Hostname: page-component-76fb5796d-9pm4c Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-26T20:38:53.839Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Estimation of milk consumption curve parameters for different genetic groups of bovine calves

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

C. Mezzadra
Affiliation:
Institutio National de Technología Agropecuaria, Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Balcarce, 7620 Balcarce (BA), Argentina
R. Paciaroni
Affiliation:
Institutio National de Technología Agropecuaria, Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Balcarce, 7620 Balcarce (BA), Argentina
S. Vulich
Affiliation:
Institutio National de Technología Agropecuaria, Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Balcarce, 7620 Balcarce (BA), Argentina
E. Villarreal
Affiliation:
Institutio National de Technología Agropecuaria, Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Balcarce, 7620 Balcarce (BA), Argentina
L. Melucci
Affiliation:
Institutio National de Technología Agropecuaria, Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Balcarce, 7620 Balcarce (BA), Argentina
Get access

Abstract

Milk consumption was estimated for crossbred suckled calves from birth to weaning during 2 years. Breed groups utilized were Aberdeen Angus (A) and Charolais (C) sires on Fl Angus-Hereford (and their reciprocals) dams in the 1st year and in the 2nd year, sires A and Nelore (Bos indicus) (N) were used on the same type of dam. The weigh-suckle-weigh technique was employed twice a day to estimate milk consumption on a weekly basis. Estimations were adjusted by least-squares for the effects of genetic group, week of estimation, and their interaction, with sex of calf and calf and cow weights in the week of estimation as covariables. Then a non-lineal regression equation of the form: y = b0Wb1e -b2b2W was fitted for each individual, where y = milk consumption and W = week of estimation. Curves for A and C were very close in their shape, but with a greater consumption (P < 0·01) for C. For the 2nd year, there were differences among A and N both in the shape of the curve and in consumption at the peak of lactation (P < 0·01). Differences in time to peak lactation were also found: for A calves, it was week 9, for C calves week 10 and for N calves week 3·8. The N group showed a sharper decline in persistency than the other groups, suggesting different patterns in milk consumption.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1989

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

Bogos, D. L., Smith, E. F., Schalles, R. R., Brent, B. E., Corah, L. R. and Prliitt, R. J. 1980. Effects of milk and forage intake on calf performance. Journal of Animal Science 51: 550553.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Clutter, A. C. and Nielsen, M. K. 1987. Effect of level of beef cow milk production on pre and postweaning calf growth. Journal of Animal Science 64: 13131322.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Cobby, J. M. and Le DU, Y. L. P. 1978. On fitting curves to lactation data. Animal Production 26: 127133.Google Scholar
Gaskins, C. T. and Anderson, D. C. 1980. Comparison of lactation curves in Angus-Hereford, Jersey-Angus and Simmental-Angus cows. Journal of Animal Science 50: 828832.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gleddie, V. M. and Berg, R. T. 1968. Milk production in range beef cows and its relationship to calf gains. Canadian Journal of Animal Science 48: 323333.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jenkins, T. G. and Ferrell, C. L. 1984. A note on lactation curves of crossbred cows. Animal Production 39: 479482.Google Scholar
Neidhardt, R., Plasse, D., Weniger, J. H., Verde, O., Beltran, J. and Benavides, A. 1979. Milk yield of Brahman cows in a tropical beef production system. Journal of Animal Science 48: 16.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Neville, W. E. 1962. Influence of dam's milk production and other factors on 120- and 240-day weight of Hereford calves. Journal of Animal Science 21: 315320.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Notter, D. R., Cundiff, L. V., Smith, G. M., Laster, D. B. and Gregory, K. E. 1978. Characterization of biological types of cattle. VII. Milk production in young cows and transmitted and maternal effects on preweaning growth of progeny. Journal of Animal Science 46: 908921.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Reynolds, W. L., Derouen, T. M. and Bellows, R. A. 1978. Relationships of milk yield of dam to early growth rate of straightbred and crossbred calves. Journal of Animal Science 47: 584594.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Statistical Analysis Systems Insititute. 1982. SAS User's Guide: Statistics. Statistical Analysis Systems Institute, Cary, NC.Google Scholar
Totusek, R., Arnett, D. W., Holland, G. L. and Whiteman, J. V. 1973. Relation of estimation method, sampling interval and milk composition to milk yield of beef cows and calf gain. Journal of Animal Science 37: 153158.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Vulich, S., Miouel, M. C., Melucci, L., Igartua, D., Ortiz, A., Cacivio, R., Bruzzone, A. and Rojo Araoz, M. 1986. Curvas de consumo de leche hasta el destete para terneros Aberdeen Angus y sus cruzas. Revista Argentina de Produccion Animal 6: 209.Google Scholar
Wood, P. D. P. 1967. Algebraic model of the lactation curve in cattle. Nature, London 216: 164165.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wood, P. D. P. 1969. Factors affecting the shape of the lactation curve in cattle. Animal Production 11: 307316.Google Scholar
Wood, P. D. P. 1976. Algebraic models of the lactation curve for milk, fat and protein production, with estimates of seasonal variation. Animal Production 11: 3540.Google Scholar
Wood, P. D. P. 1977. The biometry of lactation. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 88: 333339.CrossRefGoogle Scholar