Crossbred Cows Conformation Traits and Milk Yield Correlations in Central Ethiopia

Abstract

We examined the effects of different genotypes and parities on linear conformation traits and assessed the phenotypic relationship between milk yield and linear conformation traits of crossbred dairy cows. We measured twelve linear conformation traits combined with body weight and body condition score of thirty-one 50% Friesian Boran and thirty-five 75% Friesian Boran crossbred cows from 2019 to 2022. Feeding management practices that are usually used for Holeta research station dairy farms consisting of natural grazing, hay and concentrate supplements at the rate of 4 kg per day/cow were the recommended feeding practices in the farm. The overall means of stature, wither height, heart girth, rump length, body length, body condition score and body weight of Friesian Borana crossbred cows were 134.20 cm, 133.31cm, 172.26 cm, 65.00 cm, 149.26 cm, 2.84 and 424.60 kg, respectively. Crossbred cows having 75% exotic gene inheritance had lower body condition score (2.6) than cows with 50% exotic gene inheritance (3.11). The 75% Friesian Borana crossbred cows had also wider udder circumference before and after milking (32.9 and 29.2 cm) than the 50% Friesian Borana crosses (30.4 and 28.4 cm), respectively. High phenotypic correlations (P<0.01) were observed between milk yield with rump length (r_p=0.91), body length (r_p=0.68), front udder height (r_p=0.92), rear udder height (r_p=0.66), and udder circumference (r_p=0.78). Hence, rump length, body length, front udder height and udder circumference can be taken as better predictors of milk yield of dairy cows and accounting for these traits in the dairy cattle breeding program aids in achieving additional information on selection of cows for milk production.