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Typology of the evolution of intake by Charolais cows around calving

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

S. Ingrand  and
J. Agabriel
S. Ingrand
Affiliation:
Laboratoire Adaptation des Herbivores aux Milieux, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, 63122 Saint-Genès-Champanelle, France
J. Agabriel
Affiliation:
Laboratoire Adaptation des Herbivores aux Milieux, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, 63122 Saint-Genès-Champanelle, France
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Abstract

Charolais cows were individually given hay ad libitum around calving for two successive winters (no. = 40 and no. = 43). Profiles of hay intake are defined for each cow as the evolution of individual daily intake level around calving.

The aim of this work was to build a typology of these profiles, using multivariate analysis. Four and three groups of cows were distinguished respectively for a 2-month and a 4-month period around calving (PI and PI). These groups corresponded to different kinetics of intake level around calving which were defined as follows: group 1 — plane profiles, with a low difference of intake level between pregnancy and lactation; group 2 — profiles characterized by a marked decrease in intake level just before calving followed by a long and regular increase after calving; group 3 — profiles with no decrease before calving but an early break in the increase in intake after calving; group 4 — intake profiles with a large difference in intake level between pregnancy and lactation. Groups 2 and 3 were pooled for P2.

Cows from groups 2 and 4 increased intake after calving fast enough to prevent the use of their body reserves even with a high milk-production level. Their calculated energy balance became positive very quickly, only 1 week after calving. At the other extreme, a decrease in body reserves was observed for cows which needed at least 1 month after calving to reach their maximum intake capacity and then recover a positive energy balance.

Keywords

food intakemultivariate analysissuckler herds
Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Science , Volume 65 , Issue 3 , December 1997 , pp. 361 - 371
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1997

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