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Comparative studies on growth traits of Sanga and Friesian-Sanga crossbred calves raised on natural pasture on the Accra Plains of Ghana

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Abstract

Data collected from 1993 to 2006 at the Animal Research Institute of Ghana was used to compare the performance of Sanga and Friesian-Sanga crossbred calves on natural pasture. Performance traits analyzed were birth weight (BWT), weaning weight adjusted to 210 days (WW7), preweaning average daily gain to 210 days (ADG 1), weight at 12 months adjusted to 365 days (W12), weight at 18 months adjusted to 540 days (W18) and postweaning average daily gain (ADG 2, from weaning to 540 days). Effects in the model describing these traits were breed, season, sex and first-order interactions between these effects. With the exception of heavier birth weight of Friesian-Sanga crossbred calves (19.98 kg vs. 19.18 kg), body weights of Sangas at weaning, 12 months and 18 months exceeded those of the Friesian-Sanga crossbred calves by 3.76 kg, 35.06 kg and 46.24 kg respectively. The Sangas were also superior in preweaning average daily gain (0.35 kg/day vs. 0.26 kg/day) and postweaning average daily gain (0.28 kg/day vs. 0.21 kg/day). There was a tendency of increasing weight difference between the two breeds with advancing age. It was suggested that improved nutrition such as supplementary feeding would be necessary for crossbreds to express their potential for growth.

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Abbreviations

BWT:

Birth weight

WW7:

Weaning weight adjusted to 210 days

W12:

Weight at 12 months adjusted to 365 days

W18:

Weight at 18 months adjusted to 540 days

ADG1:

Preweaning average daily gain to 210 days

ADG2:

Postweaning average daily gain from weaning to 540 days

MoFA:

Ministry of Food and Agriculture

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Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank all the members of the Ruminant Production Division of Animal Research Institute, Ghana and particularly Messrs A. Mamah, A. Alhassan and S.A. Quaye for their assistance in collecting data for this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. CSIR-Animal Research Institute, P.O. Box AH 20, Achimota, Ghana

    E. T. Sottie, K. A. Darfour-Oduro & S. A. Okantah

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  1. E. T. Sottie
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  2. K. A. Darfour-Oduro
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  3. S. A. Okantah
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Correspondence to E. T. Sottie.

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Sottie, E.T., Darfour-Oduro, K.A. & Okantah, S.A. Comparative studies on growth traits of Sanga and Friesian-Sanga crossbred calves raised on natural pasture on the Accra Plains of Ghana. Trop Anim Health Prod 41, 321–328 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-008-9192-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-008-9192-8

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