Queen of calves boost growth rates
June 22nd, 2009
Milk production from cows can be boosted by up to 18% by rearing them on the Queen of Calves programme. This is the finding of a new study undertaken by Catalyst R and D and Auckland University Professor, Chris Triggs, which looked at the milk solids production of two and three-year-old heifers raised on the programme from 49 herds nation-wide. Catalyst R and D consultant Malcolm Graham says the study found heifers raised on Queen of Calves produced up to 18% more milk solids than the national average compared with those raised on a conventional diet.
Graham says the study backs up research conducted by Dr Jean Margerison of Massey University, a specialist in dairy nutrition and lactation psychology in the effect of Queen of Calves on calf growth. These studies compared calves raised on a diet of whole milk with unlimited access to hard feed and straw with those raised on an identical diet plus Queen of Calves which was added to their milk every day from day 19 until weaning. The Massey research found Queen of Calves increased daily growth rates, reduced time to weaning by about 8 days, required 9% less whole milk to reach target weight, required 16% less hard feed to achieve target weight and produced significantly bigger calves at 12 weeks of age.
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