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Taguchi Y, Inabu Y, Hayasaki K, Maeda N, Kanmera Y, Yamasaki S, Ota N, Mukawa K, Tsuboi A, Miyamoto H, Etoh T, Shiotsuka Y, Fujino R, McMahon CD, Takahashi H. Effects of feeding high volumes of milk replacer on reproductive performance and on concentrations of metabolites and hormones in blood of Japanese black heifer calves. Anim Sci J 2021; 92:e13505. [PMID: 33438791 DOI: 10.1111/asj.13505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2020] [Revised: 12/03/2020] [Accepted: 12/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
We evaluated the effects of feeding high volumes of milk replacer on growth and reproductive performances in Japanese black heifers. Fifty-one heifers were fed milk replacer at 9 L/day for 60 days (9 L × 60 days; n = 18) or 41 days (9 L × 41 days; n = 15), or at 7 L/day for 40 days (7 L × 40 days; n = 18). Artificial insemination (AI) was performed on heifers with ≥270 kg body weight and ≥116 cm body height at 300 days of age. The age at the first AI was 0.35 month later for 7 L × 40 days than the other groups (p < .01). However, age at calving did not differ among treatments (22.1 months). The interval from the first AI to pregnancy tended to be ~2 months longer for the 9 L × 60 days than the other groups (p = .07). Our results showed that feeding high volumes of milk replacer may reduce the age at calving via an improved rate of growth. In addition, we propose that feeding a maximum of 7 L milk replacer for 40 days may be the most appropriate rearing regime because the success of pregnancy per AI may be reduced in calves fed a maximum of 9 L for 41 and 60 days.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yutaka Taguchi
- Kuju Agricultural Research Center, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyushu University, Oita, Japan
| | - Yudai Inabu
- Kuju Agricultural Research Center, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyushu University, Oita, Japan
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Arisa Tsuboi
- RIKEN CSRS, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan.,Japan Eco-science (Nikkan Kagaku) Co., Ltd., Chiba, Japan
| | - Hirokuni Miyamoto
- Japan Eco-science (Nikkan Kagaku) Co., Ltd., Chiba, Japan.,Graduate School of Horticulture, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan.,RIKEN IMS, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Tetsuji Etoh
- Kuju Agricultural Research Center, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyushu University, Oita, Japan
| | - Yuji Shiotsuka
- Kuju Agricultural Research Center, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyushu University, Oita, Japan
| | - Ryoichi Fujino
- Kuju Agricultural Research Center, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyushu University, Oita, Japan
| | | | - Hideyuki Takahashi
- Kuju Agricultural Research Center, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyushu University, Oita, Japan
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