Abstract

Two experiments were carried out to measure the effects of fitting polyethylene body covers on the winter milk production of mature cows, and oxygen consumption by calves. In the first experiment, the covers had no significant effects on the winter milk production or liveweight of lactating cows grazing on pasture supplemented with silage. In the second experiment, oxygen consumption by young calves exposed to an air temperature of 9 C, 8 km/hour wind and simulated rain was significantly reduced by the wearing of covers (by 40% during the period of rain). Covers offer an effective, low- cost method for reducing the adverse effect of cold wet weather on young calves reared out-of-doors.

DB, Pownall, RJ Lucas, AS Familton, BG Love, SE Hines, and LR Fletcher

Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production, Volume 53, , 19-22, 1993