EFFECT OF WEANING AGE ON POST-PARTUM ANOESTROUS OF PERANAKAN ONGOLE COWS UNDER SMALLHOLDER FARMERS IN EAST JAVA

Abstract

The study was conducted with using survey and monitoring methods periodically on
smallholder farmers in East Java Indonesia .The locations of the research consist of five regencies and 10 districts in East Java, respectively. Three hundred Purebred Ongole/Peranakan Ongole (PO) cows were monitored and only seventy of them recorded and divided into six groups at weaning age of calf, namely (days) : 40-59 (A), 60-79 (B), 80-99 (C), 100-119 (D), 120-139 (E) and > 140 (F). The parameters monitored and measured were post-partum anoestrous (PPA) live weight and feed supply every month. The data is analyzed by completely
randomized design unequally. The average daily gain (ADG) of PO cows was not significantly different between groups; but the PPA of PO cows was different between group A compared with group C, D, E, F (P<.05). However between the group AB, BC, CD, and DEF were not significantly different and the number of animals on group F was the greatest of all. The effect of weaning age of calf (separated), especially on group A (40-59 days) and group B (60-79 days) of PPA period were lower than the other groups (80- >140 days); therefore, ADG on
group A and B were lower (-297 and -150 g/head/day) than group C, D, E, F. These results of the research showed that PPA and ADG of PO cows at weaning age of 40-59 and 60-89 days on smallholder farmers were better than the others (80 - >140 days).