Crossbred Dairy Cattle Research Articles

Assessment of Reproductive Performance and Husbandry Practices of Horro and Crossbred Cattle Under Smallholder in Sibu Sire District of East Wollega Zone, Oromia, Ethiopia.

The reproductive and production performance of dairy cows determines the profitability of a dairy farm. A questionnaire survey was used to assess reproductive performance and husbandry practices by using 100 randomly selected animal owners. Seventy-nine percent of animal owners involved were men, ages between 30 and 60. Their education was as follows: 26% were illiterate, 67% in primary school and 7% in secondary school. Ninety-five percent of them managed their animals extensively and used natural mating and breeding practices (75%). AFS in months were 46.83±0.65 in Ada-Buke Warego, 46.00±1.36 in Hagalo-Tulam, 47.08±0.99 in Dicho Aba-Garmama and 47.29±0.51 in Waligalte. AFC in months were 56.68±0.97 in Ada-Buke Warego, 58.00±1.36 in Hagalo-Tulam, 57.23±1.41 in Dicho Aba-Garmama and 56.24±1.13 in Waligalte. ANSPCs were 1.85±0.08 in Ada-Buke Warego, 1.67±0.14 in Hagalo-Tulam, 1.54±0.14 in Dicho Aba-Garmama and 2.00±0.10 in Waligalte. The mean length of CI in months was 30.88±0.90 in Ada Buke Warego, 29.00±1.68 in Hagalo-Tulam, 28.62±1.62 in Dicho Aba-Garmama and 31.06±1.04 in Waligalte. The average year of longevity was 9.22±0.7 in Ada-Buke Warego, 9.08±0.8 in Hagalo-Tulam, 9.31±0.13 in Dicho Aba-Garmama and 9.21±0.8 in Waligalte, but there is no significant association (p≥0.05). AFC in months was 48.00±0.00 in local and 37.20±1.30 in crossbreeds. ANSPC was 1.92±0.06 in locals and 1.10±0.10 in hybrids. AFC for Horro and crossbred dairy cattle were 57.73±0.59 and 48.00±0.00months, respectively. The mean length of CI was 30.53±0.67 and 29.40±1.99months in natives and crossbreeds, respectively. The average year of longevity was 9.22±0.05 and 9.10±0.10years for local and hybrids, respectively. ANSPC for natural mating and AI were 1.92±0.05 and 1.10±0.10, respectively, with significant association (p<0.05). The reproductive performance of dairy cows in the study area was low, which required the improvement of husbandry practices.

Effect of Herbal Liver-tonic Supplements on Production Performance in HF Dairy Cattle

A study was conducted to observe the influence of herbal liver-tonic supplementation on milk production, liver function and feed intake in HF crossbred dairy cattle at field level. This study was carried out in 24 HF cattle and these were randomly grouped into three groups viz. Group 1 served as control group, Group II served as Treatment -I (supplemented with polyherbal liver tonic @ 30ml/day) and Group III as Treatment-2 (supplemented with polyherbal liver tonic @ 45ml/day). Day 1 to 7 is considered as before treatment, Day 8 to 17 as treatment period and day 18 to 32 as after treatment. The blood collected during study period and stored at -20 °C until further analysis. The data were also regularly recorded for milk production, SNF Content of milk, feed intake. Statistical analysis of result revealed that herbal liver-tonic supplementation showed non-significant (P&gt;0.05) difference on liver enzymes profile. Statistically no significant difference is also noted on milk production, milk fat and SNF Content in HF Cattle at field conditions.

Effects of rumen-protected methionine and lysine on antioxidant status and lactationperformance in crossbred dairy cattle during transition

Dairy cows undergoing the transition phase often face nutritional challenges, impacting their antioxidant status and lactational performance. To address these challenges, the incorporation of rumen-protected methionine and lysine in the diet has emerged as a strategic intervention.Twelve crossbred cows inthe transition period were randomly divided into two groups of six animals. The control group and treatment group were fed with a standard diet (ICAR, 2013) while the treatment group was supplemented with rumen-protected methionine and lysine. Throughout the trial period, all the animals were subjected to consistent management and feeding conditions.Glutathione peroxide(GPx)levels exhibited a statistically significant difference between groups, with the treatment consistently showing higher GPx levels, indicating an improvement in antioxidant capacity, where it helps regulate systemic oxidative stress.The recorded milk yield data was utilized to compute the daily milk production for each individual for the experimental period. Milk yield remained unaffected, but the treatment group consistently exhibited higher milk yield, suggesting positive influences on postpartum lactation performance. Keywords: Rumen-protectedmethionine, rumen-protectedlysine,transition period, antioxidant status

Effect of Genetic and Non-Genetic Factors on the Performance of Cross-Bred Dairy Cattle Under Organized Farm Condition

Effect of Genetic and Non-Genetic Factors on the Performance of Cross-Bred Dairy Cattle Under Organized Farm Condition

A Comparative Study and Profitability Analysis of Different Crossbred Dairy Cattle in Milk Pocket Areas of Bangladesh

A Comparative Study and Profitability Analysis of Different Crossbred Dairy Cattle in Milk Pocket Areas of Bangladesh

Correction to: Impact of heat stress on physio-biochemical parameters during early lactation of crossbred dairy cattle

Correction to: Impact of heat stress on physio-biochemical parameters during early lactation of crossbred dairy cattle

Assessment of Genomic Diversity and Selective Pressures in Crossbred Dairy Cattle of Pakistan.

Improving the low productivity levels of native cattle breeds in smallholder farming systems is a pressing concern in Pakistan. Crossbreeding high milk-yielding holstein friesian (HF) breed with the adaptability and heat tolerance of Sahiwal cattle has resulted in offspring that are well-suited to local conditions and exhibit improved milk yield. The exploration of how desirable traits in crossbred dairy cattle are selected has not yet been investigated. This study aims to provide the first overview of the selective pressures on the genome of crossbred dairy cattle in Pakistan. A total of eighty-one crossbred, thirty-two HF and twenty-four Sahiwal cattle were genotyped, and additional SNP genotype data for HF and Sahiwal were collected from a public database to equate the sample size in each group. Within-breed selection signatures in crossbreds were investigated using the integrated haplotype score. Crossbreds were also compared to each of their parental breeds to discover between-population signatures of selection using two approaches: cross-population extended haplotype homozygosity and fixation index. We identified several overlapping genes associated with production, immunity, and adaptation traits, including U6, TMEM41B, B4GALT7, 5S_rRNA, RBM27, POU4F3, NSD1, PRELID1, RGS14, SLC34A1, TMED9, B4GALT7, OR2AK3, OR2T16, OR2T60, OR2L3, and CTNNA1. Our results suggest that regions responsible for milk traits have generally experienced stronger selective pressure than others.

Impact of heat stress on physio-biochemical parameters during early lactation of crossbred dairy cattle

Impact of heat stress on physio-biochemical parameters during early lactation of crossbred dairy cattle

Genetic analysis of phenotypic indicators for heat tolerance in crossbred dairy cattle

Climate change-induced rise in global temperatures has intensified heat stress on dairy cattle and is contributing to the generally observed low milk productivity. Selective breeding aimed at enhancing animals’ ability to withstand rising temperatures while maintaining optimal performance is crucial for ensuring future access to dairy products. However, phenotypic indicators of heat tolerance are yet to be effectively factored into the objectives of most selective breeding programs. This study investigated the response of milk production to changing heat load as an indication of heat tolerance and the influence of calving season on this response in multibreed dairy cattle performing in three agroecological zones Kenya. First-parity 7-day average milk yield (65 261 milk records) of 1 739 cows were analyzed. Based on routinely recorded weather data that were accessible online, the Temperature-Humidity Index (THI) was calculated and used as a measure of heat load. THI measurements used represented averages of the same 7-day periods corresponding to each 7-day average milk record. Random regression models, including reaction norm functions, were fitted to derive two resilience indicators: slope of the reaction norm (Slope) and its absolute value (Absolute), reflecting changes in milk yield in response to the varying heat loads (THI 50 and THI 80). The genetic parameters of these indicators were estimated, and their associations with average test-day milk yield were examined. There were no substantial differences in the pattern of milk yield response to heat load between cows calving in dry and wet seasons. Animals with ≤50% Bos taurus genes were the most thermotolerant at extremely high heat load levels. Animals performing in semi-arid environments exhibited the highest heat tolerance capacity. Heritability estimates for these indicators ranged from 0.06 to 0.33 and were mostly significantly different from zero (P < 0.05). Slope at THI 80 had high (0.64–0.71) negative correlations with average daily milk yield, revealing that high-producing cows are more vulnerable to heat stress and vice versa. A high (0.63–0.74) positive correlation was observed between Absolute and average milk yield at THI 80. This implied that low milk-producing cows have a more stable milk production under heat-stress conditions and vice versa. The study demonstrated that the slope of the reaction norms and its absolute value can effectively measure the resilience of crossbred dairy cattle to varying heat load conditions. The implications of these findings are valuable in improving the heat tolerance of livestock species through genetic selection.

Exploring the interplay between skin temperature and rectal temperature as a key to assess heat stress in early lactating crossbred dairy cattle

Exploring the interplay between skin temperature and rectal temperature as a key to assess heat stress in early lactating crossbred dairy cattle

Economic Assessment of Specialized Ingredient-treated Feed for Crossbred Dairy Cattle in Subtropical Climates

This experiment aimed to reduce the cost of feeding dairy cattle that were crossbred using a total of twenty-four crossbred animals. Four groups of six animals each were randomly selected from among the animals. Group 2 (76% treated feed), Group 3 (49% treated feed), Group 4 (100% treated green fodder), and Group 4 (Control) made up Group 1 (Gr-1). The remaining feed A-1, A-2, A-3, A-4, A-5, and A-6 received 1.5% urea+5% molasses+0.5% salt, 1.5% urea+5% molasses+1.5% salt, 1.5% urea+10% molasses+1.5% salt, 5% molasses+0.5% salt, and 10% molasses+0.5% salt were applied, respectively. Each animal at the farm cost 81Rs to feed on average. By contrast, under typical conditions, the feeding expenses for the first group in the A1, A2, A3, A4, A5, and A6 groups were 35, 35, 67, 71, 36, and 70 rupees, respectively. There was a decrease of 43, 42, 11, 11, 44, and 10 rupees as a result. In the second group, the reduction for the A1, A2, A3, A4, A5, and A6 treatment groups was 30Rs, 29Rs, 10Rs, 9Rs, 30Rs, and 10Rs, respectively. In the third group, the reduction was 19Rs, 18Rs, 5Rs, 4Rs, 21Rs, and 7Rs, respectively.

A Survey on Major Infertility Causes in Crossbred Dairy Cattle Farms in Nyala City - South Darfur State - Sudan

A Survey on Major Infertility Causes in Crossbred Dairy Cattle Farms in Nyala City - South Darfur State - Sudan

Early Growth and Reproductive Performance of Crossbred Dairy Cattle in Ethiopia: A Review

The economy of livestock production largely depends upon the early growth and reproductive efficiency of the animals. This review was conducted to generate the database about the early growth and reproductive traits of crossbred cattle such as birth weight (BW), age at first service (AFS) and age at first calving (AFC) under Ethiopian conditions. The effort was made to collect and discuss all the published materials in the required areas in order to provide piece of information pertaining to early growth and reproductive traits of crossbred dairy cattle. In order to achieve the best early growth and reproductive performance in dairy animals, it is concluded that management system improvement, including effective heat detection and timely insemination, better health management, genetic improvement of crossbreeding and supplementation of good quality and quantity feed resources, is necessary.

Genome-Wide Association Study for Test-Day Milk Yield, Proteins, and Composition Traits of Crossbred Dairy Cattle in Ethiopia.

Identifying genetic regions and candidate genes that influence milk production traits is critical for understanding genetic inheritance and improving both the quality and quantity of milk in dairy cattle. Crossbred dairy cattle significantly contribute to increasing milk production and ensuring food security in the middle- and high-altitude regions of Ethiopia. However, the genetic architecture underlying their milk yield and composition traits has not yet been thoroughly investigated. This study conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) on 308 crossbred dairy cows from central, northeastern, and southern Ethiopia to identify genetic markers associated with key milk production traits. Using high-density SNP chip data and the fixed and random model circulating probability unification (Farm CPU) method via the Memory-efficient, Visualization-enhanced, and Parallel-accelerated R package (rMVP) (Version 1.0.7.), we analyzed traits including test-day milk yield (TDMY), total protein (TP), casein (CN), whey (W), protein percentage (P), fat percentage (F), lactose percentage (L), total solids (TS), density (D), solids-not-fat (SNF), salt (S), and freezing point (FP). This study identified 16 significant SNPs associated with these traits, including rs41661899 on Chromosome 6, which was significantly associated with both TP and W, and rs42274954 on Chromosome 12, which was significantly associated with CN. Eight SNPs, such as rs43560693, rs109098713, rs111029661, rs134499665, rs133908307, rs133627532, rs42098411, and rs110066280, were found across multiple chromosomes (8, 10, 14, 15, 19, 21, 26, and 28, respectively) and were significantly associated with milk P. Additionally, SNPs rs110844447 and rs135995768 on Chromosomes 6 and 14 were significantly associated with D and FP, respectively. Three SNPs, including rs109564259, rs135552551, and rs41620904 on Chromosomes 6, 11, and 24, were significant associations with S. Candidate genes identified near and within these SNPs include TRAM1L1, DIAPH3, PEBP4, WDR89, BCAS3, RALGAPA1, HABP2, NRG3, HPSE, PCDH7, LINC02579, TRNAS-GGA, and OR5CN1P. These findings enhance our understanding of the genetic architecture of milk-related traits in Ethiopian dairy cattle and highlight the potential for marker-assisted selection to improve milk production and composition in breeding programs.

Assessment of the outcomes of crossbred dairy cattle in subtropical environments fed treated feed including particular ingredients

Assessment of the outcomes of crossbred dairy cattle in subtropical environments fed treated feed including particular ingredients

Genetic insights into crossbred dairy cattle of Pakistan: exploring allele frequency, linkage disequilibrium, and effective population size at a genome-wide scale.

Linkage disequilibrium (LD) affects genomic studies accuracy. High-density genotyping platforms identify SNPs across animal genomes, increasing LD evaluation resolution for accurate analysis. This study aimed to evaluate the decay and magnitude of LD in a cohort of 81 crossbred dairy cattle using the GGP_HDv3_C Bead Chip. After quality control, 116,710 Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) across 2520.241Mb of autosomes were retained. LD extent was assessed between autosomal SNPs within a 10Mb range using the r2 statistics. LD value declined as inter-marker distance increased. The average r2 value was 0.24 for SNP pairs < 10kb apart, decreasing to 0.13 for 50-100kb distances. Minor allele frequency (MAF) and sample size significantly impact LD. Lower MAF thresholds result in smaller r2 values, while higher thresholds show increased r2 values. Additionally, smaller sample sizes exhibit higher average r2 values, especially for larger physical distance intervals (> 50kb) between SNP pairs. Effective population size and inbreeding coefficient were 150 and 0.028 for the present generation, indicating a decrease in genetic diversity over time. These findings imply that the utilization of high-density SNP panels and customized/breed-specific SNP panels represent a highly favorable approach for conducting genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and implementing genomic selection (GS) in the Bos indicus cattle breeds, whose genomes are still largely unexplored. Furthermore, it is imperative to devise a meticulous breeding strategy tailored to each herd, aiming to enhance desired traits while simultaneously preserving genetic diversity.

Imputation accuracy from low- to medium-density SNP chips for US crossbred dairy cattle

This study aimed at evaluating the quality of imputation accuracy (IA) by marker (IAm) and by individual (IAi) in US crossbred dairy cattle. Holstein × Jersey crossbreds were used to evaluate IA from a low- (7K) to a medium-density (50K) SNP chip. Crossbred animals, as well as their sires (53), dams (77), and maternal grandsires (63), were all genotyped with a 78K SNP chip. Seven different scenarios of reference populations were tested, in which some scenarios used different family relationships and others added random unrelated purebred and crossbred individuals to those different family relationship scenarios. The same scenarios were tested on Holstein and Jersey purebred animals to compare these outcomes against those attained in crossbred animals. The genotype imputation was performed with findhap (version 4) software (VanRaden, 2015). There were no significant differences in IA results depending on whether the sire of imputed individuals was Holstein and the dam was Jersey, or vice versa. The IA increased significantly with the addition of related individuals in the reference population, from 86.70 ± 0.06% when only sires or dams were included in the reference population to 90.09 ± 0.06% when sire (S), dam (D), and maternal grandsire genomic data were combined in the reference population. In all scenarios including related individuals in the reference population, IAm and IAi were significantly superior in purebred Jersey and Holstein animals than in crossbreds, ranging from 90.75 ± 0.06 to 94.02 ± 0.06%, and from 90.88 ± 0.11 to 94.04 ± 0.10%, respectively. Additionally, a scenario called SPB+DLD(where PB indicates purebread and LD indicates low density), similar to the genomic evaluations performed on US crossbred dairy, was tested. In this scenario, the information from the 5 evaluated breeds (Ayrshire, Brown Swiss, Guernsey, Holstein, and Jersey) genotyped with a 50K SNP chip and genomic information from the dams genotyped with a 7K SNP chip were combined in the reference population, and the IAm and IAi were 80.87 ± 0.06% and 80.85 ± 0.08%, respectively. Adding randomly nonrelated genotyped individuals in the reference population reduced IA for both purebred and crossbred cows, except for scenario SPB+DLD, where adding crossbreds to the reference population increased IA values. Our findings demonstrate that IA for US Holstein × Jersey crossbred ranged from 85 to 90%, and emphasize the significance of designing and defining the reference population for improved IA.

Contributing factors to repeat breeding and postpartum anestrus and pregnancy rate subsequent to hormonal intervention in crossbred dairy cows

A cross-sectional study was conducted from January to July 2021 to determine the prevalence and contributing factors to repeat breeding (RB) and postpartum anestrus (PPA) in crossbred dairy cattle in the central highland of Ethiopia. Furthermore; a retrospective study was used to collect data on the occurrence of RB and PPA and the associated risk factors. The pregnancy rate was determined by rectal palpation on day 60 after hormonal therapy using double PGF2α and GnRH in combination with PGF2α. (Ovsynch). The prevalence of RB and PPA was 33.85% and 30.73%, respectively. Body condition score, parity, milk yield, herd size, abortion, and mastitis all revealed a statistically significant association (p &lt; 0.05) with the prevalence of RB and PPA. Cows with a previous history of abortion were 2.58 times at risk of repeat breeding than those without. Similarly, cows with a previous history of mastitis were 2.63 times more at risk of RB than cows that didn’t encounter the disease. Previously aborted and older cows with greater parity numbers were 2.89 and 1.23 times more affected by PPA, respectively. Moreover, endometritis and retained fetal membrane showed significant association (p&lt;0.05) with postpartum anestrus. The pregnancy rates in cows treated with double PGF2α and GnRH + PGF2α (Ovsynch) were 41.46% and 29.17%, respectively. It is concluded that the occurrence of RB and PPA in the research area was influenced by parity, body condition, and daily milk yield of the cow. Reproductive health problems including abortion retained fetal membranes, endometritis, and mastitis affected the prevalence of RB and PPA. Although the use of double PGF2α or in combination with GnRH has resumed cyclicity in RB and PPA dairy cows, the pregnancy rates are yet low. Hence, a study that utilizes detailed hormonal assay profiles and reproductive-related blood metabolites should be done.

Net Energy Value of a Cassava Chip Ration for Lactation in Holstein-Friesian Crossbred Dairy Cattle Estimated by Indirect Calorimetry.

The objectives of this research were to (1) determine the feed intake, digestibility, and energy utilization and (2) estimate the net energy value of cassava chips consumed by lactating dairy cows. Four multiparous Holstein-Friesian crossbred cows at 139 ± 33 (mean ± SD) day in milk were assigned according to a 4 × 4 Latin square design with four periods. The four treatments included a diet substituted with cassava chips on a 0%, 12%, 24%, and 36% dry matter (DM) basis in the basal diet. Indirect calorimetry with a head cage respiration system was used to determine nutrient and energy utilization. Increasing the number of cassava chips in the diet resulted in a linear increase (p < 0.05) in nutrient intake and digestibility but a linear decrease (p < 0.01) in crude protein (CP) and fiber. The enteric methane yield and intensity were not affected (p > 0.05), while energy was lost as feces and urine reduced linearly (p < 0.05). Milk yield and milk composition (protein, fat, lactose) also increased linearly (p < 0.05). The net energy requirement for the maintenance of the lactating cows was estimated as 327 kJ/kg of metabolic body weight, and the efficiency of metabolizable energy used for lactation was 0.66. The estimated net energy value of cassava chips for lactation was 8.03 MJ/kg DM.

Effects of Organic Selenium and Probiotic Supplementation on the Performance of Indigenous and Crossbred Dairy Cows during Summer in the Tropics

The aim of the present study was to establish the influence of organic selenium and a yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, in combination on animal performance, physiological status, milk production and blood metabolites in indigenous and crossbred dairy cows during hot-humid climatic conditions in tropics. A total of 18 indigenous dairy cows and 18 crossbred dairy cows were divided into two groups(control and treatment) containing 9 cows each based on parity and milk yield for a period of 45 days. The control group were fed on a basal diet comprising a concentrate mix, wheat straw, and multi-cut sorghum greens, while the treatment group were offered basal rations supplemented with organic selenium (4 g/d) along with Saccharomyces cerevisiae (1010 CFU/g; 4 g/d). There were no significant changes found in feed intake, body weight and animal physiology; however, better feed efficiency was recorded in both of the treatment groups, irrespective of breed variation. There was a non-significant increase in milk yield recorded in both treatment groups in comparison with the control. Similarly, no significant effects were observed on the haemato-biochemical profile in both animal types. Hence, it can be concluded that the supplementation of organic selenium and probiotics in combination to indigenous and crossbred dairy cattle moderately improved feed efficiency and overall performance without affecting metabolic status under heat stress conditions in the tropics.