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• Within two months after calving, heifers in the control group produced the same 305-day projected milk yield as the heifers fed the accelerated calf program.
• Control heifers calved earlier and were slightly larger in frame, while weighing the same as the heifers who had been on the accelerated program.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

An article published in the 2001 Illinois Dairy Report highlighted the preliminary results of a field study conducted in the summer of 2000 on a commercial central Illinois dairy farm as part of an undergraduate research study and supervised by personnel from the University of Illinois Animal Sciences Department. Thirty-two female calves were assigned to a control diet (fed twice a day at a constant rate) or an experimental diet (fed ad libum twice a day). Experimental calves consumed significantly higher intake of milk replacer and water, had significantly lower fecal scores (looser), and more treatment days as calves compared to the control group. Heifers were measured every six months and at freshening and lactation performance was evaluated as it became available.

RESULTS

Measurements and data are summarized in Table 1. There was no significant difference between the DHI 305-day projected actual milk yield (2 to 4 months postpartum). The experimental group had a much greater deviation in predicted milk yield, with some animals estimated at 2,000 pounds above and below the high and low of the control group respectively. On average, the control heifers calved approximately three weeks earlier than those heifers on the accelerated growing program. Actual body weight at freshening was similar between the two groups. The control heifers were slightly larger around the heart girth and slightly taller in stature.

Table 1. Comparison of heifer measurements at freshening and projecting milk yield based on DHI projects.