Hill country beef cattle research at Whatawhata
G.K. Hight
Whatawhata Hill Country Research Station, Ruakura Agricultural
Research Centre, Hamilton
E-Mail:
Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production.
1968, 28: 131-144
Experiments on the effects of different planes of nutrition
during the last third of pregnancy and the suckling period on the
performance of Aberdeen Angus cows and their calves, and of the
influences of pre- and pest-natal nutrition on the post-weaning growth
of heifer calves are described. The total effect at weaning of the
pre-calving level of nutrition on calf weaning weight was of similar
order to that of the post-calving level of nutrition. Compensatory
growth effects progressively reduced the influence of post- natal
feeding levels on the post-weaning liveweights of the heifer calves. The
influence of low planes of nutrition during late pregnancy on calf
mortality and weaning weight were largely avoided by a higher level of
feeding during the last eight weeks before calving.
Preliminary observations on a comparison between Friesian and Aberdeen
Angus cattle as hill country beef cows are outlined.
A marking device for the detection of oestrous activity in cattle is
described.
Keywords: NZSAPAB;
Last Updated 24-08-2000
