Wssie et l. Reserch Article Reproductive Performnce for Holstein Friesin Arsi nd Holstein Friesin Born Crossred Cttle T. Wssie 1, G. Mekuriw 2* nd Z. Mekuriw 3 1 Deprtment of Animl Science, Assos University, Assos, Ethiopi 2 Interntionl Livestock Reserch Institute (ILRI), Addis A, Ethiopi 3 Interntionl Livestock Reserch Institute (ILRI) Regionl Expert, Lievs Project, Bhir Dr, Ethiopi Received on: 7 Mr 2014 Revised on: 20 Jun 2014 Accepted on: 30 Jun 2014 Online Pulished on: Mr 2015 *Correspondence E mil: g.mekuriw@cgir.org 2010 Copyright y Islmic Azd University, Rsht Brnch, Rsht, Irn Online version is ville on: www.ijs.ir The study ws crried out t Agrf ATVET College diry frm to evlute the reproductive performnce of Holstein Friesin Arsi nd Holstein Friesin Born cttle. For the study, records compiled from 1983 to 2012 t the Agrf diry frm were used s originl dt. The effects of reed, loodlines, seson nd prity on the reproductive trits were evluted. Dt were nlyzed using the generl model of the SAS progrm. The overll men ± SE of ge t first service (AFS), ge t first clving (AFC), dys open (DO), clving intervl (CI), numer of service per conception (NSPC), reeding efficiency (BE) nd longevity were 32.05 ± 0.57 months, 41.16 ± 0.56 months, 194.62 ± 3.42 dys, 475.92 ± 3.44 dys, 1.35 ± 0.03 service, 68.67 ± 0.01% nd 7.77 ± 0.25 yers, respectively. Breed hd significnt effect (P<0.05) on AFS nd AFC. Bloodlines, seson nd prity hd significnt effect (P<0.01) on DO nd CI. Breed, loodlines, seson nd prity hd significnt effect (P<0.01) on reeding efficiency. Seson of insemintion significntly ffect NSPC (P<0.01). Longevity ws only ffected y loodlines. Generlly reproductive performnces found in this study were lower thn the performnce reported in mny tropicl regions. Therefore, due considertion should e given in clf nd heifer mngement, het detection, ccurcy of rtificil insemintion, feeding nd helth cre. KEY WORDS Arsi, Born, crossred cows, reproductive performnce. INTRODUCTION Ethiopi hs the lrgest livestock inventories in Afric with livestock ownership supporting nd sustining the livelihood of n estimted 80% of the rurl poor (FAO, 2004). The mjority of them re indigenous reeds, which re well dpted to the environment in the tropics. Bos turus (Europen type) is the predominntly specilized diry reed of the temperte countries. These reeds hve high milk yield potentils ut lck het tolernce nd disese resistnce. Arsi nd Born cttle reeds re the most common indigenous reeds used for crossreeding with exotic diry nimls for milk production in Arsi nd Ble re. The Born cttle reed is zeu type originted in the southern lowlnds of Ethiopi nd it is widely used for milk, met, drft power nd mnure production (Alerro nd Hile Mrim, 1982). Born reed is well dpted to semi-rid tropicl conditions, hs high degree of tolernce to het, nd diseses previling in the tropics (Mensh nd Okeyo, 2006). Similrly, Arsi reed is the locl dominnt type found in the Arsi region of Ethiopi; they re smll in size, weighing 200-250 kg (Kiwuw et l. 1983). The niml productivity is lso closely dependent of their reproductive potentil. For instnce, to lctte cow needs to clve. Therefore, the identifiction of the vrious fctors ffecting the reproductive performnce nd the evlution of the reproductive 35
Reproductive Performnce for Crossred Cttle potentil of different crossred cttle indifferent res nd under different mngement systems is importnt to recommend the est loodlines of crossred nimls for prticulr re nd to revise diry cttle mngement prctices. Agrf diry frm is one of the oldest stte frm where crossred cttle re kept for demonstrtion nd trining of the nery community. Nevertheless, there is limited or no informtion out the performnces of locl crossred nimls, prticulrly in the re where the study ws conducted nd round the plces where diry heifers re ssumed to e distriuted. As consequence, the development of recommendtions suitle for the region is impired. Therefore, this study ws conducted to evlute the reproductive performnce of crossred nimls to gther missing informtion crucil to estlish dequte mngement recommendtions for the study re. MATERIALS AND METHODS Description of the region The study ws conducted t Agrf Agriculturl Technicl nd Voctionl Eduction Trining (ATVET) College (40.0332' E nd 60.1163' N; 2350 meter ove se level), in the Agrf district in Ble zone of Oromi Regionl Stte, Ethiopi. The study re is locted t 458 km south est of the cpitl city, Addis A. The men nnul rinfll, mximum nd minimum temperture re out 836.1 mm nd 22 nd 8.6 C, respectively (NMSA, 2010). Bsed on gro climtic condition the re hs three sesons. A short riny seson tht extends from Mrch to June, long riny seson extending from July to Octoer nd dry seson tht extends from Novemer to Ferury (NMSA, 2010). Frm description nd niml mngement Agrf diry frm ws estlished in 1983 with stock of 127 founders. This stock were F 1 crosses of Friesin Arsi nd Friesin Born purchsed from Assel Reserch Center nd Aernos frm, respectively. The ojectives of the Agrf frm were to serve s demonstrtion site for frmers, to give extension service such s rtificil insemintion nd veterinry service for neighoring reeders ssocitions nd lso to e source of income for the College. They prcticed rtificil insemintion y ringing pure Holstein Friesin semen from the Ntionl Artificil Insemintion Center, Ethiopi. Both lctting nd non-lctting cows re left to grzing lnd during the dy; the lctting cows re supplemented with whet rn nd silge during milking while non-lctting cows re supplemented with hy. The mjor indigenous grsses in the grzing re include Hyprreni ruf, Cynodon plectostchyus, Pnnicum mximum, Chloris gyn nd Rhodes grss. The nimls selectionws performed on the sesof its phenotypic perfor- mnce rther thn on the genetic performnce. Animls were nnully vccinted ginst nthrx, lckleg, psteurulosis, foot nd mouth disese nd lumpy skin disese. In ddition to vccintion, nimls were spryed ginst externl prsite weekly nd dewormed ginst internl prsite t three-months intervl. Dt collection Dt collected in the period from 1983 to 2012 were used in the study; dt ws compiled from individul records. Records hd detils on dte of entry, identifiction numer, sex of niml, dte nd reson of culling, service dte, clving dte, clf ID, dm nd sire numer, dily milk yield nd drying dte. The compiled record crds were checked for their completeness nd were discrded when uncler or continingin complete dt. The fixed effect of reed on the dm line, loodlines, seson, nd prity on reproductive prmeters were oserved. Volumes of exotic lines (Friesin) in Arsi nd Born cttle were kept t 50%, 75% nd 87.5%. In order to look for the effects of the seson of irth, insemintion nd clving dtes, the months of the yer were distriuted in to three sesons sed on rin fll distriution; the long rins (July-Octoer), the short rins (Mrch-June), nd the dry (Novemer- Ferury) sesons. The mximum prity in the originl dt ws 7 (lcttion 1 to7). However, when 7 lcttions were considered in the model, cows tht hd lcttion 6 nd ove were too smll; lso, the estimted lest squre mens for lcttion numers 5 nd greter were lmost similr. Therefore, ll prities ove 5 were pooled together in prity 5. Dt nlysis Dt were nlyzed using the generl model of SAS (2004). The model used include fixed effects of reed, loodlines, seson nd prity. The following model ws used to nlyze: the ge t first service (AFS) nd ge t first clving (AFC), dys open (DO), clving intervl (CI) nd numer of services per conception (NSPC), the reeding efficiency (BE) nd longevity. Y ijklmn = μ + B i + Z j + S k + T l + D m + P n + e ijklmn Where: Y ijklmn : oservtion on AFS, AFC, DO, CI, NSPC, BE nd longevity. μ: overll men B i : fixed effect of i th reed group (HF Arsi nd HF Born). Z j : fixed effect of j th loodlines (½, ¾ nd 7 / 8 Friesin). S k : fixed effect of k th seson of irth (l, 2 nd 3), for AFS, AFC nd longevity. 36
Wssie et l. T l : fixed effect of l th seson of clving (l, 2 nd 3). D m : fixed effect of m th seson of insemintion (l, 2 nd 3), for NSPC. P n : fixed effect of n th prity of dm (1 5). e ijklmn : rndom error. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Age t first service nd ge t first clving The overll men ge t first service in the present study is presented in Tle 1. This ws higher thn the report of Shiferw et l. (2003) who found tht AFS ws 29.58 months for crossred diry cows in centrl highlnd of Ethiopi. Also Bely (2012) reported lower AFS (24.30±8.01 months) for Zeu Holstein-Friesin crossred diry cows in Jimm. Emeetnd Zeleke (2007) oserved tht the overll men ge t first service (AFS) ws 25.6 months for crossred diry cows in estern lowlnds of Ethiopi which is lower thn the current finding.breed hd significnt effect (P<0.05) wheres loodline nd seson of irth hd no significnt effect (P>0.05) on AFS. Tle 1 presents the overll men ge t first clving in the present study. It ws in greement with the findings of Berhnu et l. (2011) tht reported AFC t 40.9 ± 0.33 months. However, the vlue of AFC reported in the present study ws higher thn those reported y Emeet nd Zeleke (2007) nd Yift et l. (2009) (36.2 nd 32.1 months, respectively). Friesin Born crosses hd significntly shorter (P<0.05) AFS nd AFC thn Friesin Arsi crosses. Apossile explntion for s horter AFS nd AFC of Friesin Born cross my e the fster growth nd erly ttinment of puerty in Born reed compred to Arsi reed. The significnt effect of reed on AFC in the current finding is in greement with the previous findings of Demeke et l. (2004) nd Kefen et l. (2006) in Ethiopi. Bloodline, seson of irth nd dm prity hd no significnt effect (P>0.05) on AFC. The non-significnt effect of seson of irth on AFC in the current study is in greement with Htmu et l. (2010) nd Tdesse et l. (2010). Contrsting to our results, Million et l. (2006) in Ethiopi nd Chenymug nd Mseleko (2009) in Tnzni found significnt effects of seson of irth on AFC. Dys open nd clving intervl The overll men clving intervl (CI) nd dys open (DO) in the present study re shownon Tle 1. Results gthered in the current study were comprle with the 459 4 dys intervl reported y Kiwuw et l. (1983) nd 456 5.4 dys y Geeyehu et l. (2007) nd it ws lower thn the 562 dys reported y Amene et l. (2011). Still, CI in our study ws higher thn the intervls referred y Yift et l. (2009) nd Nurddis et l. (2011) (412 dys 13.93 months, respectively) in Ethiopi. This ws lso higher thn 453 dys nd 402.6 3.0 dys reported y Mulindw et l. (2006) nd Chenymug nd Mseleko (2009), respectively. In the study presented herein, DO ws 200.13 25.55 dys, which is lower thn 280 ± 3.4 nd 285 ± 4.3 dys reported y Melku et l.(2011), respectively. However, the current finding for dys open ws longer thn the reported y Chenymug nd Mseleko (2009) (100.7 3.6 dys) ory Yift et l. (2009) (135 dys). The present work lso indicted tht the loodline, seson of clving nd prity significntly ffect the DO nd CI length (P<0.01), while the reed ws devoid of effects (P>0.05). The shortest DO nd CI were found in ¾ Friesin cross while the longest DO nd CI were recorded for 7 / 8 Friesin cross (Tle 1). The longest DO nd CI in F 1 Friesin crosses might e due to higher levels of the locl genetics in F 1 cross, which re recognized to possess longer DO nd longer CI. The longer DO nd CI in 7 / 8 Friesin cross might e explined y the fct tht higher infusion of exotic genetics resulted in incresed ody size with incresed requirements for etter mngement prctices in terms of nutrition nd reproduction, suggesting tht the present mngement prctices in the frm might e insufficient for optimum performnce. The shortest DO nd CI were otined for cows tht clved in the short riny seson, whilst the longest DO nd CI were found in cows clved in the dry seson. The longest DO nd CI found for cows clved in the dry seson might e ssocited to the feeds shortge in oth qulity nd quntity during the seson, which my impct the ovrin ctivity nd susequent resumption of estrus. The current finding greed with Yift et l. (2009) nd Melku et l. (2011) ut discords with Getinet et l. (2009), Htmu et l. (2010) nd Tdesse et l. (2010). The significnt effect of prity reported in the present study is in line with previous reports (Emetnd Zeleke 2007; Chenymug nd Mseleko 2009; Yift et l. 2009), ut contrsts with those of Melku et l. (2011), who refer the existence of non-significnt effects of dm prity on DO. The ge relted differences in DO detected in the present study my e ttriuted to the effect of lthecttion stress in young growing cows in their first pregnncy due to the dditionl nutritionl requirements for growth of cows during erly lcttion life nd the ility of middle-ged cows to gin ody weight condition quickly fter clving. Breeding efficiency Breeding efficiency (BE) is n importnt reproductive prmeter tht reflects the regulrity of clving nd the dptility of the reed to its environment. 37
Reproductive Performnce for Crossred Cttle Tle 1 Lest squre men (LSM SE) of ge t first service, ge t first clving, dys open, clving intervl nd reeding efficiency over reed, loodline, seson of irth nd clving nd prity t Agrf ATVET College diry frm Oromi, Ethiopi Vrile N AFS (months) AFC (months) N Dys open (dys) Clving intervl (dys) Breeding efficiency (%) Over ll 226 32.05± 0.57 41.16± 0.56 551 194.62 3.42 475.92 3.44 68.67 0.01 Breed - * * - NS NS ** Friesin Arsi 135 33.62± 0.71 42.84± 0.84 310 193.77 4.06 475.48 4.08 67.51 0.01 Friesin Born 91 30.47± 0.85 39.49± 0.83 241 195.47 4.74 476.36 4.73 69.83 0.01 Bloodline - NS NS - ** ** ** ½ Friesin 83 31.67 ± 0.84 41.01±0.82 258 198.33 4.46 477.71 4.48 68.76 0.01 ¾ Friesin 104 31.45± 0.79 40.55± 0.77 227 181.96 4.03 459.84 4.05 70.02 0.01 7 / 8 Friesin 39 33.02± 1.25 41.93± 1.21 66 203.57 7.87 490.21 7.92 67.23 0.02 Seson - NS NS - ** ** ** Min rin 81 32.62± 0.86 41.93± 0.84 160 192.20 5.02 471.47 5.04 69.03 0.01 Short riny 62 31.75± 1.03 40.37± 1.00 185 184.63 5.02 Dry seson 83 31.76± 0.89 41.19± 0.87 206 207.01 5.36 466.44 5.34 69.99 0.01 489.85 5.05 67.00 0.01 Prity - NS NS - ** ** ** 1 55 31.79± 1.08 40.64± 1.05 159 217.22 5.12 497.84 5.14 57.61 0.01 e 2 49 33.65± 1.12 42.78± 1.08 137 209.49 5.66 488.86 5.69 65.67 0.01 d 3 40 31.94± 1.26 41.09± 1.23 109 188.38 6.39 469.28 6.43 70.32 0.01 c 4 39 31.65± 1.25 40.99± 1.22 86 169.91 7.13 452.03 7.17 76.86 0.01 5 43 31.20± 1.99 40.31± 1.67 60 188.10 8.47 471.59 8.55 72.89 0.01 The mens within the sme column with t lest one common letter, do not hve significnt difference (P>0.05). * (P<0.05) nd ** (P<0.01). NS: non significnt. N: numer of oservtions. AFS: ge t first service nd AFC: ge t first clving. The overll lest squre mens (±SE) of BE in the present study re presented in Tle 1. The men BE reported in this study ws nerly comprle with those reported y Getinet et l. (2009) (BE of 69.6%) nd Goshu (2005) (BE of 70.9 0.04, 69.9 0.03 nd 63.5 0.03 percent for F 1, ¾ HF, 7 / 8 HF, respectively for Friesin-Born crossred cows t Cheff frm). However, it ws lower thn the 81.9% reported y Berhnu et l. (2011). Breed, loodline, seson of clving nd prity significntly ffected BE (P<0.01). Friesin Born presented significntly etter BE thn Friesin Arsi cross tht might e explined y the genetic differences in Born nd Arsi reed son respect to ge t puerty nd to resume het fter clving. Among loodlines, 3 / 4 Friesin cross ttin higher BE thn ½ Friesin nd 7 / 8 Friesin cross. The lower BE in F 1 nd 7 / 8 Friesin crosses might e due to the longer AFC nd CI. The highest BE ws recorded for cows tht clved during the short riny seson while, the lowest BE ws recorded in cows clving in the dry seson. This my e due to the incresed green forge vilility during short riny seson tht enles cow to come in het erly fter clving nd to conceive. In contrst, during the dry seson oth qulity nd vilility of forge is low, thus negtively ffecting the ovrin ctivity. This grees with Goshu (2005) nd Berhnu et l. (2011) ut not with Hmmoud et l. (2010). The highest BE ws found in prity four while the lowest BE ws recorded in prity one. The ge relted difference in reproductive performnce might e due to delyed resumption of ovrin ctivity fter clving in younger nimls derived from the ccrued nutrient requirements for the compenstory growth nd milk production tht might influence conception. Similr ge relted differences were reported y Goshu (2005) nd Berhnu et l. (2011). Numer of service per conception (NSPC) Numer of services per conception (NSPC) is the numer of services required for successful conception. Tle 2 presents the overll men vlue ( SE) of NSPC. The vlue of NSPC reported in the present study ws comprle to those descried y Niret (2012), in urn nd peri-urn res of Gondr (NSPC of 1.3 nd 1.5 respectively), utlower thn the reported y Geeyehu et l. (2007) (1.720 0.056) or y Yift et l. (2009) (1.67). NO effects were found etween reed nd prity of cows over NSPC (P>0.05). Also Nurddis et l. (2011) filed to evidence significnt effects of prity on NSPC, contrsting to the results of Geeyehu et l. (2007) nd Yift et l. (2009) whom found significnt effects of prity on NSPC. Cows inseminted during the dry seson hd significntly higher (P<0.01) NSPC thn cows inseminted during short riny nd min riny seson. 38
Wssie et l. Tle 2 Lest squre men (LSM SE) for thenumer of services per conception (NSPC) nd longevity over reed, loodline, seson of insemintion/irth nd prity t Agrf ATVET College diry frm Oromi, Ethiopi Vrile N NSPC N Longevity (yers) Overll 572 1.35 0.03 136 7.77 0.25 Breed group - NS - NS Friesin Arsi 320 1.32 0.06 92 7.51 0.28 Friesin Born 252 1.39 0.05 44 8.02 0.39 Bloodline - NS - ** ½ Friesin 270 1.41 0.08 42 9.41 0.42 ¾ Friesin 215 1.28 0.06 66 7.27 0.33 7 / 8 Friesin 87 1.36 0.07 28 6.62 0.48 Seson - ** - NS Min riny seson 168 1.35 0.05 51 7.32 0.38 Short riny seson 204 1.24 0.05 33 8.46 0.45 Dry seson 200 1.46 0.05 52 7.32 0.38 Prity - NS 1 152 1.39 0.06 2 150 1.32 0.05 3 113 1.28 0.06 4 81 1.34 0.07 5 76 1.44 0.07 The mens within the sme column with t lest one common letter, do not hve significnt difference (P>0.05). ** (P<0.01). NS: non significnt. N: numer of oservtions. The lowest NSPC for cow s inseminted in short riny seson might e ttriuted to the nutritionl effects imposed y the reduced vilility of green forge during the dry seson compred to the riny seson, which influence the fertility of cows. These findings re supported y Yift et l. (2009) studies. Longevity Longevity is the period in yers from irth until the niml is disposed of from the herd either y interest of the owner or due to disese, injury nd other ccidents. Longevity of cows in the present study ws found to e 7.77 0.25 yers (Tle 2). This ws in line with Goshu (2005) reported longevity of 7.9 yers, ut ws lower thn 8.35 0.29 yers reported y Geeyehu et l. (2007). Breed nd seson of irth hd no significnt effect (P>0.05) on longevity wheres longevity ws significntly ffected y loodline (P<0.01). Non-significnt effects of seson of irth on longevity re in greement with the findings of Geeyehu et l. (2007). Cows elong to ½ Friesin loodline styed longer on frm, contrsting with the shortest longevity otined from 7 / 8 Friesin loodline. The Friesin loodline incresed the longevity of cows decresed, which my reflect differences in the lcttion potentil s well s the ility to dpt to hrsh environmentl condition. CONCLUSION In generl, the reproductive performnce of cows kept in Agrf diry frm ws low, s evident from long AFC, DO nd CI. The BE otined in this study ws fr wy from the stndrd vlue of 100%. Therefore, due considertion should e given in clf nd heifer mngement, het detection, ccurte timing of rtificil insemintion, feeding nd helth cre to improve reproductive performnce. Furthermore, the performnce of Born cross ws etter thn Arsi cross while mong the Friesin loodlines ¾ Friesin crosses were etter thn other Friesin loodlines kept in the study re in ll reproductive prmeters except longevity. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT The uthors would like to cknowledge Agrf ATVET College for their willingness to providing the dt. REFERENCES Alerro M. nd Hile-Mrim Solomon. (1982). The indigenous cttle of Ethiopi. World Anim. Rev. 41, 2-10. Amene F., Tesfu K. nd Kely B. (2011). Study on reproductive performnce of Holstein-Friesin diry cows t Alge diry frm, rift vlley of Ethiopi. Trop. Anim. Helth Prod. 43, 581-586. Bely D., Yisehk K. nd Jnssens G.P.J. (2012). Productive nd reproductive performnce of zeu Holstein-Friesin crossred diry cows in Jimm town, Oromi, Ethiopi. Glo. Vet. 8(1), 67-72. Berhnu Y., Fikre L. nd Geeyehu G. (2011). Clf survivl nd reproductive performnce of Holstein-Friesin cows in centrl Ethiopi. Trop. Anim. Helth Prod. 43, 359-365. Chenymug S.W. nd Mseleko K.F. (2009). Reproductive nd lcttion performnces of Ayrshire nd Born crossred cttle 39
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