Performance of Purunã beef cows subjected to different nursing managements

Authors

  • Ivan César Furmann Moura Universidade Estadual de Ponta Grossa
  • Fernando Kuss Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná
  • José Luis Moletta Instituto Agronômico do Paraná
  • Luis Fernando Glazenapp de Menezes Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná
  • Douglas Sampaio Henrique Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná
  • Leandro Cavalcante Lipinski Universidade Estadual de Ponta Grossa
  • Adriana de Souza Martins Universidade Estadual de Ponta Grossa

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1590/S1678-3921.pab2014.v49.18254

Keywords:

controlled nursing, post‑partum anestrus, early weaning, reproductive efficiency, calving interval, fertility rate

Abstract

The objective of this work was to evaluate the weight and reproductive performance of beef cows subjected to different nursing managements. During the breeding season of 85 days, 161 beef cows of the Purunã breed were evaluated, according to the following feeding managements: early weaning, cows separated from their calves at 75 days postpartum; controlled nursing, cows separated from their calves at 75 days of age, but taken to nurse once a day during the breeding season; and conventional weaning, cows kept with their calves until the end of the breeding season, at 160 days of age of calves, in average. Fertility rates were not significantly affected by weaning managements, being 97% for early weaning, 96% for controlled nursing, and 90% for conventional weaning. However, early weaning resulted in lower reproductive efficiency (28.26 kg), when compared to controlled nursing (35.09 kg) and conventional weaning (35.34 kg). Beef cows maintained in good body conditions at birth and at the beginning of the breeding season have a high fertility rate, regardless of calf‑feeding management.

Author Biography

Douglas Sampaio Henrique, Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná

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Published

2014-04-04

How to Cite

Moura, I. C. F., Kuss, F., Moletta, J. L., de Menezes, L. F. G., Henrique, D. S., Lipinski, L. C., & Martins, A. de S. (2014). Performance of Purunã beef cows subjected to different nursing managements. Pesquisa Agropecuaria Brasileira, 49(1), 49–56. https://doi.org/10.1590/S1678-3921.pab2014.v49.18254

Issue

v.49, n.1, jan. 2014

Section

ANIMAL SCIENCE