THE EFFECTS OF DIFFERENT FEEDING STRATEGIES ON CALF BIRTH WEIGHT IN CROSSBRED COWS

Abstract

The study aimed to determine the effect of different feeding regimes during the pre-partum period on the birth weight of crossbred calves. Eighteen crossbred cows were randomly assigned to three treatment groups with varying feeding regimes. The animals were fed differently during the last 45 days before calving, and the birth weight of the calves was measured immediately after calving. The results showed that there was no significant difference in the birth weights of the calves among the treatment groups. Therefore, the level of pre-partum feeding did not have any effect on the birth weight of the calves in this study. The study also revealed that up to 45 days before calving, the animals in all the treatment groups were maintained on the same farm feeding.
The study suggests that farmers should focus on more cost-effective feeding regimes for animals. Given that 70% of expenditure in dairy farming is on feeding of animals in developing countries like India and other third world countries, it is essential to find sustainable feeding regimes that do not compromise the health and productivity of the animals. While improper feeding during the pre-partum phase could lead to low birth weight of newborn calves, this study proves that the level of pre-partum feeding did not have any effect on the birth weight of the calves.