Productive Performance of Crossbred Dairy Cattle

Abstract

Abstract
This study was conducted to evaluate the productive performances of crossbred
dairy cattle at Holetta agricultural research center’s dairy farm. A total of 6685
performance records were used and analyzed to determine the effect of period of
calving, season of calving, parity and genetic group. Parameters used as indicator of
productive performances were lactation milk yield (LMY), daily milk yield (DMY)
and lactation length (LL). The GLM procedure of SAS 2004 was used for analysis.
The overall least square means and standard errors for Lactation milk yield (LMY),
daily milk yield (DMY) and lactation length (LL) were 2204.05 ± 21.12 kg, 6.88 ±
0.05 kg and 326.69 ± 2.03 days, respectively. Result of fixed effect analysis indicated
that calving period, genetic group and parity were significantly (p<0.001) influenced
all productive traits. LMY, DMY, and LL were sensitive to seasonal variation.
Comparisons among the crosses revealed a clear-cut difference among the genetic
groups. Milk production in the first generation crosses increased more compared to
second generations. There were marked decline in performance among 50% F1
(Borena dam x Holstein Friesian sire), F2 (F1 dam x F1 sire) and F3 (F2 dam x F2
sire) from 2203kg of milk to 1697 and 1522 kg, respectively. The 75% first
generation was superior LMY compared with other genetic groups and produced
about 34.2 %, 74.3%, 94.3% and 45.9% more milk than 50% F1, F2, F3 and 75%
second generations, respectively. The higher milk yield of 75% first generation and
50% F1 crosses from other genetic groups could be associated with higher heterosis
effect in F1, higher milk gene in 75% and longer lactation length. Based on the
productive performances evaluation, the results of LMY, DMY, and LL for high
grade (75% first generation) in the present study revealed that performances were
continued to increase with increasing proportion of exotic gene.