Crossbreeding beef cattle in Western Uganda 6. A note on hybrid vigour in Red Poll–Boran crosses

Crossbreeding data involving Ghana Shorthorn, Sokoto Gudali and their Jersey F1s and backcrosses collected over a 16-year period were analysed to estimate additive and heterotic effects for milk production, reproduction and calf growth traits. Sokoto Gudali was significantly better than Ghana Shorthorn in all milk production traits. Calving interval and annualized milk production were better in Gudali than in the Shorthorn. The F1s had higher lactation milk yield, milked longer, produced their first calves earlier and had shorter dry periods and calving intervals than their corresponding purebreds. However, genotype was not significant for number of services per conception. Both F1s had higher average daily gain and weaning weight than their corresponding purebreds. Sokoto Gudali backcross (Jersey × F1) was significantly (P < 0·05) better than the F1 in lactation length. However, in Gudali crosses, there was no advantage in increasing the proportion of Jersey genes beyond 0·5 for milk production traits. Additive effects were significantly (at least P < 0·05) lower in the Shorthorn and the Gudali than in Jersey for milk production traits except proportion of butterfat. Heterosis estimates were significant (P < 0·01) for milk production traits for the Shorthorn but not for the Gudali. Heterotic effects were large and significant (at least P < 0·05) in improving annualized milk production in Shorthorn crosses, whilst none of the heterotic effects for reproductive traits was significant. At both 0 and 0·5 levels of Jersey inheritance, the Gudali was superior (P < 0·01) to the Shorthorn in birth weight, weaning weight and pre-weaning average daily gain. Heterotic effects for calf traits were positive and much larger in Gudali crosses than in Shorthorn crosses. In general, backcrosses were, at best, similar to the F1s implying that upgrading these indigenous breeds beyond 0·5 European inheritance may not be desirable.

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Genetic and environmental influences on beef cattle production in Zambia 2. Live weights for age of purebred and reciprocally crossbred progeny

Thorpe¹,

Cruickshank²,

Thompson

1980

Anim. Sci.

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Live weights from birth to 3·5 years are reported for beef cattle reared under ranching conditions in Zambia. The 809 cattle were purebred Africanders, Angonis, Barotses and Borans and the reciprocal crossbreds of the latter three breeds born in 2 years. All animals born in the 1st year and half the males born in the 2nd year grazed natural grassland. The remaining males and all females born in the 2nd year received, in addition, dry season supplementary feed from 1·5 years of age.The interaction of genotype with year-of-birth was important but not the interactions of genotype with management or sex. Purebred progeny of the introduced Africander breed were heavier than the progeny of the indigenous Angoni and Barotse breeds in both year-of-birth groups, but only heavier than progeny of the introduced Boran breed in the first group. On average, the Africander progeny had live-weight advantages of about 16% and 10%, and the Boran progeny advantages of about 12·5% and 5·5% over the purebred Angoni and Barotse progeny respectively. Heterosis estimates tended to increase with age, reaching levels of about 5 to 6% in the Barotse/Boran crosses at and after 1·5 years. Heterosis was not shown by the other crosses. The Barotse and Boran breeds had similar maternal effects which were superior to those of the Angoni breed.

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Crossbreeding beef cattle in Western Uganda 6. A note on hybrid vigour in Red Poll–Boran crosses

Cited by 5 publications

References 2 publications

Using the World’s Genetic Resources

Using the World’s Genetic Resources

Crossbreeding Jersey with Ghana Shorthorn and Sokoto Gudali cattle in a tropical environment: additive and heterotic effects for milk production, reproduction and calf growth traits

Genetic and environmental influences on beef cattle production in Zambia 2. Live weights for age of purebred and reciprocally crossbred progeny

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