The growth rate of holstein-friesian calves at the Neudamm College dairy unit

Abstract

Abstract provided by author

The growth rate of seven Holstein-Friesian calves were monitored at Neudamm farm over a period of six months (April-September, 2005). Calves were weighed weekly and the data was used for determining the average daily gains (ADG) and weight gain prediction equations (linear and quadratic) for the calves. Calf diet, which was varied with calf age, was composed of Lucerne hay and grass hay (ad libitum), grower pellets and milk. The composition of feedstuffs was presumed different based on the two study seasons (cold dry and hot dry) and were, thus, analyzed chemically. The study found out that the average calf growth rate was 0.7875kg/day, which is acceptable. There is variation in the average daily gain, which is the growth rate of the dairy calves at Neudamm, this may result because of the genetic make of the calves as their dams and environment temperature. It was also confirmed that the calves at Neudamm dairy are overfed, as they are given about twice their nutrient requirements. The calculated feeding cost (N$ 7813.90) for Neudamm dairy calves for a period of 9 months was high (Tozer and Heinrich, 2001).