Effect of Rainfall on Cow and Calf Performance Raised Under Oil Palm and Cattle Integrated Farming System
Effect of Rainfall on Cow and Calf Performance Raised Under Oil Palm and Cattle Integrated Farming System
Nurul Isnaini*, Akhmad Kurniawan, Muhammad Nur Ihsan, Dedes Amertaningtyas, Artharini Irsyammawati, Faizal Andri
ABSTRACT
The current study aimed to explore the effect of rainfall on cow and calf performance raised under oil palm and cattle integrated farming system. Indonesian local cows (n=200) and Brahman crossbred bulls (n=10) were raised under oil palm and cattle integrated farming system. Data were collected for cow and calf performance from two consequent calvings that were distributed into two groups according to the rainy days and rainfall for a year backward from the calving date. The rainy days were categorized as low (< 150 d) and high (≥ 150 d) whereas rainfall was categorized as low (< 2400 mm) and high (≥ 2400 mm). The results exhibited that rainy days and rainfall did not significantly affect (p > 0.05) cow body weight and body condition score. However, the calf born in the high rainy days and rainfall had a heavier (p < 0.05) birth weight and weaning weight comparing with those born in the low rainfall and rainy days. These results indicated that the different rainfall and rainy days have no considerable effect on cow performance raised under oil palm and cattle integrated farming system, however, these climatic conditions are important for calf performance.
Keywords | Palm oil, Grazing cattle, Breeding cattle, Tropics, Rainfall
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