Milchaufnahme und Wachstumsleistung der Saugkälber (Kreu-zungstiere Galloway x F1 Galloway x Holstein Friesian) einer Mut-terkuhhaltung. Einflüsse durch das Geschlecht und das Alter des Kalbes sowie durch das Alter der Kuh

Abstract. Title of the paper: Milk ingestion and growth performance of suckler calves (cross breeds Galloway x F1 Galloway x Holstein Friesian) from a cow-calf operation. Effects of sex and of life age of calf and of the age of dam
On cross breeds (Galloway x F1 Galloway x Holstein Friesian; 12 calves from first pregnancy, 13 calves from second pregnancy; 10 male and 15 female) in a cow-calf operation measurements of body weight were done repeatedly during growth after separating the calves from the dams for 150 min and than again after the calves had contacted the dams for 60 min. Measurements took place always at the same daytime. Milk ingestion of calves was assessed by way of body weight difference method. Acute body weight difference varied markedly between calves and increased with age. The fraction of positive weight difference of all measurements was between 57,1 % and 91,8 % in calves from first pregnancy and between 54,8 % and 90,5 % in calves from second pregnancy the means of which were not significantly different. Mean acute positive body weight changes developed with life age and body growth with different degree in male and female calves. Greatest acute positive body weight changes of calves could be measured at 40 to 70 days of age (70 kg to 100 kg body weight). Growth rate of calves showed greater inter- and intraindividual variation within the first 10 days of life age. Differences in growth rate between male and female calves were more profound in calves from first then in those from second pregnancy.