Abstract
This study was conducted in South Wollo Zone of Amhara Regional State, Ethiopia, to assess the milk yield and reproductive performance of indigenous and crossbred cattle under smallholder management conditions. Questionnaire survey was used to collect retrospective data on the performance of dairy cattle in 186 households. Thirty two postpartum cows (16 indigenous and 16 crossbred) were selected purposively and monitored for five months and milk samples were collected twice per week from each cow to determine postpartum ovarian activity using ELISA techniques. Daily milk yields at all stages of lactation were significantly (P < 0.01) higher in crossbred than indigenous cows. Crossbred cows had significantly (P < 0.01) longer lactation length and shorter age at first calving, while calving interval was significantly shorter in cows that gave previous calves during the wet season than the dry season. Only six cows (18.8%) showed heat signs on an average of 136 days postpartum of which one was a crossbred and five were indigenous. While, 11 cows (34.3%) resumed ovarian activity until 150th day postpartum among which three were crossbred and eight were indigenous.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Abeygunawardena, H. and Dematawewa, C. M. B., 2004. Pre-pubertal and postpartun anestrus in tropical Zebu Cattle. Animal Reproduction Science, 83, 373 –387. doi:10.1016/j.anireprosci.2004.05.006
Ahmed, M. A., Ahmed, B. T., Lutfi, M. A. M. and Peters, K. J., 2007. Milk production and reproduction traits of different grades of zebu X Friesian crossbreds under semi-arid conditions. Arch. Tierz. Dummerstorf, 50, 240–249.
Asimwe, L. and Kifaro, G. C., 2007. Effect of breed, season, year and parity on reproductive performance of dairy cattle under smallholder production system in Bukoba district, Tanazania. Livestock Research for Rural Development, 19, http://www.cipav.org.co/lrrd/lrrd19/10/asim1952.htm
Azage, T., Geleto, A., Osuji, P., Kassa, T. and Franceschinin, R., 1994. Influence of dietary supplementation and partial suckling on body weight and on lactation and reproductive performance of primiparous Boran (Bos indicus) cows. Ethiopian Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 123, 267–273.
Butler, W.R., 2000. Nutritional interactions with reproductive performance in dairy cattle. Animal Reproduction Science, 60, 449–457. doi:10.1016/S0378-4320(00)00076-2
CACC, 2003. Statistical Report on Farm Management Practices. Livestock and Farm Implements. Result at Country Level, CACC, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
CSA (Central Statistics Authority), 2004. The 2001/2002 Ethiopian Agricultural Sample Enumeration (EASE), Executive Summary, May 2004, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
DOARD, 2006. Annual Report of District Office of Agriculture and Rural Development (DOARD).
Emebet, M. and Zeleke, Z. M., 2007. Reproductive performance of crossbred dairy cows in Eastern Lowlands of Ethiopia. Livestock Research for Rural Development, 19, http://www.cipav.org.co/lrrd/lrrd19/11/mure1961.htm
Gebeyehu, G. and Hegde, B.P., 2003. Age at first calving, calving interval and milk yield performance of Frisian X Boran crossbred cattle of Cheffa Farm, Wollo, Ethiopia. Bulletin of Animal Health and Production in Africa, 51, 190–197.
Haile, A., Joshi, B. K., Ayalew, W., Tegegne, A. and Singh, A. 2009. Genetic evaluation of Boran cattle and their crosses with Holstein Friesian in central Ethiopia: reproductive traits. Journal of Agricultural Science, 147, 81–89. doi:10.1017/S0021859608008095
Hailemariam, M. and Kassamersha, H., 1994. Genetic and environmental effects on age at first calving and calving interval of naturally bred Boran (Zebu) cows in Ethiopia. Animal Production, 58, 329–334.
Kelay, B., 2002. Analyses of Dairy Cattle Breeding Practices in Selected Areas of Ethiopia. PhD Thesis, Humboldt University of Berlin, Department of Animal Breeding in the Tropics and Subtropics, Germany.
Lamming, G.E. and Darwash, A.O., 1998. The use of milk progesterone profiles to characterize components of subfertility in milked dairy cows. Animal Reproduction Science, 3, 175–190. doi:10.1016/S0378-4320(98)00099-2
Lobago, F., 2007. Reproductive and Lactation Performance of Dairy Cattle in the Oromia Central Highlands of Ethiopia. PhD Thesis, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden.
Lobago, F., Bekana, M., Gustafsson, H. and Kindahl, H., 2007. Longitudinal observation on reproducitve and lactation performance of smallholder crossbred dairy cattle in Fitche, Oromia Region, central Ethiopia. Tropical Animal Health and Production, 39, 395–403. doi:10.1007/s11250-007-9027-z
Madibela, O.R., Boitumelo, W.S. and Kiflewahid, B., 2001. Reproductive performance of Tswana and Simmental x Tswana crosses in smallholder farms in Botswana. Livestock Research for Rural Development, 13, http://www.cipav.org.co/lrrd/lrrd13/5/bela135.htm
Masama, E., Kusina, N. T., Sibanda, S and Majoni, C., 2003. Reprodiction and lactational performance of cattle in a smallholder dairy system in Zimbabwe. Tropical Animal Health and Production, 35, 117–129. doi:10.1023/A:1022821418031
Million, T. and Tadelle, D., 2003. Milk production performance of zebu, Holstein Friesian and their crosses in Ethiopia. Livestock Research for Rural Development, 15, http://www.cipav.org.co/lrrd/lrrd15/3/tade153.htm
Mohammed, A. M. A, Ehui, S. and Assefa, Y., 2004. Dairy Development in Ethiopia. Environmental and Production Technology Division, International Food Policy Research Institute, Washigton D C, USA.
Mukasa-Mugerewa, E., Tegegne, A., Mesfin, T. and Teklu, Y., 1991. Reproductive efficiency of Bos indicus (Zebu) cows under artificial insemination management in Ethiopia. Animal Reproduction Science, 24, 63–72. doi:10.1016/0378-4320(91)90082-B
Mulugeta, K., Tesfaye, K. and Gebre, Y., 1991. Some productive and reproductive performance of Horro cattle at Bako Research Center. In: Proceedings of The Fourth National Livestock Improvement Conference,13–15 Nov 1991, Institute of Agricultural Research, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Pp 78–82
Negussie, E., Brannang, E., Banjaw, K. and Rottmann, O.U., 1998. Reproductive performance of dairy cattle at Asella Livestock Farm, Arsi, Ethiopia. I. Indigenous cows versus their F1 crosses. Journal of Animal Breeding and Genetics, 115, 267– 280.
Nigongoni, N. T., Mapiye, C., Mwale, M. and Mupeta, B., 2006. Factors affecting milk production in the smallholder dairy sector of Zimbabwe. Livestock Research for Rural Development, 19, http://www.cipav.org.co/lrrd//lrrd18/5/ngon18072.htm.
Obese, F.Y., Okantah, S.A., Oddoye, E.O.K. and Gyamu, P., 1999. Postpartum reproductive performance of Sanga cattle in smallholder peri-urban dairy herds in the Accra plains of Ghana. Tropical Animal Health and Production, 31, 181–190. doi:10.1023/A:1005121714248
Perera, O., 1999. Management of reproduction. In: Falvey and Chantalakhana C. (eds), Smallholder Dairying in the Tropics, International Livestock Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya, Pp 243.
Roche, J.F., 2006. The effect of nutritional management of dairy cow on reproduction. Animal Reproduction Science, 96, 282–296. doi:10.1016/j.anireprosci.2006.08.007
Shiferaw, Y., Tenhagn, B.A., Bekena, M., and Kassa, T., 2003. Reproductive performance of crossbred dairy cows in different production system in the central highlands of Ethiopia. Tropical Animal Health and Production, 25, 551–561. doi:10.1023/A:1027377722576
Swai, E.S., Bryant, M.J., Karimuribo, E.D., French, N.P., Ogden, N.H., Fitzpatrick, J.L. and Kambarage, D.M., 2005. A cross-sectional study of reproductive performance of smallholder dairy cows in coastal Tanzania. Tropical Animal Health and Production, 37, 513–525. doi:10.1007/s11250-005-1218-x
Yifat, D., 2005. Study on the Reproductive Performance of Cross Breed Dairy Cows in Smallholder Dairy Farms in South East Shoa Zone of Oromia Region, Ethiopia. MSc Thesis, Addis Ababa University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Debre Zeit, Ethiopia.
Yoseph, M., Azage, T., Alemu, Y. and Umunna, N.N., 2000. Reproductive management and reproductive of dairy herds in urban and periurban dairy production systems in Addis Ababa milk shed. In: Proceedings of the 8 th Annual Conference of Ethiopian Society of Animal Production (ESAP), 24–25 August 2000, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Abraha, S., Belihu, K., Bekana, M. et al. Milk yield and reproductive performance of dairy cattle under smallholder management system in North-eastern Amhara Region, Ethiopia. Trop Anim Health Prod 41, 1597–1604 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-009-9352-5
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-009-9352-5