Abstract

Heavier body weight affects dairy farm profitability through its effects on extra dietary energy requirements for maintenance and growth and on extra income from culled cattle; therefore it is now included in the new Animal Evaluation System used with New Zealand dairy cattle. The selection of two lines of Holstein-Friesian cattle began in 1989 using proven sires with either high (H) or low (L) estimated breeding value (EBV) for live weight (LW), but which were all of high genetic merit for milk solids yield. This paper reports on the onset of puberty and the pattern of growth from birth to first calving of heifers from these two genetic lines of cattle.

JG, Garcia-Muniz, CW Holmes, and BW Wickham

Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production, Volume 57, , 46-47, 1997