Prepubertal growth rate of Bali cattle and its crosses with Simmental breed at lowland and highland environment

Abstract

Prepubertal growth rate (GR-1,2) of Bali cattle and its crosses with Simmental breed in the hot environment of lowland (0-100 m) and the cool environment of highland (700-1100 m above sea level) of West Nusa Tenggara province, Indonesia, were evaluated by measuring the birth weight (BW), 150 d weaning weight (WW.150), preweaning growth rate (GR-1), yearling weight (YW), and post weaning growth rate (GR-2) of 187, 166, 216, and 156 calves for Bali breed (B), Bali x Simmental crossbred (SB), SB x Simmental back crossed (SBS), and SB x Bali back crossed (SBB), respectively. The results showed, GR-1,2 of the calf were significantly different between B calves and the crosses, and between the two altitudes of farms for the crosses calves. The B calves were found to have an average 0.29 kg/day GR-1,2 which was not different between raised in the lowland and highland environment. The crosses calves grew 75.02, 60.71, and 82.14% faster than those of B calf in the lowland for SB, SBS, and SBB calves, respectively, and 83.55, 115.48, and 70.97% faster than those of B calf in the highland for SB, SBS, and SBB calves, respectively.