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To determine the relationships between age, weight and size in Holstein heifers between 100 and 300 kg liveweight

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 November 2017

H.J. Biggadike ,
C.A. Collins ,
S.B. Drew  and
P.N. Johnson
H.J. Biggadike
Affiliation:
ADAS Bridgets Dairy Research Centre, Martyr Worthy, Winchester, Hampshire S021 1AP, UK
C.A. Collins
Affiliation:
ADAS Bridgets Dairy Research Centre, Martyr Worthy, Winchester, Hampshire S021 1AP, UK
S.B. Drew
Affiliation:
ADAS Bridgets Dairy Research Centre, Martyr Worthy, Winchester, Hampshire S021 1AP, UK
P.N. Johnson
Affiliation:
ADAS Bridgets Dairy Research Centre, Martyr Worthy, Winchester, Hampshire S021 1AP, UK
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Extract

It is common practice to rear dairy heifers to calve at 24 months of age and expect first lactation milk yields of up to 10,000 litres. This requires growth rates of at least 0.7kg/d during rearing. Research has indicated that high growth rates in the prepubertal period can have a deleterious effect on mammogenisis (Capuco et al 1995), and a significant reduction in potential milk production (Sejrsen et al 1996) due to impaired mammary development. However, not all studies have found such effects (Sejrsen et al 1996). As a consequence, strategies of rearing are being studied to identify the optimum pattern of growth around puberty to achieve high milk yields. Skeletal measurements have also been demonstrated to be related to first lactation yields (Hoffman 1996). This study investigated the consequences of differing growth rates between 100 and 300kg liveweight on the size and relative dimensions of Holstein heifers.

Type
Programme
Information
Proceedings of the British Society of Animal Science , Volume 1999 , 1999 , pp. 199
Copyright
Copyright © The British Society of Animal Science 1999

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References

Capuco, A.V., Smith, J.J., Waldo, D.R. and C.E., Rexroad Jr. 1995. Influence of prepubertal dietary regimen on mammary growth of Holstein Heifers. J. Dairy Sci 78(12):2709–2725.Google Scholar
Sejrsen, K., and Purup, S., 1996. Influence of prepubertal feeding level on milk yield potential of dairy heifers : a review. J. Anim. Sci. 75:828–835.Google Scholar
Hoffman, P.C., 1997. Optimum body size of Holstein replacement heifers. J. Anim. Sci. 75:836–845.Google Scholar