Studies on performance traits of Sahiwal, crossbred and hill cattle under farm conditions of tarai region of Uttarakhand
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Date
2013-04
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G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar - 263145 (Uttarakhand)
Abstract
Present study was conducted from Oct. 2011 to Dec. 2012 on 720 records of Sahiwal, crossbreds and Hill cattle on their body morphometric, performance, urine, thermo adaptability and haematology under farm conditions in Tarai region. Majority of morphometric traits in all age groups were significantly lower (P<0.05) in Hill cattle than Sahiwal/ crossbreds, were higher for crossbreds in aged animals and in males. Colostrum of Hill cows was richer in protein (9.27±0.02 %), fat (5.92±0.15 %), lactose (3.35±0.31 %), total solids (18.33±0.35 %) and ash (0.88±0.08 %) than crossbreds. Milk of Hill cows had high protein, fat, SNF, TS as compare to crossbreds and had lower pH (6.41±0.04), electric conductivity (2.31±0.08 mhos) and somatic cell count (1.19±0.06 x105 cells/ml), making them less prone to mastitis. Age at first calving of Sahiwal, crossbreds and hill cows were 1338.67±34.23, 1041.86±27.45 and 1403.45±18.71 days, service period as 246.64±2.15, 225.45±5.18 and 121.78±3.14 days, lactation length as 280.32±6.52, 331.12±5.81 and 270.56±6.78 days, total lactation milk yield as 1536.74±65.64, 2768.84±95.72 and 340.12±27.45 kg, daily milk yield as 6.52±2.65, 9.64±3.45 and 1.35±2.45 kg, peak milk yield as 8.75±3.65, 13.83±4.45 and 2.51±6.71 kg, days to attain peak milk yield as 54.12±7.21, 68.67±6.35 and 38.75±12.23 days, dry period as 220.67± 2.74, 106.56±4.67 and 126.45±5.42 days, calving interval as 489.46±3.82, 469.13±2.64 and 462.45±5.45 days and birth weight as 20.12±2.56, 25.41±1.86 and 12.24±2.41 kg, respectively, making Hill and crossbreds cows efficient reproducers and producers. Urine of Hill cows had lower pH (7.616±0.052), total solids (5.938±0.037 %), urea (256.904±0.181 mg/dl), creatinine (27.020±0.119 mg/dl), total protein (5.686±0.036 mg/dl), and ash per cent (1.969±0.043 %) compared to crossbreds. Crossbreds had higher rectal temperature, respiration and pulse rate in summer, rainy and winter season than indigenous cows. Heat tolerance indexes and physiological parameters indicated that Sahiwal was more heat resistant, followed by Hill cattle and crossbred in hot humid climatic condition of Tarai. Hill cattle had higher haemoglobin content, packed cell volume and total erythrocyte count as compared to crossbreds and Sahiwal cows during all seasons, which perhaps make them adapted to hill terrains and harsh management conditions. Studied parameters indicated that Sahiwal and Hill cattle are important indigenous breeds requiring further attention for their improvement.
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Thesis-PhD
Keywords
crossbreds, crossbreeding, farm management, Uttarakhand, tarai, reproductive performance, sahiwal, animal breeds, hill areas, farm management