Phenotyping of Dairy Cattle in Breeding Programs

Abstract

This article examines the phenotypic features of cattle and their use in breeding to improve the characteristics of milk productivity. As part of the research, 483 black-and- white pedigree cows in the breeding enterprises of the Omsk region were evaluated by a set of characteristics. It was found that the average age of calving cows was 2.5 years. 42.7% in the total cow population were full-grown cows. The maximum level of milk productivity was observed in second lactation cows. The milk yield for 305 days of the second lactation was 6.720 kg, which was 621 kg or 9.24% higher than that in first-calf heifers. The phenotypic characterization of breeding stock allowed us to identify all the necessary reserves for obtaining high-yielding offspring, in order to increase the level of milk production in the black-and-white cattle population of the region. This research was conducted with the use of the technical base and laboratory areas of the Department of Animal Science (Faculty of Animal Science, Commodity Science and Standardization), as well as the Center for the Collective Use of Scientific Equipment of the Federal State Budgetary Educational Institution of Higher Education “Omsk State Agrarian University named after P.A. Stolypin”. The analytical data and the results of the research presented in this publication may be of interest for students of specialized educational institutions, as well as for specialists in dairy cattle farming, and can be implemented at breeding enterprises.
 Keywords: Phenotyping, breeding, milk productivity, cattle