Early weaning promotes improvement of blood nutritional indicators in half-bred zebu cows

Abstract

Blood nutritional indicators were measured in half-bred zebu cows that suckled their calves throughout lactation (control; n=30) or until 60 to 75 days when their calves were weaned (EW: n=30). Measurements of live weight, evaluation of body condition score (BCS), and blood collection began on day 0 (=date calves from EW cows were weaned) and then on days 7, 14, 21, 30, 60 and 90. At the end of 90 days, BCS and live weight were significantly higher in EW than in the control cows (5.4±1.0 and 407±42.5 kg versus 4.0±0.9 and 388±39.1 kg). EW had higher blood concentration (p < 0.05) of albumin (3.43±0.22 versus 2.92±0.11 g/dl), urea (0.37±0.09 versus 0.19±0.06 g/l), hemoglobin (13.5±0.44 versus 11.4±0.37 g/dl), iron (98.8±21.5 versus 74.7±11.8 µg/dl) and copper (60.3±8.8 versus 47.7±9.2 µg/dl). Serum glucose levels did not differ between the two groups. Treatment effects on live weight, BCS and blood hemoglobin were significant after day 30, and on the remaining serum nutritional indicators after day 21. In line with expectations, cows whose calves were weaned early showed superior nutritional status compared with those that continued to suckle their calves.