Preprint Article Version 1 Preserved in Portico This version is not peer-reviewed

Adaptability of Polish Red Cows to Extensive Feeding Conditions

Witold Chabuz
,
Paweł Żółkiewski
* ORCID logo ,
Wioletta Sawicka-Zugaj
,
Krzysztof Buczek
,
Marta Staniec
,
Sylwester Kowalik
ORCID logo ,
Piotr Rydel
,
Andrzej Lisowski
Version 1 : Received: 15 September 2023 / Approved: 18 September 2023 / Online: 18 September 2023 (11:54:27 CEST)

How to cite: Chabuz, W.; Żółkiewski, P.; Sawicka-Zugaj, W.; Buczek, K.; Staniec, M.; Kowalik, S.; Rydel, P.; Lisowski, A. Adaptability of Polish Red Cows to Extensive Feeding Conditions. Preprints 2023, 2023091156. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202309.1156.v1 Chabuz, W.; Żółkiewski, P.; Sawicka-Zugaj, W.; Buczek, K.; Staniec, M.; Kowalik, S.; Rydel, P.; Lisowski, A. Adaptability of Polish Red Cows to Extensive Feeding Conditions. Preprints 2023, 2023091156. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202309.1156.v1

Abstract

The aim of the study was to assess the adaptability of Polish Red cows to extensive housing and feeding conditions. The study was carried out using 22 cows together with their offspring, kept on a certified organic family farm, from 15 October 2017 – the start of the winter feeding season – to 30 October 2018 – the end of the pasture season. The animals were kept as beef suckler cows, which stayed in the pasture during the summer and were kept in buildings with permanent access to a large cattle run in winter. The following were determined in the study: changes in the cows’ weight and body condition, daily gains in calves, 210-day standardized body weight, and estimated milk yield of suckler cows. To evaluate the cows’ health, blood was collected from them twice and analysed for haematological and biochemical parameters. The results indicated that during the study period the Polish Red cows had adequate body condition, normal vital parameters, and a normal course and development of pregnancy despite the sparse winter diet. This definitively confirms the breed’s high capacity to adapt to an extensive system.

Keywords

native breed; vital parameters; body condition; poorer-quality feedstuffs; suckler cows

Subject

Biology and Life Sciences, Animal Science, Veterinary Science and Zoology

Copyright: This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

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