Abstract
The objective of this study reported in this research paper was to compare the lactation curves of the production of milk, fat, protein, percentages of fat and protein, and somatic cell score in purebred Holstein (H) cows and Swedish Red and White (SRW) - Holstein (SxH) crossbred cows in the south-central region of the province of Cordoba, Argentina. The data set consisted of 32847 herd-test records from 1244 purebred H cows and 310 SRW x H crossbred cows, from three commercial dairy farms with cows of first to fifth or more lactations. The curves were modeled using the fourth-order Legendre orthogonal polynomials. In this study, the data of production of milk, fat production, protein production, percentage of fat, percentage of protein and somatic cell score (SCS) were analyzed. Purebred H cows had significantly higher milk production, more fat production and higher protein production levels than did SxH crossbred cows. However, SxH crossbred cows produced milk that had a higher percentage of fat and a higher percentage protein than did purebred H cows. In none of the lactations did somatic cell score differ significantly between the two breed groups. The results of our study showed that, SxH crossbred cows had significantly higher percentages of fat and protein; however, purebred H cows were significantly superior to SxH crossbred cows for the production of 305-d milk, fat, and protein. Mammary health, expressed in SCS, did not differ significantly between the two breed groups. Thus, suggest that crossbreeding Holstein purebred cows with SRW bulls can improve the composition of milk solids without affecting mammary health and, in this way, compensate substantially for any potential loss in the production and/or quality of the milk of the crossbred cows compared to H purebred cows.
Highlights
Holstein (H) cattle are the most prominent breed in the world due to their high production of milk per cow
The objective of this study reported in this research paper was to compare the lactation curves of the production of milk, fat, protein, percentages of fat and protein, and somatic cell score in purebred Holstein (H) cows and Swedish Red and White (SRW) - Holstein (SxH) crossbred cows in the south-central region of the province of Cordoba, Argentina
The predictive capacity of the fourth-order Legendre polynomial was high for all traits evaluated (r ≥ 0.94), and the shape of the lactation curve was more flexible than were those derived from the other Legendre polynomials
Summary
Holstein (H) cattle are the most prominent breed in the world due to their high production of milk per cow. In many countries milk production per cow has more than doubled in the last 40 years, this has been achieved by genetic selection and improvement of management practices and feeding (Oltenacu & Broom, 2010). Milk payments for the producers in most of the countries put a major emphasis on milk solids, rather than on milk volume, which has resulted in fewer competitive advantages for the H breed in comparison with other breeds (Heins, Hansen & Seykora, 2006). Improvements in fertility, calving ease, longevity, and milk composition have been cited by dairy producers as reasons for crossbreeding (Weigel & Barlass, 2003). Heins and Hansen (2012) have demonstrated that crossbred cows had lower SCC than did purebred H cows
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