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THE RATE OF GROWTH OF THE DAIRY COW : II. GROWTH IN WEIGHT AFTER THE AGE OF TWO YEARS
S Brody1, A C Ragsdale, C W Turner
1Department of Dairy Husbandry, University of Missouri, Columbia.
The Journal of General Physiology
|October 30, 2009
Summary
Dairy cow growth rate significantly slows after age two. This decline follows a consistent, non-cyclic pattern, similar to a monomolecular chemical reaction, with a constant percentage decrease over time.
Area of Science:
- Animal Science
- Veterinary Medicine
- Zoology
Background:
- Understanding dairy cow growth patterns is crucial for optimizing herd management and productivity.
- Previous studies have focused on early growth stages, with less data available on long-term weight development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the long-term weight gain trajectory of dairy cows from 2 to 17 years of age.
- To characterize the pattern of growth rate decline in mature dairy cattle.
Main Methods:
- Utilized an extensive dataset encompassing dairy cow weights over a 15-year age range.
- Applied mathematical modeling to describe the observed growth decline.
- Compared the growth decline pattern to established chemical reaction kinetics.
Main Results:
- Dairy cow weight gain significantly decelerates after the age of two years.
- The decline in growth rate exhibits a non-cyclic, consistent pattern.
- The observed growth decline closely mirrors the kinetics of a monomolecular chemical reaction, indicating a constant percentage decrease with age.
Conclusions:
- The growth trajectory of dairy cows into senescence is predictable and follows a specific mathematical model.
- This finding has implications for nutritional management and predicting mature body weight in dairy herds.
- Further research could explore the physiological underpinnings of this consistent growth deceleration.
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