. Sci. 21: 219–225.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zrvin, J. A. and Snarr, J. F. 1973. An automated colorimetric method for the measurement of 3-hydroxybutryrate concentration. Analyt. Biochem. 52: 456–461.Google Scholar