calf growth pattern exhibited by healthy and susceptible calve up to 90 days. significant effect on species, breed, sex and birth weight.

1. Dairy calf growth pattern exhibited by healthy and susceptible calve up to 3 month of
ageS. S. Hanah, 1,2,
A. K. S. Tomar,1
H. O. Pandey,2
T. A. Khan2
and Navneet Kuar3
2
Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, Bareilly, U.P. India
1
National Research Centre on Yak, Dirang, Arunachal Pradesh, India
3
College of Veterinary Sciences, GADVASU, Ludhiana, Punjab, India
Introduction:
 Proper growth of neonatal calf is imperative for livestock
propagation.
 Poor management practices adopted by dairy farmers results poor
calf growth, poor replacement of breedable stock as well as
increased susceptibility to various diseases like Diarrhoea and
Pneumonia.
 Calves that experience diseases during their first 2 weeks of life
expressed a lower growth rate. (Ganaba et al. 1995)
 The estimated cost per calf for treatment, extra labour and extra
feed to compensate the retarded growth to be approximately £33
(Gunn and Stott, 2005)
 Calf morbidity and mortality represent an irrefutable and
irrecoverable financial and genetic loss to the dairy industry
Aims:
 To study the growth pattern exhibited by Diarrhoea and Pneumonia
susceptible calves in contrast to resistant ones.
Means for live body weight of healthy calves upto 3 month of age
The effect on species, breed, sex of calf and birth weight was
significant on early growth traits. (P≤0.01/0.05)
Within cattle group, Vrindavani calves were heavier than
Tharparkar calves up to 1 month, in WT2 Tharparkar calves
excelled Vrindavani calves whereas, at WT3 stage, Vrindavani and
Tharparkar calves expressed almost similar live body weights.
 Few cases, calves expressing Diarrhoea weighed heavier than
healthy calves at various stages of early growth.
 Calves infected/treated for Diarrhoea were heavier than calves
infected for Pneumonia and Pneumonia & Diarrhoea at all stages of
early growth .
 In healthy calves male expressed higher body weight than female
from BWT-WT3, similarly in susceptible group also male dominate
from BWT – WT2 but in WT3 both sex express almost equal
weights, whereas in Tharparkar female dominate male from BWT-
WT3.
 Calves infected with Diarrhoea in combination with Pneumonia
expressed lowest body weights from BWT to WT2.
Means for live body weight of healthy calves upto 3 month of age
Conclusions:
 Early calves diseases greatly reduced the daily body weight gain
thereby leading to delay in puberty.
 First 2 weeks of life is very crucial thus extra care should given in
regards to management, feeding, hygiene etc. for normal growth.
Acknowledgement:
 I express my deepest sense of gratitude and indebtness to Indian Veterinary Research Institute and National Research Centre on Yak for funding and administrative help.
Results:
Methods:
 The birth weight and subsequent live body weight up to 3 months
of age were recorded
Nature of infection and frequency of infection were also recorded
Isolation of the disease calves from healthy one
Early growth performance of different breeds
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
BWT
WT1
WT2
WT3
Stages
Weights (kg)
Murrah buffalo
Tharparkar
Vrindavani
Early growth performance of healthy and susceptible calves
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
BWT WT1 WT2 WT3
Live body weights
weight(kg)
Susceptible
Healthy
Overall
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Weight (kg)
Diarrhoea
Pneum
onia
Diarrhoea & Pneum
onia
Twice infected with Diarrhoea
Thrice infected with Diarrhoea
Dieases
Disease occurrence wise growth performance of susceptible
calves
BWT WT1 WT2 WT3
No: GVC/LPM/SEMINAR/912/2013