Feeding regimen could help reverse decline in Japanese black cattle High volumes of milk replacer improve growth of calves and reduce age of first birth31 March 2025 31 March 2025 2 minute read 2 minute read By: By: Kyushu University AsiaJoint research led by Kyushu University could help increase Japanese black cattle production through a change in feeding regimen. Yutaka Taguchi, Dr. Yudai Inabu, and Dr. Hideyuki Takahashi have found that feeding high volumes of milk replacer to female Japanese black calves may improve their growth and reduce the age they first give birth, potentially speeding up the rate cattle can be produced. Heifers weighing over 270 kg and measuring taller than 116 cm at 300 days of age then underwent up to seven rounds of artificial insemination. Female Japanese black calves gain the physique for artificial insemination and give birth earlier when fed high volumes of milk replacer. However, the calves fed the most milk replacer averaged two months longer from the first artificial insemination to pregnancy compared to the other groups.