The quantity and composition of milk taken by calves reared by restricted suckling in smallholder dairy farming areas of Zimbabwe

摘要

Astudywasconductedtodeterminethequantityofresidualmilksuckedbycalvesfor5weekspostpartumandthecompositionofthemilkimmediatelybeforemilkingintheNharira-LancashiresmallholderfarmingareasofZimbabwe.Sevencommunalarea(CA)and6smallscalecommercialarea(SSCA)farmersowning49cow-calfpairsof3breedsparticipatedinthestudy.nbsp;Therewerenosignificantdifferencesinthemorningmilkintakebybeef,dairyanddairyxbeef(DxB)calvesinbothCA(mean:1.39kg)andSSCA(1.51kg).Meanpre-weaninggrowthratesofcalvesfromthe3breedswerenotsignificantlydifferentineacharea(mean:CA=0.256andSSCA=0.343kg/d).IntheCA,thetotalmorningmilkyield(milkoff-take+calfintake)was3.5kgforbeef,4.0kgforDxBand5.7kgfordairycows;thedifferencesweresignificant.IntheSSCAfarmsthebeefandDxBcowshadaloweryield(4.8and5.4kg,respectively)thanthedairycows(7.3kg).Differencesinproteinandlactosecontentsweresignificantamongthe3breedsintheCA.nbsp;Theseresultsshowthatfora30-minutesucklingperiod,calvesfromthe3breedgroupsconsumedsimilarquantitiesofmilkofasimilarnutritivevalue.nbsp;