Feeding strategies for rearing replacement heifers in small-scale dairy production systems in the highlands of Central Mexico

• Published in: Tropical animal health and production 2003-06, Vol.35 (3), p.259-269
• Main Authors: Arriaga-Jordan, C.M, Garcia-Martinez, A, Albarran-Portillo, B, Espinoza-Ortega, A, Castelan-Ortega, O.A
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animal Feed; Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; Animals; Body Weight; breeding weight; Cattle - growth & development; cattle feeding; Corn silage; Corn straw; dairy farming; Dairying - economics; Dairying - methods; Dry season; Economic conditions; Economics; Farmers; feed concentrates; Feeding; Female; Forage; forage quality; Grasses; Grazing; heifers; herd size; Humans; liveweight gain; Mexico; Pasture; production costs; protein concentrates; Rainy season; Rural Population; Seasons; Silage; small farms; sown pastures; traditional farming; Weeds; wet season; Zea mays - metabolism
• ISSN: 0049-4747; 1573-7438
• DOI: 10.1023/A:1023351631315

The growth of Holstein heifers in the campesino dairy systems in the highlands of Mexico was evaluated in three feeding strategies. Thirty-three heifers from 11 farmers, grouped according to strategy, were weighed every 14 days for 28 weeks. The live weight change over each 14-day period was estimated by individually regressing live weight over period, taking the regression coefficient as an unbiased estimate of live weight change. Regression coefficients were analysed as a randomized design with feeding strategies as treatments. Strategies were as follows: S1: grazed or cut pasture all year, maize silage and maize straw in the dry season, and 1.0-1.5 kg concentrate/heifer per day. S2: maize straw in the dry season, cut pasture forage, grazing of native grass, weeds from maize fields, and 1.0-1.5 kg concentrate/heifer per day. S3: maize straw in the dry season, grazed native grasses and weeds in the rainy season. Live weight gains were: S1, 0.511 kg/heifer per day; S2, 0.271 kg/heifer per day; and S3, 0.252 kg/heifer per day. Despite the better gains in S1, they are 24% below recommendations, arriving to service at 20 months of age. Not rearing their replacements may be a better alternative for campesino farmers under current economic conditions.