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

Abstract

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.

Genetic evaluation of Ethiopian Boran cattle and their crosses with Holstein Friesian in central Ethiopia: milk production traits

“…For example, 50% Holstein crosses had a fourfold increase over the Ethiopian Boran breed in terms of LYD, 305YD, DM and LTYD; they were also milked for 97 more days than Ethiopian Boran. Except for the magnitude of differences, the superior performance of crossbred progeny compared with the Ethiopian Boran for milk production traits is as expected and is in agreement with comparative results reported for Bos indicus and their crosses with European dairy breeds in the tropics (IAR, 1982;Kiwuwa et al, 1983;Thorpe et al, 1993;Rege et al, 1994;Udo et al, 1995;Demeke et al, 2004). When the crosses were compared, it was observed that as the exotic inheritance level increased, LYD, 305YD and DM showed an increasing trend.…”

“…Demeke et al (2004), on the other hand, reported a comparable additive breed effect in the crosses of Holstein and Ethiopian Boran in Ethiopia. The estimates for individual heterosis effects are within the range of reported heterotic effects for milk production traits of other B. taurus 3 B. indicus crosses (Sharma and Pirchner 1991;Thorpe et al, 1993;Rege et al, 1994;Mackinnon et al, 1996;Rege, 1998, Demeke et al, 2004.…”

“…0.05) was recorded between the second and subsequent parities. Significant changes in milk production for parity effect were also reported by Thorpe et al (1993), Rege et al (1994) and Demeke et al (2004).…”

Idade ao primeiro parto e intervalo de partos de cinco grupos genéticos Holandês x Gir no Brasil

“…Esses resultados confirmam aqueles encontrados por Lemos et al (1992), em que as F1 tiveram primeiro parto mais jovens e as 5/8 em idade mais avançada. Rege et al (1994), estudando o desempenho de animais mestiços Jersey x Ghana Shorthorn (Bos taurus) e Jersey x Sokoto Gudali (Bos indicus), observaram que animais F 1 apresentaram menores idades ao primeiro parto que os puros (Ghana Shorthorn ou Sokoto Gudali), porém, ao contrário do observado neste estudo, os animais F1 apresentaram IPPs semelhantes às dos animais produzidos por retrocruzamento (3/4 de genes da Raça Jersey).…”

1Adami Tullu Agricultural Research Center, P. O. Box 35, Ziway, Ethiopia. 2School of Animal and Range Sciences, College of Agriculture, Hawassa University, P. O. Box 5, Hawass Ethiopia.

“…The variation in milk production performance over periods may not only be caused by inter-annual random change of the climatic factors, but may also include management changes over periods. Inter-annual variation in milk production for grazing dairy cows is a common phenomenon in tropical dairy production systems (Kiwuwa, et al, 1983;Thorpe et al, 1993;Rege et al, 1994;Demeke et al, 2004;Haile et al, 2009). …”