Fröberg, Sofie
(2005).
Studies on restricted suckling in dual purpose and dairy breed cattle in Mexico.
Uppsala :
Sveriges lantbruksuniv.
, Rapport / Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet, Institutionen för husdjurens utfodring och vård, 0347-9838
; 264
ISBN 91-576-6855-8
[Licentiate thesis]
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Abstract
The aim of this thesis was to investigate the effects of rearing calves by restricted suckling (RS) compared to artificial rearing (AR) in dual purpose and dairy breed cattle in Mexico, milked once or three times a day, respectively. The following parameters were recorded during the first eight weeks after calving: social, abnormal and general behaviours and weight gain of Zebu crossbred and dairy calves; and milk yield, milk composition and udder health in the Zebu crossbred dams and udder health and milk let-down in the Holstein dams. RS reduced the abnormal behaviours of the calves and resulted in less foraging behaviours compared to AR. AR dairy calves consumed four-fold as much concentrate as RS dairy calves, whereas the amount of milk ingested was similar in the two treatments. A higher fat content in the milk ingested by RS calves compared to whole milk fed to AR calves, resulted in similar total ME intake from milk and concentrate in both treatments. Irrespective of type of animals RS resulted in similar weight gain in comparison to AR. Cow-calf separation five days after calving induced fewer indications of physiological stress in RS cows and calves. RS further increased the saleable and total (saleable and suckled) milk yield and decreased the fat content in saleable milk. RS improved udder health of the Zebu crossbred cows as judged according to elevated CMT scores and lower lactose content in AR cows. RS of Holstein dairy cows did not impair milk let-down and udder health tended to be improved according to the CMT. RS calves showed a front teat preference, which did not impair udder health according to similar CMT scores of front and rear teats. These studies indicate that RS is economically viable for the farmer as once daily milking combined with twice daily suckling considerably increased the saleable and total milk yield of Zebu crossbred cows and improved animal well-being.
Authors/Creators: | Fröberg, Sofie | ||||||||
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Title: | Studies on restricted suckling in dual purpose and dairy breed cattle in Mexico | ||||||||
Series/Journal: | Rapport / Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet, Institutionen för husdjurens utfodring och vård (0347-9838) | ||||||||
Year of publishing : | 2005 | ||||||||
Number: | 264 | ||||||||
Number of Pages: | 38 | ||||||||
Papers/manuscripts: |
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Place of Publication: | Uppsala | ||||||||
Publisher: | Department of Animal Nutrition and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences | ||||||||
Associated Programs and Other Stakeholders: | SLU - Research Areas for the Future > Future Animal Health and Welfare (until Jan 2017) | ||||||||
ISBN for printed version: | 91-576-6855-8 | ||||||||
ISSN: | 0347-9838 | ||||||||
Language: | English | ||||||||
Publication Type: | Licentiate thesis | ||||||||
Full Text Status: | Public | ||||||||
Agris subject categories.: | L Animal production > L01 Animal husbandry | ||||||||
Subjects: | Not in use, please see Agris categories | ||||||||
Agrovoc terms: | rearing techniques, animal husbandry, livestock, behaviour, weight gain, calves, animal health, mexico | ||||||||
Keywords: | artificial rearing, behaviour, calf weight gain, Holstein cattle, milk production, Zebu crossbred cattle, udder health | ||||||||
URN:NBN: | urn:nbn:se:slu:epsilon-742 | ||||||||
Permanent URL: | http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:slu:epsilon-742 | ||||||||
ID Code: | 922 | ||||||||
Faculty: | VH - Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science | ||||||||
Department: | (VH) > Dept. of Animal Nutrition and Management | ||||||||
Deposited By: | Sofie Fröberg | ||||||||
Deposited On: | 16 Sep 2005 00:00 | ||||||||
Metadata Last Modified: | 02 Dec 2014 10:08 |
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