Beef production with maiden and once-calved heifersProduction de viande par les génisses nullipares et les génisses uniparesFleischproduktion bei färsen mit und ohne vornützung |
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| Authors: | ChV Boucqué LO Fiems BG Cottyn FX Buysse |
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| Institution: | National Institute for Animal Nutrition, Scheldeweg 68, B 9231 Melle-Gontrode Belgium |
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| Abstract: | During three consecutive years, 67 Belgian white and red dual purpose heifer calves were used to investigate beef production with once-calved heifers. They were divided into three groups, a control group without mating and two experimental groups to be inseminated by Charolais. The first two groups were turned out on pasture during summer, while the third group stayed indoors.The control group was fed extensively, while the other two groups received a high energy ration in order to obtain sexual maturity at about 12 months of age. Calving occurred after 742.3 and 710.6 days, respectively. The number of caesareans amounted to 30 and while the number of stillbirths or calves which died within 24 h after parturition was 15 and 25%.During suckling and fattening and also for the whole lifetime the feed efficiency of the once-calved heifer systems was lower. The daily gain in the complete trial amounted to 609, 558 and 625 g for the intact groups, while dressing percentage was 59.3, 58.7 and 59.4% respectively, for group I and the calved heifers of groups II and III. The difference between the groups was significant for daily gain, but there was no significant difference between maiden and calved heifers for killing-out percentage.The financial returns were low for the maiden as well as for the once-calved heifers. The once-calved heifer system is not fitted for all surplus heifers, due to infertile animals. |
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