Growth of dairy heifers in the United States : National Animal Health Monitoring System

8 Pages·1993·4.2 MB·English

Historic, Archive Document
Do not assume content reflects current
scientific knowledge, policies, or practices.
YR
Reserve
aSF196
. U6G76
1993

United States
Department of Growth of Dairy Heifers in
Agriculture
Animal and the United States
Plant Health
Inspection
Service
National Animal Health Monitoring System
Veterinary
Services
Dairy heifer growth represents the
Figure 1. Average Holstein Replacem d t Heifer Weight
G PREp
_ culmination of many feeding, health, and from Birth to 24 Months of Age (n= 8,505) ene .
_ management practices on today’s dairy SR ec,
Pounds
_ operations. Growth is fundamentally 1400
_ Important in determining the age at which 1200
_ heifers can be bred and become productive
1000
units of the operation. Heifers that calve
with less than optimal body weight have
_ been shown to produce less milk during the
first lactation and, therefore, are less
_ profitable to the dairy producer.
Heifer growth was measured as part of
4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24
_ the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s
Age in Months
1991-92 National Dairy Heifer Evaluation
Project (NDHEP). The study was
Figure 1 shows the weight averages for the
sponsored by the National Animal Health
participating operations : 364 lbs (6 months), 665
Monitoring System (USDA:APHIS:VS) and
Ibs (12 months), 972 Ibs (18 months), and 1,167
included 1,811 dairy operations in 28 states.’ To
(24 months).
be included in the study, the operations had to
have greater that 29 milking cows. Participants
Average wither heights, shown in Figure 2,
were randomly chosen so that the results would be
were 39 inches (6 months), 46 inches (12 months),
representative of 78 percent of the National dairy
51 inches (18 months), and 53 inches (24 months).
cow population. The operations
_ represented a variety of herd sizes and
Figure 2. Average Holstein Replacement Heifer Height at
_ management types.
Withers from Birth to 24 Months of Age (n = 8,505)
, Inches at Withers
Growth data were determined for those
; producers willing to measure their heifers
_with the assistance of the State or Federal
Veterinary Medical Officers working on the
‘project. The participating producers are not
3
necessarily representative of the entire oS
Sos es
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The Hostein results will be discussed here. 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22
a- Age in Months
States participating in the National Da iry Heifer Evaluation Project (NDHEP): Alabama, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida,
Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Ham pshire, New York,
North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin.
December 1993
Reported average age at first calving Figure 3. Mean Holstein Heifer Weights by Region (n= 8,505)
in the entire NDHEP study was 25.9
Weight (Ibs.)
months of age. While many of the
0
heifers measured in the growth
Wet fo eee
evaluation portion of the study would 1200 ceceenenn irreeasteyssepeanssnscrmemcsscaneecesssteceeeefilll -cnveeers+-+snenensse¢ennenanssseaeunenssenacners!
Midwest
not have calved by 24 months of age,
1000 ++ 8—Northeast-— waren
most were large enough to have been en>e ReeIKKc e
“bred earlier and most likely could have 800 | RERI Southeast IN NVGB Sea sOAntSe ®aS,uR s aRs
ox
calved by 24 months. <Sxe
SRSS&E EGEE
600 weceneneemtentepeeneensertaneeensestneneen ese amenens0¢sanmmmna VE O$O22:5 25¢5
Seeh0
Figure 3 shows the average weights of GyP ry balea ko ijG e NA OOK
various age animals by regions outlined VW)
Gia INGi QOOOOO
in Figure 4. While differences were not VE
200 x52 Sxo e y
significantly wide, there were tendencies 6%
Ly
for the Western and Midwest states to BCe2B5RReeeRee Rne s see ave
4 8 12 16 20 24
have larger heifers than the
Age (Months)
Northeastern and Southeastern states.
Differences were not evident in the
wither heights, as shown in Figure 5. Figure 4. Regions Used for NDHEP Growth Analysis
Variation in feeding and management
Midwest
systems are most likely the reason for body
Northeast
weight variation from region to region.
Heifer growth is an important parameter
to be utilized in evaluating a dairy heifer’s
health, nutrition, and well being. The
National growth measurement data set for
dairy heifers may be used to produce an
improved evaluation tool for producers. Its
use will be further beneficial when
combined with other NDHEP data on the
health and economics of the nation’s dairy
Southeast
replacements.
Participants in the NDHEP also
Figure 5. Mean Holstein Heifer Heights at Withers by Region
included the National Agricultural
(n = 8,505)
Statistics Service (USDA) and the
National Veterinary Services Laboratories West Midwest idNortheast &&3 Southeast
(NVSL). The Cooperative Extension
Service provided editorial assistance. For , Height at Withers (Inches)
more information on the National Dairy
Heifer Evaluation Project and other N 7 <x4] + , anv,ee sMa s
NAHMS programs, please contact: is OSNq rs“6 aS5i vOoe ErRs K CLy GOOO5D
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[phone] WLLL s ITIII TIIIITTI IIGriI I\A\%7S/ ARIKAR SIR RAZM4® A5DAB OusRK A KA NQINKAKKY
N126.1293 16 20 24
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Age (Months)
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