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Effect of feeding strategies on weaning weight and milk production of Holstein × Zebu calves in dual purpose milk production systems

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Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of five feeding strategies on calf weaning weight, and cow milk production and composition in Brazilian Holstein × Zebu cows. A total of 60 cows and their calves were allocated to each of five treatments. Cows in treatments 1, 2 and 3 were milked for 270 days and cows in treatments 4 and 5 were milked for 180 days. Calves in treatment 1 (CON) were not supplemented with concentrate whereas calves from treatment 2 (CLPN) received 1 kg of concentrate daily from 90 to 270 days of age and calves from treatment 3 received 1 kg of concentrated from 180 to 270 days of age. Calves in treatment 4 (CCPS) were supplemented with 1 kg of concentrate from 90 to 180 days of age and calves in treatment 5 (CLPS) were supplemented with 1 kg of concentrate from 90 to 270 days of age. Calves from the CLPS treatment had greater milk and protein intakes (P < 0.05) and greater growth rate than calves from the other treatments. Our results indicate that the traditional system of feeding calves with no concentrate results in a weight gain of 600 g/day. The CLPS treatment produced calves with the highest live weight and growth rate. The nutritional strategy with restricted supply of milk for the calves with concomitantly short-term concentrate supplementation does not improve performance of calves but did increase feed costs.

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Acknowledgment

This research project was supported by the Fapemig, INCT de Ciência Animal and EPAMIG, Brazil.

Conflict of interest

The authors have declared that no conflict of interest exists.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Animal Science Department, Federal University of Viçosa, Viçosa, MG, 36570-000, Brazil

    Gustavo Chamon de Castro de Menezes, Sebastião de campos Valadares Filho, Edenio Detmann, Diego Zanetti, Lays Débora Silva Mariz & Marcio de Souza de Duarte

  2. Agricultural Research Company of Minas Gerais – Epamig, Caldas, Minas Gerais, Brazil

    José Reinaldo Mendes Ruas & Arismar de Castro Menezes

  3. Institute of Veterinary, Animal and Biomedical Sciences, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand

    Nicolas Lopez-Villalobos & Stephen Morris

Authors
  1. Gustavo Chamon de Castro de Menezes
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  2. Sebastião de campos Valadares Filho
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  3. Nicolas Lopez-Villalobos
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  4. José Reinaldo Mendes Ruas
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  5. Edenio Detmann
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  6. Diego Zanetti
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  7. Arismar de Castro Menezes
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  8. Stephen Morris
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  9. Lays Débora Silva Mariz
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  10. Marcio de Souza de Duarte
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Correspondence to Gustavo Chamon de Castro de Menezes.

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de Menezes, G.C.d.C., Valadares Filho, S.d.c., Lopez-Villalobos, N. et al. Effect of feeding strategies on weaning weight and milk production of Holstein × Zebu calves in dual purpose milk production systems. Trop Anim Health Prod 47, 1095–1100 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-015-0832-5

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