Comparison of pure Holsteins to crossbred Holsteins with Norwegian Red cattle in first and second generations

Abstract

A total of 1922 first generation crossbred cows born between 2005 and 2012 produced by inseminating purebred Israeli Holstein cows with Norwegian Red semen, and 7487 purebred Israeli Holstein cows of the same age in the same 50 herds were analyzed for production, calving traits, fertility, calving diseases, body condition score, abortion rate and survival under intensive commercial management conditions. Holstein cows were higher than crossbreds for 305-day milk, fat and protein production. Differences were 764, 1244, 1231 for kg milk; 23.4, 37.4, 35.6 for kg fat, and 16.7, 29.8, 29.8 for kg protein; for parities 1 through 3. Differences for fat concentration were not significant; while crossbred cows were higher for protein concentration by 0.06% to 0.08%. Differences for somatic cells counts were not significant. Milk production persistency was higher for Holstein cows by 5, 8.3 and 8% in parities 1 through 3. Crossbred cows were higher for conception status by 3.1, 3.6 and 4.7% in parities 1 through 3. Rates of metritis for Holsteins were higher than the crossbred cows by 7.8, 4.6 and 3.4% in parities 1 to 3. Differences for incidence of abortion, dystocia, ketosis and milk fever were not significant. Holstein cows were lower than crossbred cows for body condition score for all three parities, with differences of 0.2 to 0.4 units. Contrary to comparisons in other countries, herd-life was higher for Holsteins by 79 days. A total of 6321 Holstein cows born between 2007 and 2011 were higher than 765 progeny of crossbred cows backcrossed to Israeli Holsteins of the same ages for milk, fat and protein production. Differences were 279, 537, 542 kg milk; 10.5, 17.7, 17.0 kg fat and 6.2, 12.9, 13.2 kg protein for parities 1 through 3. Differences for fat concentration were not significant, while backcross cows were higher for protein percentage by 0.02% to 0.04%. The differences for somatic cell score, conception rate, and calving diseases other than metritis, were not significant. Holstein cows were lower than backcross cows by 1.5% to 2.5% for conception status in parities 1 to 3 and lower for body condition score for parities 1 and 2, with differences in the range of 0.06 to 0.09 units. Culling rates were higher, and herd-life lower for the crossbred cows. The gains obtained in secondary traits for crossbred cows did not compensate for the major reduction in production.

Milk coagulation traits and cheese yields of purebred Holsteins and 4 generations of 3-breed rotational crossbred cows from Viking Red, Montbéliarde, and Holstein bulls

“…The milk produced by crossbred cows was richer in protein and casein compared with the milk from purebred Ho cows, confirming results reported by Heins and Hansen (2012), Ezra et al (2016), andHazel et al (2017b), who looked at 2-breed crosses using Mo or Nordic Red sires on Ho cows, and by Malchiodi et al (2014b) and Shonka- Martin et al (2019a), who examined 3-breed crosses of the Ho, Mo, and VR breeds.…”

Effect of Dairy Cow Crossbreeding on Selected Performance Traits and Quality of Milk in First Generation Crossbreds

“…An opposite conclusion was drawn from the study by Blöttner and others () who recorded no significant differences in SCC between HF and HF×BS cows. Ezra and others () also found no differences in SCC between HF and HF×NRF cows. In addition, Heins and Hansen () concluded that SCC in HF×NO crosses was similar to SCC in HF cows, and that it was significantly lower in the crosses of HF×MO and HF with bulls of the Scandinavian breeds.…”

“…This was also confirmed by Swalve and others () and Van Raden and Sanders (). However, Ezra and others () showed no significant differences in the fat content of milk from HF and HF×NRF cows.…”

The differences in production of Holstein Friesian and Holstein Friesian x Norwegian Red F1 crossbreeds

“…Similar results were found in full lactation, approximately 400 kg (371.89; As for fat plus protein (kg) in 305 days the same authors mentioned that crossbreeds had 3 to 10 % lower values comparing to HF. Opposite results were obtained by Ezra et al (2016), who state that Holsteins were higher for milk, fat and protein production comparing to crossbreeds in F1 generations. Ezra et al (2016) also confirmed a slightly higher concentration (%) for fat and protein of the F1 crosses comparing to pure Holstein, which agrees with the results of this research.…”

“…When used properly, heterosis can be a bonus on top of the gain from traditional dairy cattle breeding programs. On contrary, Ezra et al (2016) stated that crossbreeding is a common strategy for most agricultural animal species, including poultry, swine, sheep and beef cattle but for dairy cattle crossbreeding has generally not been considered as an economically viable option. According to Buckley et al (2014) the economic improvement using crossbreeding can be achieved by introducing favourable genes from another breed selected more strongly for traits of interest; removing the negative effects associated with inbreeding depression; or by benefits of heterosis effect.…”