Performance of Holstein Frisian×Local Crossbred Dairy Cattle: A Review

The current review deals with the growth, milk, and reproductive performance of Holstein Frisian crosses in Ethiopia. The growth performance of Holstein Frisian crosses ranged from ۲۲.۱۳±۰.۱۴ kg to ۳۱.۷۴±۰.۲۹ kg of birth weight (BW), ۴۷.۵±۰.۵۸ to ۱۴۰.۷۲±۲.۲۶ kg of weaning weight (WW), and ۳۱۴.۷±۴.۵ to ۴۹۲.۹±۹.۶ gram of pre-weaning average daily gain (PrWADG). Holstein Frisian x Boran had better growth performance, followed by Holstein Frisian×Barka. The Holstein Frisian x Horro had the least performance when compared to other Holstein Frisian cross. The reproductive performance of Holstein Frisian crosses ranged from ۲۳.۷±۴.۰۸ to ۳۶.۸ ± ۰.۸ months for age at first service (AFS), ۳۳.۳۶±۴.۶ to ۵۳.۶۰±۳.۴۴ months for age at first calving (AFC), ۱.۲ ± ۰.۳۴ to ۲.۷±۰.۱۸ for number of service preconception (NSPC), and ۱۳.۲±۱.۴۵ to ۲۱.۳۶±۳.۸۴ months for calving interval (CI). The reproductive performance of all HF crosses was not substantially different; all crosses had a broad range of performance values in various farming systems. The daily milk yield (DMY), lactation milk yield (LMY), and lactation length (LL) varied from ۵.۴±۰.۲۴ to ۹.۱۴±۴.۳ kg, ۱۹۱۸±۵۱ ۳۵۷۹±۸۴۲ kg, and ۹.۱۳±۱.۹۹ to ۱۲.۶۸±۳.۱۲ months, respectively. Dairy cow performance is affected by genotype, season, age, production system, feed and nutrients, management, environment and climate, and sickness (disease). This unjustifiable performance of the HF crossbred breed needs planned technical and institutional action for support services, a suitable breeding program for the production system, skilled manpower (veterinarian and AI technicians), and increased forage production.The current review deals with the growth, milk, and reproductive performance of Holstein Frisian crosses in Ethiopia. The growth performance of Holstein Frisian crosses ranged from ۲۲.۱۳±۰.۱۴ kg to ۳۱.۷۴±۰.۲۹ kg of birth weight (BW), ۴۷.۵±۰.۵۸ to ۱۴۰.۷۲±۲.۲۶ kg of weaning weight (WW), and ۳۱۴.۷±۴.۵ to ۴۹۲.۹±۹.۶ gram of pre-weaning average daily gain (PrWADG). Holstein Frisian x Boran had better growth performance, followed by Holstein Frisian×Barka. The Holstein Frisian x Horro had the least performance when compared to other Holstein Frisian cross. The reproductive performance of Holstein Frisian crosses ranged from ۲۳.۷±۴.۰۸ to ۳۶.۸ ± ۰.۸ months for age at first service (AFS), ۳۳.۳۶±۴.۶ to ۵۳.۶۰±۳.۴۴ months for age at first calving (AFC), ۱.۲ ± ۰.۳۴ to ۲.۷±۰.۱۸ for number of service preconception (NSPC), and ۱۳.۲±۱.۴۵ to ۲۱.۳۶±۳.۸۴ months for calving interval (CI). The reproductive performance of all HF crosses was not substantially different; all crosses had a broad range of performance values in various farming systems. The daily milk yield (DMY), lactation milk yield (LMY), and lactation length (LL) varied from ۵.۴±۰.۲۴ to ۹.۱۴±۴.۳ kg, ۱۹۱۸±۵۱ ۳۵۷۹±۸۴۲ kg, and ۹.۱۳±۱.۹۹ to ۱۲.۶۸±۳.۱۲ months, respectively. Dairy cow performance is affected by genotype, season, age, production system, feed and nutrients, management, environment and climate, and sickness (disease). This unjustifiable performance of the HF crossbred breed needs planned technical and institutional action for support services, a suitable breeding program for the production system, skilled manpower (veterinarian and AI technicians), and increased forage production.

Keywords:

Growth , Holstein Frisian crosses , Milk , Reproductive performance