Growth performance, feed intake, and certain diseases in crossbred calves (male Wagyu × crossbred female Holstein-Friesian) from birth to 12 months of age in Ba Vi – Hanoi
The objective of this study was to evaluate the growth performance of Wagyu crossbreed calves born at Ba Vi, using Wagyu bull semen on a Holstein–Friesian (HF) crossbred herd, from birth to 12 months of age. The experiment monitored a total of 100 Wagyu crossbred calves (50 bulls and 50 heifers; Wagyu × Holstein) from birth to 12 months at the Ba Vi Cattle and Grassland Research Center. During the monitoring period, daily feed intake was recorded, body weight was measured at 90-day intervals, and common diseases were documented. The results showed that during the 6–9-month period, average daily feed intake was 6.55 kg for bulls and 5.22 kg for heifers; in the 9–12-month period, intake increased to 8.24 kg for bulls and 6.44 kg for heifers. Wagyu crossbreed bulls had significantly greater birth weights and weights at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months compared to heifers. Relative growth between bulls and heifers did not differ significantly from birth to 6 months, but from 6 to 9 months onward, bulls exhibited significantly higher relative growth rates than heifers. The herd also experienced common illnesses, including diarrhea (incidence rate: 28 %) and upper respiratory disease (incidence rate: 6 %). Thus, Wagyu crossbred cattle exhibit good feed intake, stable weight gain, and effectively controlled disease conditions, reflecting their growth potential under livestock production conditions in Vietnam.
