The effect of non-genetic factors on the reproductive performance of Sanga and Friesian×Sanga crossbred dairy cattle breeds kept under hot and humid environment

Abstract

A study was conducted to assess the effect of nongenetic factors on the reproductive performance of Sanga and Friesian×Sanga crossbred dairy cattle kept at Amrahia Dairy Farm, Ghana. Records on 66 crossbred Friesian×Sanga and 105 purebred Sanga cattle from 2005 to 2012 were used. The effect of sex of calf (male or female), season of calving (major, minor and dry), year of calving (2005–2012) and parity (first to third) on birthweight, calving interval and age at first calving were determined. The data were analyzed using the general linear model procedures of GenStat (Discovery Edition). The effect of parity of dam, year of calving, season of calving and sex of calf were considered as fixed effects for evaluating the different reproductive traits. Data on calving and conception rates over the period were 74.3 and 76.1 %, respectively. The overall mean values for birthweight, age at first calving and calving interval obtained were 23.9±1.5 and 22.8±1.4 kg, 38.8±2.5 and 40.2±2.4 months and 390.8±12.5 and 413.6 ± 12.1 days for the crossbred and Sanga, respectively. It was observed that all the major determinants of reproductive performance studied apart from birthweight were significantly influenced by year of birth, parity, season of calving and sex