The effect of rearing strategy on the dry matter intake of pasture-based dairy heifers

IF 1.9 3区农林科学 Q2 AGRICULTURE, DAIRY & ANIMAL SCIENCE

Livestock Science Pub Date : 2025-06-27 DOI:10.1016/j.livsci.2025.105760

H. Costigan , L. Delaby , S. Walsh , R. Fitzgerald , M. Liddane , N. Galvin , E. Kennedy

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Abstract

Although dry matter intake (DMI) is important in terms of achieving heifer weight-for-age targets and the utilization of pasture, the DMI of pasture-based heifers has not been widely researched. In order to quantify pasture-based heifer DMI and to determine the effect of different rearing strategies on DMI, data were collected from Holstein-Friesian (HF; n = 124), and Jersey (JE; n = 56) heifers weaned at either eight or 12 weeks and subsequently offered either a low or high post-weaning feeding regime. The n-alkane technique was used to measure the DMI of the heifers on nine occasions throughout the rearing period. Nutrition and management in the post-weaning period had a greater effect on DMI than that of weaning age. Although HF heifers had a higher total DMI than JE, JE heifers had a higher DMI when expressed as a percentage of BW. The results from this study indicate that rearing strategy may be used to manipulate DMI, and thus optimize the attainment of weight-for-age targets in pasture-based heifers.

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饲养策略对放牧型乳母牛干物质采食量的影响

尽管干物质采食量（DMI）对实现小母牛的年龄体重指标和利用牧草具有重要意义，但放牧小母牛的干物质采食量（DMI）尚未得到广泛的研究。为了量化放牧型小母牛的DMI，并确定不同饲养策略对DMI的影响，收集了Holstein-Friesian (HF；n = 124), Jersey (JE；N = 56)小母牛在8周或12周断奶，随后提供低或高断奶后喂养方案。用正构烷烃法测定了犊牛在整个饲养期内的9次DMI。断奶后营养管理对DMI的影响大于断奶期。虽然心衰母牛的总DMI高于乙脑母牛，但乙脑母牛的DMI占体重的百分比更高。本研究结果表明，饲养策略可以控制放牧小母牛的DMI，从而优化其体重年龄指标的实现。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Livestock Science 农林科学-奶制品与动物科学

CiteScore

4.30

自引率

5.60%

发文量

237

审稿时长

3 months

期刊介绍： Livestock Science promotes the sound development of the livestock sector by publishing original, peer-reviewed research and review articles covering all aspects of this broad field. The journal welcomes submissions on the avant-garde areas of animal genetics, breeding, growth, reproduction, nutrition, physiology, and behaviour in addition to genetic resources, welfare, ethics, health, management and production systems. The high-quality content of this journal reflects the truly international nature of this broad area of research.