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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #128036
Title: INFLUENCE OF COW PARITY AND GENETIC POTENTIAL FOR MILK PRODUCTION OF FORAGEINTAKE OF BRANGUS FEMALES DURING LATE GESTATION

Author
item JOHNSON, C - OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY
item LALMAN, D - OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY
item BROWN, MICHAEL
item Appeddu, Lisa

Submitted to: Journal of Animal Science
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/1/2002
Publication Date: 3/18/2002
Citation: JOHNSON, C.R., LALMAN, D.L., BROWN, M.A., APPEDDU, L.A. INFLUENCE OF COW PARITY AND GENETIC POTENTIAL FOR MILK PRODUCTION OF FORAGEINTAKE OF BRANGUS FEMALES DURING LATE GESTATION. JOURNAL OF ANIMAL SCIENCE. 2002. Vol. 80(Suppl.2): Abstract p. 97.

Interpretive Summary: Abstract Only.

Technical Abstract: Brangus females (n=24) were used to evaluate effects of cow parity (multiparous vs first-calf heifers; COW vs HFR) and genetic potential for milk production (MPP; HIGH vs LOW) on forage DMI. Mean sire milk EPD for COW were +9.5 and 9.7 and were +10.8 and 11.0, for HFR, HIGH and LOW groups, respectively. Average initial weights were 590±15.1 kg for COW and 498±20.9 kg HFR and average body condition was 4.7±.0.1 (scale 1 to 9). Body condition score and BW were recorded prior to and at the conclusion of the collection period. Cows averaged 57 d and HFR averaged 42 d prepartum upon initiation of the collection period. Bermudagrass hay (4.4% CP and 74.4% NDF; DM basis) was offered at 130% of the previous 2-d average intake. Cottonseed meal was supplemented at 0.2 and 0.3% of initial body weight for cows and heifers, respectively, to ensure adequate degradable protein supply. Hay, orts, and waste were collected daily during the intake edetermination period. Fecal grab samples were collected at 1000 for 5 d an composited for each animal. Cows consumed 21% more forage DM than HFR (10.4 vs 8.2±.4 kg/d; P<.01) on an absolute basis. When expressed as a percent of BW, forage DMI did not differ between COW and HFR (1.7±.08% BW; P=.5). Genetic potential for milk did not influence (P>.6) forage intake, on an absolute or percent of BW basis. Acid detergent insoluble ash was used to estimate DM digestibility. Neither parity group nor milk production potential influenced apparent DM digestibility (P>.5) nor fiber digestibility (P>.2). During late gestation, Brangus cows and first-calf heifers consume similar amounts of forage DM, when forage DMI is expressed relative to body weight. Additionally, milk production potential did not influence forage DMI during late gestation.