The Effect of Selected Factors on the Growth Ability of Charolais Cattle

Abstract

The aim of this work was to analyze the growth abilities of bull and heifer calves (n = 190) of the Charolais breed calved in one herd from 2006 to 2011. The evaluation was carried out during the period of calf raising, focusing to the effects of sex, parity and the mating method on live birth weight (BLW) and the live weight at 120 (LW120), 210 (LW210) and 365 (LW365) days of life, as well as the average daily weight gain reached by the age of 120 (G120), 210 (G210), and 365 (G365) days. Statistical analysis was carried out with the use of the SAS 9.3 program. The effect of sex on the live weight and average daily weight gain was statistically significant on the level of P < 0.01 always in favour of the bull calves (BLW +3.05 kg, LW120 +29.35 kg, LW210 +36.98 kg, and LW365 +117.23 kg). The lowest live birth weight was detected in the calves of primiparous cows (BLW = 45.46 kg; P < 0.01). The higher parity, the higher live birth weight was determined, with maximum values in cows from the fourth calving. The trends were similar in live weight at 120, 210 and 365 days of age, when significance level was P < 0.05. The parity effect on the average daily weight gain (G120, G210 a G365) was statistically insignificant (P > 0.05). The effect of embryo transfer (ET) and other commonly used reproduction methods (insemination and natural mating, AI/PP) was evaluated as well as. The calves born after embryo transfer showed a significantly (P < 0.01) higher the live birth weight as well as weight at different ages (BLW +5.85 kg, LW120 +18.15 kg, LW210 +22.94 kg and LW365 +35.43 kg), and G120 only (+100 g×day−1; P < 0.05). These results pointed the suitability of using the biotechnological reproduction methods, especially in relation to the total weight of the reared and fattened animals.

Keywords

• beef cattle
• growth
• sex
• breeding
• embryo transfer