Milchaufnahme und Wachstumsleistung der Saugkälber (Kreu-zungstiere Galloway x F1 Galloway x Holstein Friesian) einer Mut-terkuhhaltung. Einflüsse durch das Geschlecht und das Alter des Kalbes sowie durch das Alter der Kuh

Abstract

Abstract. Title of the paper: Milk ingestion and growth performance of suckler calves (cross breeds Galloway x F1 Galloway x Holstein Friesian) from a cow-calf operation. Effects of sex and of life age of calf and of the age of dam On cross breeds (Galloway x F1 Galloway x Holstein Friesian; 12 calves from first pregnancy, 13 calves from second pregnancy; 10 male and 15 female) in a cow-calf operation measurements of body weight were done repeatedly during growth after separating the calves from the dams for 150 min and than again after the calves had contacted the dams for 60 min. Measurements took place always at the same daytime. Milk ingestion of calves was assessed by way of body weight difference method. Acute body weight difference varied markedly between calves and increased with age. The fraction of positive weight difference of all measurements was between 57,1 % and 91,8 % in calves from first pregnancy and between 54,8 % and 90,5 % in calves from second pregnancy the means of which were not significantly different. Mean acute positive body weight changes developed with life age and body growth with different degree in male and female calves. Greatest acute positive body weight changes of calves could be measured at 40 to 70 days of age (70 kg to 100 kg body weight). Growth rate of calves showed greater inter- and intraindividual variation within the first 10 days of life age. Differences in growth rate between male and female calves were more profound in calves from first then in those from second pregnancy.

Ontogeny of suckling behaviour in cattle - a model for several mammalian species?

“…This alternative hypothesis is supported by the results of PASSILLÉ and RUSHEN (2006). (ii) Within that hypothesis it would not matter, why the milk yield of a specific mother is low or high: wild life or husbandry, first or later lactations (STEINHARDT and THIELSCHER, 2005), good or poor energy supply etc. All would influence the length and course of the ontogeny of suckling behaviour of the actual offspring via their effect on the actual milk yield of the mother.…”

“…All would influence the length and course of the ontogeny of suckling behaviour of the actual offspring via their effect on the actual milk yield of the mother. This hypothesis could contribute to further diminishing the black box between genetic potential, behaviour and phenotypic outcome of lactation (STEINHARDT and THIELSCHER, 2004;STEINHARDT and THIELSCHER, 2005). However, contributions of behaviour to different phenotypic outcome of lactation due to sex and/or birth weight of the calf could be explained by including the FIL-hypotheses (WILDE et al, 1988).…”