UN SDG
Livestock Studies 1981, Vol 21, Num, 3-4     (Pages: 073-079)
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The effects of nutritional level during early life on future performance in early bred Turkish brown heifers

Orhan ALPAN ,Yaşar SEZGİN ,Hulusi ADA ,Bünyamin GERGER

- This study was carried out at Çifteler Livestock Research Station. The animal material consisted of 48 Turkish Brown females from birth to 36 months of age. The calves were fed whole milk for the first four weeks, transferred to skim milk within two weeks, followed by skim milk for four weeks and they were weaned at 10 weeks of age. At five months of age a stratified sampling method was used to assign 16 calves to each of the three nutritional levels. Groups I, II and III were fed 75, 100 and 125 %, respectively, of the TDN requirements recommended by the National Research Council (7). The feeding at different levels contiuned until the heifers conceived and then they were fed similarly.

Various body measurements were taken at certain periods. Ages and weights of the heifers were recorded at first estrus. The heifers were bred at first estrus after 14 months of age, if body weight exceeded 250 kg information for reproduction and milk production characteristics were recorded.

The average birth weight of the calves was 39.7 kg they made an average daily gain of 540 g. until the age of 5 months. After the calves were assigned to the different levels of feeding the growth rates of the groups increased with the increased levels of feeding. However the differences were non-significant. The differences among the groups were not significant for age and weight of the heifers at first estrus. The number of heifers coceived by 18 months of age were 7, 11 and 13 in groups I, II and III, respectively. The Chi-square test was significant at the (P<0.10) level. The average ages for conception and first calving were similar for the groups. Calving difficulty ratigs were also similar. The overall average value for the first calving age was 25.4 months which represents 10 months reduction from the common practice at the station.

It was concluded that higher plane of feeding of Turkish Brown heifers demonstrated some apparent advantage on the reproductive performance. No serious calving difficulties occurred. The reduction of the first calving age appears to be beneficial for the breed. Keywords :