【独家】干旱条件下犊牛早断奶比较好

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　　Better to wean calves early during drought conditions

　　干旱条件下犊牛早断奶比较好

　　新闻发布日期:2013年8月30日

　　According to a study by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) cows that weaned calves early during severe weather conditions like drought have better body condition going into the winter, thus saving on feed throughout the winter.
　　根据最新的美国农业部(USDA)奶牛部的研究表明在恶劣的季节如干旱期，犊牛早点断奶将会在进入冬天时，获得更好的身体条件，从而节省整个冬季的饲料。
　　During drought, limited forage for livestock grazing can restrict calf growth, resulting in lighter calf weaning weights. Drought may also cause cows to lose body weight, and may weaken their immune functions, reducing their overall health and reproductive performance.
　　在干旱期间，限制牲畜的草料能限制小牛犊的生长，导致犊牛断奶时体重较轻。干旱期也能使奶牛丢失体重，可能会减小它们的免疫功能，降低它们的整体健康和繁殖性能。
　　Animal scientist Richard Waterman, at the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Fort Keogh Livestock and Range Research Laboratory (LARRL) in Miles City, Mont., examines management options to minimise the effects of severe drought on rangeland livestock production.
　　动物科学家Richard Waterman在迈尔斯市的农业研究所（ARS）Fort Keogh家畜推广研究实验室（LARRL）工作，他检查了管理项目以便将严重干旱对牧场家畜生产的影响降低到最低。
　　Working with local ranchers, Montana State University scientists and American Simmental Association collaborators in Bozeman, Mont., Waterman evaluated the early weaning of beef calves and its impact on cow, heifer, and steer performance. Calves at two locations in Montana-Judith Gap and LARRL-were weaned early at 80 days of age and at the more traditional age of 215 days. Cows that weaned a calf early weighed more and were in better body condition at the start of winter. As a result, the amount of harvested feedstuffs required for cows to maintain satisfactory body weights and condition throughout winter was reduced.
　　Waterman一直与当地牧场主和蒙大拿大学科学家以及Bozeman美国西门塔尔协会合作者一起工作，他评估了早期断奶和对犊牛，小母牛和阉牛的影响。蒙大拿Judith Gap和LARRL两个地方的犊牛，在80天龄时断奶或者在传统的215天龄断奶。犊牛早期断奶可在初冬获得较好的体重和身体状况。这样的结果是，冬天用于维持犊牛良好的体重和身体条件所需要的饲料减少了。
　　Waterman confirmed that early weaning is a viable management option, presents fewer problems and allows producers to better control their production environment. He also demonstrated that early weaning increases the likelihood that heifers will become pregnant on time in the following breeding season.
　　Waterman确认早期断奶是一种可行的管理方案，它会出现较少的问题，允许生产者能更好地控制他们的生产环境。他还表明早期断奶增加了小母牛在下一个育种季节及时妊娠的可能性。
　　Additional studies showed that early-weaned steers reached maturity sooner than traditionally weaned steers when body weight gain, feedlot performance and carcass traits were measured.
　　进一步研究表明在测定增重，饲养场性能和胴体性状时，公牛早期断奶可比传统断奶牛过早获得成熟。
　　Waterman noted that management of early-weaned steers can directly impact how they grade at harvest. In some cases, early-weaned steers had poorer USDA yield grades because carcasses were too fat. However, Waterman demonstrated that producers can maximize carcass value of early-weaned steers if animals are identified before they enter the feedlot and then harvested at an earlier age.
　　Waterman指出早期断奶犊牛管理可直接影响它们的后期性状。在某些情况下，早期断奶具有较差的USDA产量等级，这是因为胴体太肥了。然而，Waterman表明，如果动物在进入牧场前能够得到鉴定，然后再较早的年龄可以出栏的话，生产者可以最大程度地提高早期断奶阉牛的胴体价值
　　想要知道更多，请阅读 August 2013 issue of Agricultural Research magazine <http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/AR/archive/aug13/beef0813.htm>.
来源：allaboutfeed
译者：IRIS



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