HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Nevens, W. B. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Nevens, W. B.

Live-Weight Gains of Pasture-Fed Dairy Heifers

Illinois Agricultural Experiment Station, Urbana, Illinois

ABSTRACT

Live-weight records of 178 pasture-fed yearling heifers of the Ayrshire, Brown Swiss, Guernsey, Holstein, and Jersey breeds made during the years 1936 to 1943, inclusive, show average daily live-weight gains for the entire group of 0.84 pound daily. Average daily live-weight gains for the breeds ranged from 0.701 pound for the Brown Swiss up to 0.963 pound for the Ayrshire. In terms of percentage of the initial live weights, the average daily gains of the Ayrshires, Guernseys, and Jerseys were approximately the same and were somewhat higher than the corresponding values for the Brown Swiss and Holsteins. Statistical analyses of the variance of the live-weight gains indicate that in this trial no significant superiority of any breed to make live-weight gains while pasture fed was demonstrated.

Because of characteristic differences in body size, it is assumed that some breeds made live-weight gains with less pasture forage than others because of using less feed for maintenance. For example, the average daily live-weight gains of the Guernseys and Jerseys were nearly as large as those of the Holsteins, but the average live weight of the Guernseys and Jerseys was about 30 per cent less.