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. 2023 Jul 19;7(1):txad063. doi: 10.1093/tas/txad063

Table 2.

Least squares mean and standard errors of means for body measurements, milk feeding behaviors, health and hygiene scores, milk cost, health cost, and economic and sensitivity analysis of dairy calves for breed groups during the first 8 wk of life.

Holstein
(n = 16)		 MVH crossbreds1
(n = 24)		 NJV crossbreds2
(n = 6)		 Limousin-crossbred dairy–beef heifer
(n = 22)3 		Limousin-crossbred dairy–beef bull
(n = 23)3
Measurement LSM SE LSM SE LSM SE LSM SE LSM SE
Birth weight, kg 37.7bc 1.4 40.6b 1.2 33.5c 2.3 40.1b 1.2 43.9a 1.2
Weaning weight, kg 96.9 3.4 99.3 3.1 95.3 4.7 99.9 3.2 103.0 3.2
Weaning hip height, cm 96.4ab 1.1 97.2a 1.0 95.4abc 1.5 94.5bc 1.0 94.1c 1.0
Weaning heart girth, cm 105.5 2.1 106.9 0.9 105.5 2.1 106.9 1.0 107.1 1.0
Total gain, kg 56.8 3.4 59.2 3.1 55.2 4.7 59.9 3.2 62.9 3.2
ADG, kg/d 0.93b 0.04 1.02ab 0.03 0.94ab 0.08 1.02ab 0.05 1.07a 0.05
Drinking speed, mL/min 1,117 183 1,299 177 1,263 211 1,313 178 1,337 179
Total milk consumed, L 520.1a 20.9 518.8a 16.9 505.6ab 34.5 439.3b 17.8 446.3b 17.9
Milk consumed per calf, L/d 9.5a 0.4 9.4a 0.3 9.2ab 0.6 8.0b 0.3 8.1b 0.3
Fecal score 0.52 0.10 0.32 0.08 0.57 0.14 0.38 0.08 0.50 0.08
Scours score 1.51 0.09 1.29 0.07 1.56 0.14 1.36 0.08 1.47 0.07
Respiratory score 1.03 0.02 1.01 0.01 1.04 0.03 1.05 0.02 1.02 0.02
General appearance score 1.07 0.03 1.02 0.02 1.02 0.05 1.06 0.02 1.02 0.02
Calf side score 1.05 0.03 1.04 0.03 1.02 0.03 1.01 0.02 1.01 0.02
Calf rear score 1.09 0.07 1.04 0.06 1.11 0.08 1.12 0.05 1.16 0.06
Milk feed cost, $ 175.67a 7.10 177.13a 5.83 167.31ab 11.32 149.99b 6.14 155.50b 5.79
Health cost, $ 4.27 2.72 2.47 2.23 0.08 4.33 8.10 2.34 7.06 2.21
Total cost, $ 179.94a 7.79 179.60a 6.41 167.39ab 12.34 158.08b 6.74 162.56b 6.36
Average cost per gain, $/kg 3.19a 0.15 3.00a 0.13 3.16a 0.23 2.72ab 0.13 2.66b 0.13
Average cost per day, $/d 2.93ab 0.12 2.95a 0.10 2.79ab 0.19 2.50b 0.10 2.59b 0.10
Lower milk cost, $ 117.11a 4.73 118.09a 3.89 111.54ab 7.55 99.99b 4.09 103.67b 3.85
Lower total cost, $ 121.39ab 5.64 120.55a 4.63 111.62ab 8.98 108.09b 4.87 110.72b 4.60
Lower cost per gain, $/kg 2.14a 0.11 2.01a 0.09 2.10ab 0.17 1.86ab 0.09 1.81b 0.09
Lower cost per day, $/d 2.17ab 0.10 2.15a 0.08 2.00ab 0.16 1.93b 0.09 1.98b 0.08

a–dMeans within a row without common superscripts are different at P < 0.05.

1MVH = crossbreds of Montbéliarde, Holstein, and Viking Red.

2NJV = crossbreds of Normande, Jersey, and Viking Red.

3Limousin-sired crossbreds from MVH and NJV cows.