Growth and viability to 12 months of age of Brahman X Holstein-Friesian, Holstein-Friesian and Brown Swiss calves

Vaccaro, R.; Vaccaro, L.; Combellas, J.; Martinez, N.

For Brahman X Holstein-Friesian (HF), HF and Brown Swiss (BS) calves in Venezuela, birth weight averaged 46, 37 and 39 kg resp. for 40, 68 and 39 and 40, 36 and 38 kg for 45, 922 and 39 the differences between crossbreds and purebreds being significant for and BS being significantly heavier than HF Body weight at 6 months averaged 191 and 177 kg for 22 crossbred and 12 BS resp. and 182, 177 and 163 kg for 29 crossbred, 606 HF and 25 BS all differences between breed types being significant except the difference between crossbred and HF Body weight at 12 months averaged 371 kg for 17 crossbred and 315, 289 and 272 kg for 18 crossbred, 442 HF and 23 BS resp. (P<0.05). The percentage of stillbirths was 11.7, 6.2 and 2.4% resp. in the 3 breed types, and calf mortality within 3 months of birth was 2.6, 9.7 and 12.9%.