Energy requirements of young female cattle. 6. Energy requirements

Results taken from 6 experiments with young female cattle comprising 477 metabolism periods served the derivation of the animals energy requirement in the development range greater than 125 kg live weight according to the factorial method. The energy requirement per kg LW0.75 and day, calculated from metabolism data, was independent of the stage of development and the intensity of feeding. It averaged 455 +/- 66 kJ metabolizable energy/kg LW0.75.d and 250 +/- 37 kJ NEFcattle/kg LW0.75.d respectively. The partial energy requirement for live weight gain, expressed in net energy fat, was equivalent to the energy content of the live weight gain. Energy retention and thus energy requirement per kg live weight gain increased with the live weight and reached a maximum of 26 MJ. Energy retention per kg live weight gain largely depended on the intensity of feeding and the stage of gravidity. Restrictive energy supply and progressing gravidity decreased energy content in the weight gain. The influences mentioned were taken into consideration on the derivation of the partial requirement for live weight gain. Equations were developed for the estimation of the energy requirement of young female cattle, which can be applied to both gravid and non-gravid cattle.