Body size in beef cows and its influence on calf production
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5433/1679-0359.2020v41n6Supl2p3299Keywords:
Efficiency, Frame, Milk production, Weight gain.Abstract
Cattle farming becomes more intensive when the productive efficiency of the cows is increased, and nutrition is adjusted to the animal biotype. Eighty purebred Charolais and Nellore cows and their crosses between 3 and 7 years of age, were grouped for body weight at calving into Light (332.6 kg), Moderate (385.3 kg) and Heavy (444.6 kg). Cows and their calves were weighed at calving, at 63 days (early weaning) and at 210 days. The estimated milk production of the cows was evaluated by manual milking at 21, 42 and 63 days postpartum. The difference in the weight of the cows at calving was maintained during lactation and at 210 days postpartum. The body size of the cow did not influence milk production. Heavier cows produce heavier calves up to 365 days of age compared to lighter cows. The reproductive performance of the cows is not affected by their weight. The production of kilograms of calf for every 100 kilograms of cow at calving and weaning is higher in Light cows. The production of kilograms of calf adjusted for the pregnancy rate of the cows is higher in Heavy cows. Production efficiency in kilograms of calf per area is lower in Heavy cows.Downloads
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References
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Beck, P. A., Gadberry, M. S., Gunter, S. A., Kegley, E. B., & Jennings, J. A. (2017). Invited review: matching forage systems with cow size and environment for sustainable cow-calf production in the southern region of the United States. Applied Animal Science, 33(3), 289-296. doi: 10.15232/pas.2016-01557
Beck, P. A., Stewart, C. B., Gadberry, M. S., Haque, M., & Biermacher, J. (2016). Effect of mature body weight and stocking rate on cow and calf performance, cow herd efficiency, and economics in the southeastern United States. Journal of Animal Science, 94(4), 1689-1702. doi: 10.2527/jas.2015-0049
Bitencourt, M. F., Cerdótes, L., Restle, J., Costa, P. T., Fernandes, T. A., Ferreira, O. G. L., & Vaz, R. Z. (2020). Age and calving time affect production efficiency of beef cows and their calves. Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências, 92(Spupl. 1), e20181058. doi: 10.1590/0001-37652020181058
Bohnert, D. W., Stalker, L. A., Mills, R. R., Nyman, A., Falck, S. J., & Cooke, R. F. (2013). Late gestation supplementation of beef cows differing in body condition score: Effects on cow and calf performance. Journal of Animal Science, 91(11), 5485-5491. doi: 10.2527/jas.2013-6301
Burns, B. M., Fordyce, G., & Holroyd, R. G. (2010). A review of factors that impact on the capacity of beef cattle females to conceive, maintain a pregnancy and wean a calf-Implications for reproductive efficiency in northern Australia. Animal Reproduction Science, 122(1), 1-22. doi: 10.1016/j.anireprosci. 2010.04.010
Campos, R. V., Cobuci, J. A., Kern, E. L., Costa, C. N., & Mcmanus, C. M. (2015). Genetic parameters for linear type traits and milk, fat, and protein production in Holstein cows in Brazil. Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences, 28(4), 476-484. doi: 10.5713/ajas.14.0288
Castilho, E. M., Vaz, R. Z., Fernandes, T. A., Farias, G. D., Boligon, A. A., Conceição, V. G. D., & Brum, O. B. (2018). Precocidade de parto na estação de parição sobre a eficiência produtiva de vacas primíparas aos 24 meses de idade. Ciência Animal Brasileira, 19(9), 1/46667-9. doi: 10.1590/1809-689 1v19e-46667
Doye, D., & Lalman, D. L. (2011). Moderate versus big cows: do big cows carry their weight on the ranch? Proceeding of Southern Agricultural Economics Association Annual Meeting, Corpus Christi, Texas, Estados Unidos da América. doi: 10.22004/ag.econ.98748
Farias, G. D., Cerdótes, L., Restle, J., Pascoal, L. L., Costa, P. T., Ferreira, O. G. L., & Vaz, R. Z. (2018a). Body size and its effects on productive efficiency of cows with predominant Nellore genetic composition. Acta Scientiarium Animal Science, 40(1), e42532. doi: 10.4025/actascianimsci.v40i1.425 32
Farias, G. D., Cerdótes, L., Vaz, R. Z., Restle, J., Bitencourt, M. F., Alves, D. C., Fº., & Brondani, I. L. (2018b). Biological efficiency of Charolais beef cows of different body sizes. Semina: Ciências Agrárias, 39(4), 1737-1748. doi: 10.5433/1679-0359.2018v39n4p1737
Funston, R. N., Larson, D. M., & Vonnahme, K. A. (2010). Effects of maternal nutrition on conceptus growth and offspring performance: implications for beef cattle production. Journal of Animal Science, 88(13 Suppl.), E205-215. doi: 10.2527/jas.2009-2351
Gonçalves, G. V. B., Vaz, R. Z., Vaz, F. N., Mendonça, F. S., Fontoura, J. A. S., Jr., & Castilho, E. M. (2017). Análise de custos, receitas e ponto de equilíbrio dos sistemas de produção dos sistemas de produção de bezerros no Rio Grande do Sul. Ciência Animal Brasileira, 18(1), e46329. doi: 10.1590/10 89-6891v18e-46329
Gutiérrez, V., Espasadín, A. C., Machado, P., Bielli, A., Genovese, P., & Carriquiry, M. (2014). Effects of calf early nutrition on muscle fiber characteristics and gene expression. Livestock Science, 167(9), 4018-4016. doi: 10.1016/j.livsci.2014.07.010
Hansen, L. B., Cole, J. B., Marx, G. D., & Seykora, A. J. (2000). Consequences of Selection for milk yield from a geneticist's viewpoint. Journal of Dairy Science, 83(5), 1145-1150. doi: 10.3168/jds.S0022-0302 (00)74980-0
Lemaster, C. T., Taylor, R. K., Ricks, R. E., & Long, N. M. (2017). The effects of late gestation maternal nutrient restriction whit or without protein supplementation on endocrine regulation of newborn and postnatal beef calves. Theriogenology, 87(1), 64-71. doi: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2016.08.004
Lemes, J. S., Pimentel, M. A., Vaz, R. Z., Farias, L. B., & Brauner, C. C. (2017). Performance efficiency of pasture-raised primiparous beef cows of three different biotypes and two milk production levels. Acta Scientiae Veterinariae, 45(1461), 1-8. Recovered from https://seer.ufrgs.br/ActaScientiaeVeterinariae/ article/view/80 210/47050
Mota, L. F. M., Mariz, T. M. A., Ribeiro, J. S., Silva, M. E. F. da, & Lima, D. M., Jr. (2015). Divergências morfométricas em bovinos Nelore em crescimento classificados para diferentes classes de frame size. Revista Caatinga, 28(2), 117-125. Recovered from https://periodicos.ufersa.edu.br/index.php/caatinga/ article/view/ 3666/pdf_253
Mulliniks, J. T., Cox, S. H., Kemp, M. E., Endecott, R. L., Waterman, R. C., Vanleeuwen, D. M., & Petersen, M. K. (2012). Relationship between body condition score at calving and reproductive performance in young postpartum cows grazing native range. Journal of Animal Science, 90(8), 2811-2817. doi: 10.2527/jas.2011-4189
Mulliniks, J. T., Rius, A. G., Edwards, M. A., Edwards, S. R., Hobbs, J. D., & Nave, R. L. G. (2015). Forages and pastures symposium: improving efficiency of production in pasture- and range-based beef and dairy systems. Journal of Animal Science, 93(12), 2609-2615. doi: 10.2527/jas2014-8595
National Research Council (2016). Nutrient requirements of beef cattle (8nd ed.). Washington: National Academy Press.
Samková, E., Špička, J., Pešek, M., Pelikánová, T., & Hanuš, O. (2012). Animal factors affecting fatty acid composition of cow milk fat: a review. South African Journal of Animal Science, 42(2), 83-100. doi: 10. 4314/sajas.v42i2.1
Scasta, J. D., Henderson, L., & Smith, T. (2015). Drought effect on weaning weight and efficiency relative to cow size in semiarid rangeland. Journal Animal Science, 93(12), 5829-5839. doi: 10.2527/jas.2015-91 72
Silva, R. M., Souza, J. C., Fernandes, H. J., Abreu, U. G. P., Ferraz, P. B., Fº., & Rosa, A. N. (2015). Eficiência produtiva ao desmame de vacas Nelore criadas no Pantanal. Arquivo Brasileiro de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, 67(4), 1105-1110. doi: 10.1590/1678-4162-6909
Silveira, D. D., Vargas, L., Pereira, R. J., Campos, G. S., Vaz, R. Z., Lôbo, R. B., & Boligon, A. A. (2019a). Quantitative study of genetic gain for growth, carcass, and morphological traits of Nelore cattle. Canadian Journal of Animal Science, 99(2), 296-306. doi: 10.1139/cjas-2018-0078
Silveira, M. F., Restle, J., Brondani, I. L., Machado, D. S., Pacheco, R. F., Argenta, F. M., & Hoffmann, F. (2019b). Effect of age and genetic group on the development of calves weaned at 63 days until one year of age. Semina: Ciências Agrárias, 40(4), 1631-1638. doi: 10.5433/1679-0359.2019v40n4p1631
Statistical Analysis System. Stat user’s guide. Version 9. Carry: SAS Institute, 2001. CDROM.
Tao, H., Guo, F., Tu, Y., Si, B.-W., Xing, Y.-C., Huang, D.-J & Diao, Q.-Y. (2018). Effect of weaning age on growth performance, feed efficiency, nutrient digestibility and blood-biochemical parameters in Droughtmaster crossbred beef calves. Asian Australasians Journal of Animal Science, 31(6), 864-872. doi: 10.5713/ajas.17.0539
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Published
2020-11-06
How to Cite
Vara, C. C. da, Silveira, M. F. da, Vaz, R. Z., Restle, J., Machado, D. S., & Macari, S. (2020). Body size in beef cows and its influence on calf production. Semina: Ciências Agrárias, 41(6Supl2), 3299–3310. https://doi.org/10.5433/1679-0359.2020v41n6Supl2p3299
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