Milk yield and calf growth performance of cattle under partial suckling system at Andassa Livestock Research Centre, North West Ethiopia

Addisu Bitew, Mengistie Taye, Adebabay Kebede, Getinet Mekuriaw*, Asaminew Tassew*, Tezera Mulugeta** and Gebeyehu Goshu***

Andassa Livestock Research Centre, P.O.Box 27, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia
* Bahir Dar University, P.O.Box 79, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia
** ANRS, Food Security Coordination and Disaster Prevention Office, P.O.Box 497, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia
*** Addis Ababa University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, P.O.Box 34, Debre Zeit, Ethiopia
addisubitew@yahoo.com

Abstract

Milk yield and calf growth performance of cattle under partial suckling system were studied at Andassa Livestock Research Centre from 2002-2008.

The results of the study showed that mean partial lactation and daily milk yield of Fogera cows was 291 and 0.99 kg, respectively. Parity of cow and year of calving significantly affected both partial lactation and daily milk yield, while season of calving had no significant effect on both parameters. The mean lactation length was 292 days. Season of calving, parity of cow and year of calving significantly affected lactation length. Linear relationship between partial lactation milk yield and lactation length was observed. The overall mean birth weight obtained in the current study was 22.7 kg. Birth weight was significantly affected by breed of calf and birth year. The overall mean weights (kg) of calf at one month, three months, six months, nine months and at one year of age were 40.7, 56.5, 80.4, 121 and 120 kg, respectively. Weight at one month was significantly affected by all the fixed effects considered. The weights at three and six months of age were significantly affected by breed of calf and year of birth only. The overall mean daily body weight gain (g) from birth to one month, three months, six months, nine months and one year of age were 591, 374, 321, 359 and 272, respectively. Calf growth showed a significant correlation with the length of suckling period only until six months.

Results of the present study showed that milk yield data generated through partial hand milking (two teats) revealed the existence of variability within the herd and improvements in productivity could be achieved through long term genetic selection. Weaning of calves could be practiced at six months of age to prevent the negative effect of longer suckling time on reproduction performance of the dam so as to increase calf crop productivity. Milk yield and calf growth performance of Fogera cattle and their crossbred under improved nutrition needs to be studied.

Key words: Calf crop; Fogera cattle; hand milking; partial lactation yield

Introduction

The economy of Ethiopia is dominated by agriculture and cattle play a vital role in agriculture production. They provide meat and milk, draft power, skin and serve as a prestige and a live bank for the farm household. There are a huge number of cattle (47.57 million, CSA 2008) in Ethiopia. Despite the large numbers, the production and productivity per animal is very low (Aynalem 2006). This is because indigenous cattle have been naturally selected for years towards adaptive traits as tolerance and resistance to diseases, high fertility, unique product qualities, longevity and adaptation to harsh environments and poor quality feeds. Attempts, to improve the productivity of cattle, have been made especially in the area of crossbreeding for the last five decades but with little success (Aynalem 2006).

The Fogera breed of cattle is considered as a definite breed, having its own characteristics. The breed originates from the area around Lake Tana in Gonder and west Gojjam administrative zones.

The breed is believed to own triple use; as a source of draught power, meat and milk.  (Alberro and Solomon 1982). However, objective data confirming the potential of the breed is lacking. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to estimate the milk yield of Fogera cattle and calf growth performance of Fogera and crossbred calves under partial suckling system and propose possible management options for future breed improvement.

Materials and methods 

Study area

The study was conducted at Andassa Livestock Research Center (ALRC) located 11^o29" N and 37^o29" E at an altitude of 1730 m asl. The area receives about 1434 mm of rainfall annually. The mean annual temperature vary from a maximum of 29.5^oC in March to a minimum of 8.8^oC in January. The soil is dominantly characterized by dark clay soil, which is seasonally water logged in the rainy season and cracked when dry. The dominant grass vegetation of the area includes Cynodon, Hyperhenia, Andropogon, Paspalum, Cetaria, Elusin, Eragrostis, Sporobulus and Trifolium species (Yihalem 2003).

Herd management

Animals were allowed to graze the natural pasture for eight hours and during dry season they were provided with hay harvested from the natural grazing pasture. The animals were watered from Andassa river and spring water during wet season for young and sick animals which stayed at barn. In the breeding program both natural mating with Fogera bulls and artificial insemination with Friesian semen were used to produce Fogera and F1 calves. Cattle were managed in a loose housing system. Health management practice had prevention and control scheme. The prevention scheme focused on vaccination against anthrax, blackleg and pasteurellosis once in every six to eight months and once per year for CBPP. Control measures were taken against internal and external parasites. Mass treatment against internal parasites was conducted twice a year, at the start and end of the rainy season. Animals were treated for ecto-parasites fortnightly in peak season and monthly when the infestation level was low.

Calves had free access to suckle their dams for the first four days to ensure that they consume enough colostrums (Picture 1). They were then separated from their dams and allowed to partially suckle (two teats) at milking times until weaning (Picture 2). Calves stayed around the barn until three months of age and allowed for grazing thereafter. While they were at barn they were provided with hay and water (Picture 3).

Picture 1. Fogera cow:calf relationship	Picture 2. Fogera cow being partially milked
Picture 3. Fogera and crossbred calves feeding hay at their barn

Calf weight was taken fortnightly until weaning to study their growth pattern under partial suckling system. Cows were partially hand milked (two teats) twice a day at about 06:00 AM in the morning and 05:00 PM in the afternoon. The milk of each individual cow was measured using measuring can and registered on milk recording sheets.

Data collection and analysis

Data were collected on calving dates, calf sex, calf genotype, calf birth weight, calf fortnight weight and daily milk yield of cows on data collecting formats. The collected data were entered into Excel Program. Milk yield data on 200 lactations (2002-2008) of 139 cows and growth performance (2002-2003) data of 49 calves were made available for analysis. Lactation records for the year 2006 were merged with 2007 lactation records because of small number of observation. Cows were milked for longer lactation lengths until drying off dates in the earlier years (2002-2004) and milked for shorter lactation lengths (at an average weaning age of eight months) on later years (2005-2008).

Analysis of variance of fixed effects was done by using General Linear Model procedures of the Statistical Analysis System (SAS, 2003). The fixed effects calving year, calving season and parity of dam were considered for milk yield and lactation length. The fixed effects considered for calf growth were calf breed, birth year, birth season, parity of dam and sex of calf. The two way interaction effects between fixed effects were included in the model but were not significant during preliminary analysis and then removed. The covariance of birth weight on other weights at older ages and ADGs from birth to different ages was included in the model when ever it was significant. The fixed effect calving/birth season was classified as wet (June – September) and dry (October – May). Average daily gain (ADG) was computed for each period as ADG_t2-t1 = (W_t2-W_t1)/t2-t1 where ADG_t2-t1 is the weight gain between periods t1 and t2, W_t2 the weight at age t2, W_t1 the weight at age t1 and t2-t1 is the number of days between ages t1 and t2. Response variables analyzed were weights and ADGs at different ages and periods, respectively.

The statistical models used were:

Y_jklm = µ ± Y_j ± S_k ± P_l ± e_jklm, for milk yield and lactation length

Y_ijklmn = µ ± D_i ± Y_j ± S_k ± P_l ± G_m± b(Bwt_ijklmn - Bwt) ± e_ijklmn, for calf growth

Where:

Y_jklm = the observation on milk yield and lactation length

Y_ijklmn = the observation on birth weight, weight at different ages and ADGs from birth to different ages

µ =       Overall mean

D_i = Fixed effect of breed (i = Fogera, Cross)

Y_j = Fixed effect of calving/birth year (j = 2002 - 2003/2008)

S_k = Fixed effect of calving/birth season (k = dry, wet)

P_l = Fixed effect of dam parity (l = 1, 2 …6)

G_m= Fixed effect of calf sex (m = male, female)

b = Linear regression of birth weight on subsequent weights and growth rate

e_jklm = effect of random error for milk yield and lactation length

e_ijklmn = effect of random error for calf growth

Results and discussion 

Milk yield and lactation length

The estimated least square means for milk yield and lactation length of Fogera cows are presented in Table 1.

The mean partial lactation milk yield of first parity cows was significantly lower than other higher parities. This might be because of the immature udder size and nutrient requirement for growth of some of the milking cows which had not attained mature weight, thus reducing the lactation milk yield. Cows milked from 2002 to 2004 had significantly higher mean partial lactation milk yield than those milked from 2005 to 2008. This was largely because cows milked in the earlier years were milked for longer lactation periods (334-398 days) compared to those cows milked on later years (210-254 days). The variation between mean partial lactation milk yield of the herd (291 kg) and best 10 percent (551 kg) and 25 percent (447 kg) cows was high indicating the potential for improvements in productivity through long term genetic selection (Table 2).

Million and Tadelle (2003) and Gebeyehu (1999), working on milk production performance of Zebu and their crosses with Holstein Friesian cattle, reported a significant effect of parity and year on lactation and daily milk yield, while season was not significant. Trail and Gregory (1981) also reported a similar significant effect of parity and year on lactation yield of Sahiwal cattle. However, Thorpe et al (1993) reported that lactation number (age) had no influence on lactation milk yield.

Cows that calved in wet season had significantly shorter lactation length than those cows calved during dry season. This might be because cows that calved in the wet season and milked in the subsequent long dry season could have dried off earlier and thus resulting in shorter lactation length. The mean lactation length reported in this study (292 days) is higher to the reports of IAR (1991) for Horro cattle (229 days) and Million and Tadelle (2003) for Barka cattle (279 days) in Ethiopia and it is lower to the lactation length of N’Dama cattle (411 days) kept under village management in the Gambia (Agyemang et al 1991). In consistent with the present study,  significant effects of year of calving (Million and Tadelle 2003; Gebeyehu 1999; Agyemang et al 1991), season of calving (Agyemang et al 1991) and parity of dam (Gebeyehu 1999) were reported on lactation length. 

Linear relationship between lactation length and partial lactation milk yield was observed (Figure 1).

Figure 1. Relationship between lactation length and partial lactation milk yield

Lactation length was positively correlated with partial lactation milk yield (r = 0.76, p<0.001). The adjusted R² 0.57 implied 57% of the variation in partial lactation milk yield could be attributed to the variation in lactation length. Similar positive correlation between lactation milk yield and lactation length was reported for purebred and crossbred dairy cattle in Sudan (Amasaib et al 2008), Kenana cattle (r = 0.77) in Sudan (Wilson et al 1987) and White Fulani cattle (r = 0.62) in Nigeria (Mrode 1988).  The correlation between lactation length and partial daily milk yield of Fogera cows was not significant (Figure 2).

Calf growth

Birth weight and weight at different ages

The body weights of Fogera calves and their crosses with Holstein Friesian breed of cattle are presented in Figure 3 and  Table 3.

The mean birth weight obtained in the current study was comparable with the birth weight of other indigenous Ethiopian cattle breeds such as the Boran, Horro and Barka (Demeke et al 2003; Aynalem 2006). Birth weight was significantly affected by breed of calf and birth year; crossbred calves (Fogera x Holstein Friesian) were heavier than Fogera calves and calves born in 2002 were heavier than those calves born in 2003. The effect of breed might be because of the heterosis effect and agrees with other findings (Antigha 2003; Demeke et al 2003; Aynalem 2006).

The weights obtained at three months, six months and yearling age were almost similar with the weights reported for other breeds of cattle (eg., Horro, Barka, Boran) at their respective ages (Demeke et al 2003; Aynalem 2006). Weight at one month was significantly affected by all the fixed effects considered. Crossbred calves, female calves, calves from the fourth parity dams, calves born in 2002 and calves born in the wet season were heavier than their pure Fogera, male calves, calves from lower parity dams, calves born in 2003 and calves born in the dry season counterparts, respectively. The linear regression effect of birth weight was significant on one month weight indicating the importance of birth weight on weight at later ages (Chinbu et al 1998). The weights at three and six months of age were significantly affected by breed of calf and year of birth; crossbred calves and calves born in 2002 were heavier. This might be because crossbred calves are larger and though not significant, the milk yields of cows in 2002 were better than in 2003 which in turn affect calf growth. Similar breed and year effect was reported by Aynalem (2006) for Boran cattle and their crosses with Holstein Friesian.

Average daily body weight gain (ADG)

The average daily body weight gains of Fogera calves and their crosses with Holstein Friesian breed of cattle are presented in Figure 4 and Table 4.

Average daily body weight gain from birth to one month was significantly affected by all fixed effects; crossbred calves, female calves, calves from the fourth parity dams, calves born in 2002 and calves born in the wet season had faster growth rate. Growth rates from birth to three and six months of age were influenced by breed and year of birth in that crossbred calves and calves born in 2002 had faster growth rate than their Fogera and calves born in 2003 counterparts, respectively (Annex 2). The fixed effects considered for body weights affected weight gains similarly. Aynalem (2006) reported the effect of breed on daily gains of calves from birth to six months of age.

The Pearson’s correlation coefficients for growth traits and milk yield traits are presented in table 5.

The coefficients between body weights and ADGs from birth to six months of age with milk yield traits were significant while growth traits above six months of age had not significant correlation with milk yield traits. This indicates that calves are less dependent on milk at ages of six months and older and thus weaning of calves could be practiced at this age to increase post parturient estrus of the dam and calf crop productivity. This result agrees with previous studies that weaning of calves before eight months will prevent the negative effect of long time suckling on the reproduction performance of dams (Yitay et al 2007).

Conclusions and recommendations 

• Milk yield data generated through partial hand milking (two teats) revealed the existence of variability within the herd and improvements in productivity could be achieved through long term genetic selection. The lactation length obtained in this study also showed that the short lactation lengths usually associated with tropical indigenous cattle breeds may not be a production constraint for the Fogera cattle.

  
  

• Calf growth showed a significant correlation with the length of suckling period only until six months. Therefore weaning of calves could be practiced at six months of age to prevent the negative effect of longer suckling time on reproduction performance of the dam and forage dry matter intake of the calf.

  
  

• Milk yield and calf growth performance of Fogera cattle and their crossbred under improved nutrition needs to be studied.

Acknowledgments 

The authors would like to acknowledge staff of the Andassa Livestock Research Center Ruminant (dairy) Research program, for contributions to animal management, data collection, and data entry. The center is duly acknowledged for the financial support.

References 

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Received 25 November 2009; Accepted 18 May 2010; Published 1 August 2010

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