Development of New Indicator Traits for Selection for High Milk Yield of Indigenous Dual-Purpose Cows in Hot-Humid Environment, Ghana

2021 ◽  
pp. 60-68
Author(s):  
I. Coffie ◽  
S. Y. Annor ◽  
J. K. Kagya-Agyemang ◽  
A. Annan-Prah ◽  
H. Seidu
Keyword(s):  
Milk Yield ◽  
Dual Purpose ◽  
Humid Environment ◽  
Selection For ◽  
Indicator Traits

Evaluation of dual-purpose cows on a seasonal grass-based system of milk production

2003 ◽  
Vol 2003 ◽  
pp. 58-58
Author(s):  
F. Buckley ◽  
P. Dillon ◽  
R.D. Evans ◽  
J.F. Mee
Keyword(s):  
Milk Production ◽  
Milk Yield ◽  
Production System ◽  
Deleterious Effect ◽  
Milk Composition ◽  
Biological Efficiency ◽  
Dual Purpose ◽  
Holstein Friesian ◽  
Payment Schemes ◽  
Selection For

In recent years the relevance of continued selection for higher milk yield alone has been questioned for three reasons (Simm, 1998): 1) the introduction of milk quotas in some countries, 2) the now well documented deleterious effect of selection for yield on health and fertility (Pryce and Veerkamp, 2001), and, 3) the increased emphasis in payment schemes in many countries on milk composition. The purpose of this study was to measure the biological efficiency of two dual-purpose breeds (Montbeliarde (MB) and Normande (NR)) relative to two Holstein-Friesian strains (upgraded Irish Holstein-Friesian (CL) and Dutch Holstein-Friesian (HF)) on a spring-calving milk production system based mainly on grazed grass as a feed.

scholarly journals Genetic parameters by Bayesian inference for dual purpose Jaffarabadi buffaloes

2012 ◽  
Vol 55 (6) ◽  
pp. 567-576 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. H. Mendes Malhado ◽  
A. C. Mendes Malhado ◽  
A. Amorim Ramos ◽  
P. L. Souza Carneiro ◽  
F. Siewerdt ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bayesian Inference ◽  
Milk Yield ◽  
Genetic Parameters ◽  
Growth Traits ◽  
Average Daily Gain ◽  
Genetic Correlations ◽  
Direct Selection ◽  
Dual Purpose ◽  
Lactation Length ◽  
Selection For

Abstract. Knowledge of genetic parameters is essential for improved reproductive management and increased yield. Quantitative analysis of genetic parameters is lacking for many breeds of buffaloes. This article provides the first estimate of genetic parameters for dual purpose (meat and milk) Brazilian Jaffarabadi buffaloes, using Bayesian inference. Data on milk yield (MY), lactation length (LL), weight at 205 days (W205) and 365 (W365) days of age, and average daily gain (ADG) from 205 to 365 days of age were collected in two herds. Bivariate analyses (using the program MTGSAM) were performed with the Gibbs sampler to obtain estimates of variance and covariance. Average lactation milk yield and lactation length were 1620.2±450.9 kg and 257.6±46.8 days, respectively, and the mean values for weight traits (kg) were 181.6±63.3 (W205), 298.04±116.1 (W365), and 0.73±0.35 (ADG). Heritability estimates (modes) were 0.16 for MY, 0.10 for LL, 0.43 for W205, 0.48 for W365 and 0.32 for ADG. There was a high genetic correlation (0.96) between milk yield and lactation length and very high genetic correlations (0.99) between the three growth traits. Our data suggest that both milk production and growth traits have clear potential for yield improvement through direct selection in this dual purpose breed. The selection for weight at an early age would be successful and selection for MY can be performed in the first lactation.

scholarly journals Analysis of lactating cows on commercial Austrian dairy farms: the influence of genotype and body weight on efficiency parameters

2019 ◽  
Vol 62 (2) ◽  
pp. 491-500 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Ledinek ◽  
Leonhard Gruber ◽  
Franz Steininger ◽  
Birgit Fuerst-Waltl ◽  
Karl Zottl ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Body Weight ◽  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Milk Yield ◽  
Body Condition Score ◽  
Weight Class ◽  
Dual Purpose ◽  
Weight Range ◽  
Project Data ◽  
Relationship Of

Abstract. The aim of this study was twofold: first, to evaluate the influence of body weight on the efficiency of dairy cows, and second, to analyze the current state of dairy cattle populations as part of the Austrian Cattle Breeding Association's Efficient Cow project. Data of Fleckvieh (FV, dual-purpose Simmental), Fleckvieh×Red Holstein (FV×RH), Holstein (HF) and Brown Swiss (BS) dairy cows (161 farms, 6098 cows) were collected at each performance recording during the year 2014. In addition to routinely recorded data (e.g., milk yield, fertility), body weight, body measurements, body condition score (BCS) and individual feed information were also collected. The following efficiency traits were considered: body weight efficiency as the ratio of energy-corrected milk (ECM) to metabolic body weight, feed efficiency (kilogram ECM per kilogram dry-matter intake) and energy efficiency expressed as the ratio of energy in milk to energy intake. The relationship of milk yield to body weight was shown to be nonlinear. Milk yield decreased in cows above the 750 kg body weight class for HF, BS and FV×RH with 68 % RH genes, but less dramatically and later for FV at 800 kg. This resulted in an optimum body weight for feed and energy efficiency. BS and HF had the highest efficiency in a narrower and lighter body weight range (550–700 kg) due to a stronger curvature of the parabolic curve. Contrary to this, the efficiency of FV did not change as much as it did in the dairy breeds with increasing body weight, meaning that FV had a similar feed and energy efficiency in a range of 500–750 kg. The breed differences disappeared when body weight ranged between 750 and 800 kg. The average body weight of the breeds studied (FV 722 kg, BS 649 and HF 662 kg) was in the optimum range. FV was located at the upper end of the decreasing segment. In conclusion, an optimum body weight range for efficiency does exist, due to the nonlinear relationship of milk yield and body weight. Specialized dairy breeds seem to respond more intensively to body weight range than dual-purpose breeds, due to the stronger curvature. Cows with medium weights within a population are the most efficient. Heavy cows (>750 kg) produce even less milk. A further increase in dairy cows' body weights should therefore be avoided.

Lactation performance of goats and growth rates of kids under different milking and rearing methods in Kenya

1988 ◽  
Vol 46 (2) ◽  
pp. 237-242 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Ruvuna ◽  
T. C. Cartwright ◽  
H. Blackburn ◽  
M. Okeyo ◽  
S. Chema
Keyword(s):  
Milk Yield ◽  
Growth Rates ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Yield Potential ◽  
Lactation Performance ◽  
East African ◽  
Dual Purpose ◽  
Total Milk ◽  
Rearing Methods ◽  
Least Squares Techniques

AbstractTwo experiments were conducted to test different milking procedures for dual-purpose goats that would be suitable for smallholder farmers. In experiment 1, 105 East African and Galla does that kidded to singles were randomly assigned to three treatments: (a) milking in absence of kid and kid sucking residual; (b) milking in presence of kid and kid sucking residual; and (c) milking once a week and kid sucking all milk 6 days of the week. In experiment 2, 45 Galla does that kidded to singles were randomly assigned to three treatments: (a) weigh-suckle-weigh; (b) milking half udder while kid sucking other half and (c) kid sucking all milk in the evening and milking mornings. Measurements of milk yield, milk sucked and weights of kids were taken for 12 weeks of lactation.Results were analysed using least-squares techniques for unequal subclass numbers. Milking in the presence of kids increased does' milk yield. This increase was attributed to the stimulation of milk let-down by the presence of kids. Although this method potentially provided most milk for dairy use, less residual milk was left to sustain growth of kids. Estimates of total milk yield by milking once a week underestimated milk yield potential of the East African and Galla breeds. Results indicated an appropriate method for estimating milk potential should combine both milked and sucked milk measurements. Restricting milk available to the kids reduced their growth rates and thus indirectly affected their maturing rates. No milking procedure proved to be superior all-around for the smallholder for milking goats. To resolve this dilemma, use of an optimizing technique including socio-economic weighting of milk for family use relative to milk for kids was proposed.

scholarly journals Effect of dietary-induced increases in circulating insulin concentrations during the early postpartum period on reproductive function in dairy cows

Reproduction ◽  
2002 ◽  
pp. 419-427 ◽  
Author(s):  
JG Gong ◽  
WJ Lee ◽  
PC Garnsworthy ◽  
R Webb
Keyword(s):  
Body Weight ◽  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Milk Yield ◽  
Body Condition ◽  
Reproductive Performance ◽  
Body Condition Score ◽  
Post Partum ◽  
Dietary Treatment ◽  
Genetic Merit ◽  
Selection For

Although it has become increasingly clear that fertility in modern dairy cattle is declining in association with increased milk yields, the underlying mechanism is poorly understood. The first ovulation post partum is delayed in dairy cows undergoing selection for genetic merit for milk yield in association with lower circulating insulin concentrations. The aim of this study was to investigate whether feeding a diet to increase circulating insulin concentrations can overcome this delay in the first ovulation post partum. The experiment was a 2 x 2 factorial design (n = 10 per group) involving diet and genetic merit for milk yield. The dietary treatment started on the day of calving and lasted for 50 days. Plasma samples were collected each day and ovarian ultra-sonography was performed three times a week during the experimental feeding period. Milk yield was recorded each day, and body weight and body condition score were determined each week. Milk samples were collected three times a week from day 50 to day 105 post partum, and reproductive performance data were recorded for all the cows as part of the routine farm practice. The dietary treatment induced significant differences in plasma insulin concentrations in both high and low genetic merit cows. Although high genetic merit cows produced more milk, lost more body weight and had lower body condition scores during the experiment, no significant effect of diet was observed on these measurements. The high insulin inducing diet increased the proportion of cows ovulating within 50 days of calving and reduced the intervals from calving to first ovulation, and tended to reduce the intervals from calving to first service and to conception. These fertility parameters were also more favourable in low than in high genetic merit cows, but no interaction between diet and genetic merit was observed for any of these parameters. Genetic merit, but not diet, also affected the number of services required per conception and the conception rate. In conclusion, these results have confirmed that genetic selection for high milk yield is associated with a decrease in reproductive performance in dairy cows. More importantly, this study has demonstrated that it is possible to alleviate this problem by nutritional manipulation.

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