Effect of forage type on claw horn lesion development in dairy heifers

摘要

In a continuous design study the claw health of 54 Holstein-Friesian heifer calves was recorded from three months of age until six months after first calving (30 months of age). Pre-calving heifers were either fed a wet, fermented grass silage-based diet (WF) or a dry, unfermented straw and concentrate based diet (DU), apart from grazing during their first summer. Approximately one month before calving both groups were fed a silage-based diet and afterwards all received a silage and concentrate lactation ration. Claws were examined four times during rearing, once pre-calving, and four times during lactation.