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The effect of heifer rearing regime on body size and milk production during the first lactation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 November 2017

A.F. Carson ,
L.E.R. Dawson  and
F.J. Gordon
A.F. Carson
Affiliation:
Agricultural Research Institute of Northern Ireland, Hillsborough, Co. Down, BT26 6DR
L.E.R. Dawson
Affiliation:
Agricultural Research Institute of Northern Ireland, Hillsborough, Co. Down, BT26 6DR
F.J. Gordon
Affiliation:
Agricultural Research Institute of Northern Ireland, Hillsborough, Co. Down, BT26 6DR
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Extract

The UK dairy industry has entered a period of rapid increase in cow genetic merit. Feeding and management during the rearing period will influence the extent to which the genetic merit of these animals is realised. Current systems for rearing dairy herd replacements are based on research undertaken in the 1960's and 1970's with animals of lower genetic merit. High genetic merit Holstein Friesian animals have an increased live weight and frame size at maturity compared with their medium merit contemporaries, which may have implications for the optimum weight at first calving. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of rearing regime, in terms of diet offered and target calving weight, on first lactation performance of high genetic merit heifers over a range of milk production systems.

Type
Theatre Presentations
Information
Proceedings of the British Society of Animal Science , Volume 2000 , 2000 , pp. 13
Copyright
Copyright © The British Society of Animal Science 2000

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References

Genstat 1993. Genstat 5 Release 3 Reference Manual. Oxford Science Publications, Clarendon Press, Oxford.Google Scholar