Journal of Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology (한국동물생명공학회지)

The Korean Society of Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology (한국동물생명공학회)
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Effect of birth and lactation season on the growth of Korean Hanwoo calves

  • Jin-Ki, Park (Department of Livestock, Korea National University of Agricultures and Fisheries) ;
  • Kwanghyun, Cho (Department of Livestock, Korea National University of Agricultures and Fisheries) ;
  • Joon Mo, Yeo (Department of Livestock, Korea National University of Agricultures and Fisheries) ;
  • Dong-Wook, Kim (Department of Livestock, Korea National University of Agricultures and Fisheries) ;
  • Pilnam, Seong (Animal Nutrition & Physiology Division, National Institute of Animal Science, RDA) ;
  • Won-Young, Lee (Department of Livestock, Korea National University of Agricultures and Fisheries)
  • Received : 2022.10.11
  • Accepted : 2022.10.29
  • Published : 2022.12.31
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Abstract

South Korea has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. However, summers are extremely hot and humid, which negatively affects industrial animal production. Hanwoo are native cattle that have traditionally been raised in the natural environment of Korea. The present study investigated the effects of birth and lactation season on the birth and weaning weights of Hanwoo calves. Data were collected from 100 local breeding farms between 2016 and 2021. A total of 56,970 (males, 29,530; females, 27,440) Hanwoo calves were classified according to sex or birth and weaning season (March-May, spring; June-August, summer; September-November, fall; and December-February, winter). The birth weight of Hanwoo calves differed according to the birth season. As such, birth weight of the summer-born calves was the lowest. Additionally, the 90-day weaning weight was positively correlated with birth weight. Interestingly, however, the 90-day weaning weight was not related to the birth season but was related to the 2-month seasonal effect during the lactation period. Furthermore, the 90-day weaning weight was the lowest during the summer lactation period. In the beef cattle industry, daily weight gain is an important economic characteristic related to feed efficiency and growth. Our findings will contribute the management of Hanwoo cattle and analysis of changes in economic characteristics due to high temperatures.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

This work was supported by the Cooperative Research Program of the Rural Development Administration, Republic of Korea (grant number PJ01494505).

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