cuanto a la conservación y la mejora ambos modelos necesitán ser mejorados para conseguir un programa de éxito.

Elucidation of genetic variability and genetic relationship among breeds has direct relevance with the issues of sustainable use of domestic animal genetic resources. In the present study, genetic polymorphism was evaluated using 22 microsatellite loci in unrelated samples of Red Kandhari and Deoni cattle breeds inhabiting the same geographical area of Marathwada region in Maharashtra state (western India). This work was mainly aimed at assessing the current genetic diversity to understand whether the two zebu populations in question are genetically differentiated. A total of 164 alleles were detected with an average of 5.82 and 5.86 alleles per locus (MNA) in Red Kandhari and Deoni breeds, respectively. The estimated mean observed (Ho) and expected (He) heterozygosity were 0.47 and 0.64 in Red Kandhari vs. 0.57 and 0.69 in Deoni cattle, respectively, demonstrating considerable level of genetic variation in both the populations. Mean estimates of F statistics were: F (FIT) = 0.315 +/- 0.035, f(FIS) = 0.231 +/- 0.031, theta(FST) = 0.110 +/- 0.022, with both the breeds exhibiting significant deficit of heterozygotes (FIS = 0.179 in Deoni; 0.278 in Red Kandhari). The multilocus FST values implied that 11.0% of the total genetic variation corresponds to breed and were statistically greater than zero for the two populations, suggesting population division. The evaluation of exact test also indicated that allele frequencies across all the loci differed significantly (P < 0.001) between two zebu breeds, further supporting population differentiation. Different genetic distance measures showed considerable levels of distances between the two cattle breeds (0.318 = Nei's standard DS; 0.250 = Nei's DA; 0.416 = Cavalli-Sforza and Edwards's Dc; 0.164 = Reynold's, and 2.64 = Delta mu square (dmicro)2. Bayesian statistical approach to assign each individual to the population also supported considerable differentiation between the two cattle breeds, possibly reflecting the limited gene flow between the two Marthwada cattle populations. The existence of cohesive breeding structure of both the breeds was further substantiated by allele-sharing distance measures (DAS) among individual animals. The results of this study thus revealed that the two Bos indicus breeds sharing the common breeding tracts are genetically differentiated enough as separate breeds.

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ABSTRACT...... An experiment was conducted to study the effect of crop residue based complete feed on growth performance and cost of feeding on crossbred (HF x Deoni) calves. Eighteen calves of six to eighteen months were selected and distributed in three groups. In control treatment (T 0 ), the sorghum straw and concentrate used separately, in T 1 treatment sorghum straw and concentrate used as complete feed whereas in T 3 treatment sorghum and wheat straw in equal proportion (1:1) to form complete feed. The total average body weight gain and average daily gain per animal under T 0 , T 1 and T 2 treatments were 21.16 kg and 220 g, 24.8 kg and 258g and 26.66 kg and 227 g, respectively. The differences were non-significant among the treatments. The differences in body length and chest girth gain were significantly superior in T 2 treatment than T 0 and T 1 . The cost of feeding per kg body weight gain under T 0 , T 1 and T 2 treatments was Rs.47.78, 41.72 and 37.58, respectively. Cost per kg body weight gain of crossbred calves was lower in complete feed (T 2 ), indicated that feeding of sorghum and wheat straw in equal proportion by forming complete feed is economical.