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Effects of breed of cattle on energy requirements for growth

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

D. M. B. Chestnutt ,
R. Marsh ,
J. G. Wilson ,
T. A. Stewart ,
T. A. McCullough  and
T. McCallion
D. M. B. Chestnutt
Affiliation:
Crop and Animal Husbandry Research Division, Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland, Hillsborough, Co. Down
R. Marsh
Affiliation:
Crop and Animal Husbandry Research Division, Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland, Hillsborough, Co. Down
J. G. Wilson
Affiliation:
Crop and Animal Husbandry Research Division, Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland, Hillsborough, Co. Down
T. A. Stewart
Affiliation:
Greenmount Agricultural and Horticultural College, Antrim
T. A. McCullough
Affiliation:
Loughry College of Agriculture and Food Technology, Cookstown, Co. Tyrone
T. McCallion
Affiliation:
Biometrics Division, Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland, Belfast
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Summary

With the object of comparing the energy requirements of cattle of different breeds a total of 108 animals, representing three maturity types, were individually fed at two levels of intake over three 12-week periods commencing at 250, 375 and 500 kg live weight in a co-ordinated experiment. The three breeds compared were Aberdeen Angus cross, Hereford × British Friesian and British Friesian. Animals were offered a 50:50 hay: concentrate ration at two levels of feeding; one level was designed to give 0·7 kg gain daily and the other 75 to 80% of this intake.

Though the relative performance of breeds differed at the three centres, overall average live-weight gain did not differ significantly between breeds. Feed conversion efficiency dropped from 8·55 kg dry matter per kg gain in the first period to 16·95 kg in the third period, but differences in conversion ratio between breeds were not significant.

Carcass measurements taken at slaughter immediately after the third test period indicated higher killing-out percentages and higher fat percentages in the Angus cross than in the British Friesian with Hereford × Friesian intermediate. Differences in energy needs for gain among the three breeds, predicted by apportioning ME intake to maintenance and gain using a multiple regression technique, were greater than differences calculated from carcass composition and published energy requirements for fat and protein deposition. The limitations of the use of the multiple regression technique for this purpose are discussed.

Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Production , Volume 21 , Issue 2 , October 1975 , pp. 109 - 119
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1975

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References

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