Influence of Breed and Plane of Nutrition on the Performance of Dairy, Dual-Purpose and Beef Steers. I. Birth to 180 Days of Age

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Abstract
Two trials were conducted to compare the rate and efficiency of gain between dairy, dual-purpose and beef calves from birth to 180 days. A total of 239 Holsteins, Jerseys, Milking Shorthorns, Angus (trial 1) and Herefords (trial 2) were subdivided by weight into two groups. One group was fed a high level (HL) plane of nutrition consisting of whole milk plus a finishing diet ad libitum. The second group was fed on a lower level (LL) consisting of milk replacer, calf grain, calf starter and hay. In trial 2, both planes of nutrition were modified. The HL calves were fed less whole milk. The milk replacer fed the LL calves was increased by 10%, and a commercial calf starter replaced the calf grain during the first 90 days. In both trials, the rate and efficiency of gain on both levels of nutrition were highest for the Holsteins followed by the Milking Shorthorns, beef breeds and Jerseys. The HL calves gained faster, but were less efficient than those on the LL plane of nutrition in both trials. The Holsteins produced more separable lean, bone and less fat than the Milking Shorthorns and beef breeds, but exceeded Jerseys in fat production. The HL Milking Shorthorns produced more separable fat than the other breeds in both trials, but were similar to Holsteins on the LL plane of nutrition. The efficiency of lean production followed the same trend as the efficiency of gain for the HL calves in both trials, but not for those on the LL plane of nutrition. The efficiency of fat production was highest for the HL (trials 1 and 2) and LL (trial 2) Milking Shorthorns, beef breeds and Jerseys, but the LL Holsteins were more efficient in trial 1. The breeds ranked the same for the efficiency of fat plus lean, except the HL Jerseys were less efficient than Holsteins in trial 2. In contrast to the efficiency of live weight gain, the HL calves were more efficient in the production of lean, fat and lean plus fat than the LL calves. Copyright © 1972. American Society of Animal Science . Copyright 1972 by American Society of Animal Science.

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