Effect of feeding level and diet type on the performance of crossbred suckler cows and their calves

Abstract

A 2´2 factorial design experiment with 32 spring-calving Hereford-Ayrshire and 31 Limousine-Ayrshire suckler cows was conducted to compare the effects of diets based on hay (H) or urea-treated straw (US) at two feeding levels (moderate; M and low; L) on the performance of cows and their calves. For feeding level L, the amount of feed was restricted to 70% of that for feeding level M. Diet H was based on hay while for the US-diet, hay was replaced by urea-treated straw and barley (M:1.1 and L:0.8 kg dry matter, DM/day/ animal). Urea-solution was included in the H-diet to balance protein intake with respect to US-diets. Untreated straw was also offered on all diets. Feeding pre partum commenced by offering 1.0 kg/day of a barley-rapeseed meal mixture from day 60 to 30 and 1.5 kg/day from day 30 to 0 pre partum. Post partum cows received 3.0 kg/day of the same mixture. All cows were in calf to Charolais sires. During the mating period, cows were inseminated after oestrus synchronisation and subsequently exposed to a bull.Average daily intakes of the cows were on treatment MH 9.1 kg DM/day and 77.4 MJ metabolizable energy (ME), on treatment MUS 8.5 kg DM and 67.2 MJ ME, on treatment LH 6.9 kg DM and 58.9 MJ ME and on treatment LUS 6.7 kg DM and 53.7 MJ ME, respectively. Live weight gain (LWG) during the indoor feeding was lower (P<0.01) for cows on feeding level L than M. Cows fed US-based diets lost more (P<0.05) live weight (LW) during indoor feeding than those based on H-diets. Cows replenished LW losses at pasture and there were no differences in LW between treatments at the end of the grazing season. Imposed feeding treatments and the sex of the calf had no affect on the incidence of calving difficulty. There were no significant treatment effects on calf LWG or suckler cow milk production. During mating 69.3% of all experimental cows successfully conceived. The low level of feeding had no adverse affects on cow or calf health, but depressed et al. Effect of feeding level and diet type on performance of suckler cowsreproductive performance. Cows replenished LW losses during the grazing period on sufficient good quality pasture. Urea-treated straw proved to be a suitable winter feed for spring calving suckler cows.

Influence of pre partum and post partum plane of nutrition on the performance of crossbred suckler cows and their progeny

“…Condition at calving was obviously suitable for this stage of production for mature, crossbred cows, but inspite of this, cows on the diet 1 lost almost double the LW relative to those fed diet 2, but compensated for such losses on pasture. These results are in accordance with earlier results under Finnish conditions with similar non-mature cows (Manninen et al 2000). Hodgson et al (1980) offered spring-calving Hereford-Friesian and Blue-Grey cows hay and concentrate from calving until turnout sufficient for maintenance and either 2.3 or 9.0 kg milk/d and observed that cows on the lower level of feeding lost more LW (1730 vs. 1260 g/d), losses which are consistent with values observed in the current study.…”

“…A low level of feeding in marginal climatic areas did not affect cow or calf health but depressed reproductive performance (Manninen et al 2000). However, cows replenished live weight losses during the grazing period on sufficiently good quality pasture.…”

“…Only birth weights are available of still-born calves. All calvings were monitored and assistance was provided as described by Manninen et al (2000).…”

“…The effects of different feeding levels on cow LW during late pregnancy are widely reported (Hight 1966, Drennan and Bath 1976a, Russel et al 1979, Manninen et al 2000, although com- …”

Effects of winter feeding strategies with alternative feeds on the performance of mature suckler cows and their progeny

“…Indoor feeding of beef cows is usually based on inexpensive, low-energy feeds such as straw, treated straw (Mann et al 1988, Fike et al 1995, Manninen et al 2000 or straw with protein or energy supplements (Alawa et al 1986, Alawa et al 1987, Alawa et al 1988, Beck et al 1992). Good quality grass silage is not used for beef cows ad libitum due to its high energy content, especially for cows in good body condition score pre-calving.…”