Genetic evaluation of performance and  disposal traits in Indian dairy cattle

Yadav, Devesh Kumar

Genetic evaluation of performance and disposal traits in Indian dairy cattle

Date

2022-11

Authors

Yadav, Devesh Kumar

Publisher

Lala lajpat rai university Hisar

Abstract

The present investigation was planned to evaluate the disposal and performance traits in Hardhenu and Sahiwal cattle. The data of 2593 Hardhenu animals born to 102 Sires and 790 dams and 620 Sahiwal animals born to 35 sires and 188 dams were recorded for disposal pattern over a period of 25 years (1996 to 2020) in Hardhenu cattle and 14 years (2007 to 2020) for Sahiwal cattle. In Hardhenu cattle, 1474 (56.85 %), 313 (12.07 %), 504 (19.44 %), and 302 (11.65 %) animals were auctioned, sold, died and not-disposed, respectively. Similarly in Sahiwal cattle, 278 (44.84 %), 75 (12.10 %), 69 (11.13 %), and 198 (31.94 %) animals were sold, auctioned, died, and not disposed,respectively during the study period. The cumulative mortality in Hardhenu calves from birth to different age groups S1 (0-3M), S2 (0-6M) and S3 (0-12M) was found to be 10.22, 12.88 and 14.65%, respectively. However, for Sahiwal calves‘ mortality from birth to different age groups S1 (0-3M), S2 (0-6M) and S3 (0-12M) was found to be 6.13, 6.94 and 7.74%, respectively. Female calves had lower odds of death as compared to male calves and odds of death were maximum for calves born in rainy season in both the studied population. The major causes of calf mortality were respiratory and digestive (26.8% to 30.2%) in Hardhenu calves. However, respiratory (26.3%) in Sahiwal calves. Heritability for S1, S2 and S3 for Hardhenu calves were 0.14±0.11, 0.22±0.16 and 0.24 ± 0.19, respectively. However, for Sahiwal calves‘ heritability for S1 was estimated as 0.29±0.22. The data for performance production traits were collected from the history cum pedigree sheets of 445 Hardhenu animals born to 59 sires and 227 dams and 130 Sahiwal animals born to 18 sires and 71 dams, respectively.Least-squares analysis revealed significant effect (P<0.01) of period of calving (POC), on first lactation milk yield (FLMY), 300 days milk yield (FLMY300), first peak yield (FPY), total lactation milk yield (TLMY) in both the population. Least-squares means for FLMY, FLMY300, FLL, FPY, TLMY, AFS, AFC, FSP, FCI and FDP were 2665.68 ± 45.66(kg), 2425.52 ± 34.41(kg), 312.95 ± 3.83(days), 11.52 ± 0.15(kg), 9282.44±167.03 (kg), 957.58 ± 10.29(days), 1238.23 ± 9.23(days), 153.19 ± 5.54(days), 433.06± 5.64(days), and 111.77±4.56 (days), respectively in Hardhenu cattle. Similarly for Sahiwal cattle least square means for FLMY, FLMY300, FLL, FPY, TLMY, AFS, AFC, FSP, FCI and FDP were 1969.23 ± 57.20 (kg), 1921.68 ± 51.76 (kg), 254.59 ± 5.17(days), 9.49± 0.21(kg), 6563.33±256.98 (kg), 998.82 ± 116.93 (days), 1277.41 ± 17.88 (days), 165.49 ± 9.68(days), 455.08±9.78(days) and 209.30±9.64 (days), respectively.On the basis of likelihood ratio test (LRT) model 1 was found as best fitted model for all the performance traits for both the studied population, except FLL trait in Sahiwal cattle for which model 4 was considered as best fitted model. Direct heritability (h2 ) for for FLMY, FLMY300, FLL, FPY, TLMY, AFS, AFC, FSP, FCI and FDP was estimated as 0.34,0.41,0.03, 0.37, 0.16, 0.15, 0.11, 0.12, 0.17, 0.18, respectively in Hardhenu cattle. However, the direct heritabilitiy (h2 ) estimate for FLMY, FLMY300, FLL, FPY, TLMY, AFS, AFC, FSP, FCI and FDP was found as 0.28, 0.30, 0.30, 0.21,0.21,0.10, 0.15, 0.12, 0.15 and 0.13, respectively for Sahiwal population.Estimates of genetic and phenotypic correlations among production traits were positive in both populations. Genetic and phenotypic trends indicated that there are positive trends over the years in both the studied population.