How the calving order of cows affects the performance of Nellore calves

Authors

  • Rafael Kill Silveira Universidade do Estado de Mato Grosso
  • Marcelo Jangarelli Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.4025/actascianimsci.v40i0.34519

Keywords:

average daily gain, cluster analysis, cow age, number of days to reach 160 kg, weaning weight.

Abstract

This study aimed to verify the effect of age of dam on the performance of male and female Nellore calves, using the following variables: average daily gain (ADG), adjusted weight for 205 days of age (W205), and number of days to reach 160 kg (D160). Information were collected from a commercial herd consisting of 1,122 calves and 1,009 heifers and their mothers. To classify animals with similar performance based on the cows’ calving orders (age of dam), the multivariate cluster analysis was adopted through the complete linkage hierarchical method. The best performance was observed in the calves of cows in their sixth calving at most; for heifers, the best performance was seen in those born to cows in their eighth calving at most. Cows in their eighth calving should be discarded.

 

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Author Biographies

  • Rafael Kill Silveira, Universidade do Estado de Mato Grosso
    Professor da Univesidade do Estado de mato Grosso (UNEMAT), Departamento de Zootecnia
  • Marcelo Jangarelli, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro

    Departamento de Matemática – Instituto de Ciências Exatas – Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro- UFRRJ. Br 465, km 7, s/n, Seropédica-RJ, Cep 23.890-000, e-mail: jangarelli@ufrrj.br

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Published

2017-12-27

Issue

Section

Animal Production

How to Cite

Silveira, R. K., & Jangarelli, M. (2017). How the calving order of cows affects the performance of Nellore calves. Acta Scientiarum. Animal Sciences, 40(1), e34519. https://doi.org/10.4025/actascianimsci.v40i0.34519