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Breed, nutritional and heterotic effects on age of teeth emergence in cattle

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

A. J. Brookes
Affiliation:
Department of Applied Biology, University of Cambridge
J. Hodges
Affiliation:
Department of Applied Biology, University of Cambridge

Summary

Under experimentally controlled nutritional levels, using Hereford, Hereford x Dairy Shorthorn, Dairy Shorthorn and Friesian breed-types, 288 animals were studied for age of eruption of the four pairs of front permanent teeth. Standard deviations are similar to those of other reports on Bos taunts. Breed differences were negligible and there is no evidence of heterosis. Lower nutritional levels delayed and higher levels advanced eruption. This effect had a maximum difference of 72 days if the differential nutrition was applied in calfhood. Differential nutrition later produced a smaller effect. It is concluded that in practice, the age of teeth eruption cannot be used to determine accurately the previous nutritional status of individual animals.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1979

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References

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