Effects of Full and Restricted Winter Rations on Dams and Summer Dropped Suckling Calves Fed Different Rations

Abstract
Daily feeding levels of 23.9, 18.0 and 15.5 pounds of dry matter from corn silage and alfalfa-orchardgrass hay during 3 winters, resulted in average daily weight changes for dams nursing calves of +0.52, -0.24, and -0.33 pounds per dam, respectively. Their suckling calves'' gains were 1.74, 2.14 and 2.21 pounds daily, respectively, when creep-fed rations of corn silage, alfalfa-orchardgrass hay; corn silage, alfalfa-orchardgrass hay, grain; and a grain mixture. Calves gained 0.33 of a pound daily when receiving only the dam''s milk. Suckling calf gains were not influenced by feeding levels of the dams. During 2 winters, rations of alfalfa-orchardgrass hay and/or silage were satisfactory feeds for the dams and their suckling calves.

This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: