ORIGINAL PAPER
Effect of high temperature on growth performance
of calves maintained in outdoor hutches
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Research Institute of Animal Production, Slovak Agricultural Research Centre,
Hlohovska 2, 949092, Nitra, Slovakia
Publication date: 2008-04-08
Corresponding author
J. Broucek
Research Institute of Animal Production, Slovak Agricultural Research Centre,
Hlohovska 2, 949092, Nitra, Slovakia
J. Anim. Feed Sci. 2008;17(2):139-146
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ABSTRACT
The aim of this work was to evaluate effects of high temperature on the growth, feed intake and
health condition of calves kept in individual hutches in southern Slovakia. We tested a hypothesis
that the calf performance would be influenced by the season at birth, sire lineage and gender. Sixty-three
Holstein calves were reared in individual hutches from the second day of life to weaning at
the age of 8 weeks. The calves originated from 5 sires. All calves were divided according to the
temperature period at birth. The effects of period were determined according to two patterns: in
pattern A, a low temperature period 1 (LT1, from April 4 to June 11, 69 days), high temperature
period (HT, from June 12 to September 14, 95 days) and low temperature period 2 (from September
15 to November 24, 70 days) were distinguished; in pattern B, the results obtained in the LT1 and
LT2 periods were combined and compared with those found in HT period. The same conditions
of nutrition were ensured. We recorded 62 summer days and 14 tropical days during HT. Sixty-six
days with the THI value above 72.0 and twenty-six with the values higher than 78.0 were found. The
calves born during the HT had the lowest body weight from the first week to the weaning in the both
patterns (P<0.05). These calves drank up the most of water to the weaning, and had the least intake
of starter mixture (P<0.05).
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