TITLE:
Evaluation of forage-based weaning systems in spring-born cross-bred beef calves
AUTHORS:
John Fredrick Odhiambo, Robert Arthur Dailey, Ronnie Helmondollar, James Yeager Pritchard, Phillip Irvin Osborne
KEYWORDS:
Preconditioning; Beef Calves; Early Weaning; Weight Gain
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Animal Sciences,
Vol.3 No.2,
April
18,
2013
ABSTRACT: Preconditioned
calves have greater marketvalue per unit weight than normal-weaned calves. Development of a low cost forage-based preconditioning system allows producers
to add value to their calf-crop. This study evaluated calf performance in three
forage-based weaning systems; early-weaned calves were backgrounded in
legume/grass forage plots and supplemented with
commercial preconditioning feed (Treatment 1) or an on-farm corn-mix
(Treatment 2). Control (Treatment 3) calves suckled for an additional 45 days.
Supplements provided2.17 kgTDN/calf/ day. Weights were collected on days -30, 0 and 45 with respect to
early weaning, from135 inyear 1 and 150 calves in each of the two subsequent years. Effects of
treatment, age of dam, sex of calf and their interactions on calf weight gain
were analyzed by analysis of covariance using GLM procedures of SAS. Marginal
effects of treatment and feed cost were used to evaluate economic feasibility.
Sensitivity analyses were evaluated for anticipated market fluctuations in feed
costs and calf premiums. Data are reported as least squares means. Calf weight
gains differed (P 51.5 kg, respectively).
Steers calves gained more (P