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Growth and Production Characteristics of Holstein-Friesian, Brown Swiss, and Red Sindhi Crossbred Females in Louisiana and Maryland¹

Dairy Department, Louisiana Agricultural Experiment Station, Baton Rouge AND Dairy Cattle Research Branch, USDA, Beltsville, Maryland

ABSTRACT

Red Sindhis were crossed with Holstein-Friesians (H) at two stations and with Brown Swiss (BS) at a third station for the purposes of studying growth and productive adaptability of dairy cattle in the southern region of the United States. The growth and productive performances of 33 F₁ and 21 H animals have been compared with their purebred H contemporaries or herd-mates. Productive performances of 30 F₁ and 25 BS have been compared with their BS herd-mates.

The F₁ and H animals were significantly smaller (P = <0.01) at birth, and 3, 6, 12, and 18 mo. of age, and at 90 days postpartum than their H contemporaries. Growth rates of these two crossbred groups were not significantly different from each other.

All of the crossbred groups were significantly (P = <0.01) lower in average milk and fat yield during the first lactation than their H or BS herd-mates or contemporaries, with the exception of the fat yield difference between the BS and their BS herd-mates, which was not significant. Differences between the F₁'s and their European contemporaries were greater (P = <0.05) during the summer than in the winter season at the two Southern stations. These results did not indicate superior productive adaptability of the crossbreds to a hot, humid climate.

¹ This work is a part of the S-3 Southern Regional Dairy Cattle Breeding Project.

² Superintendent, North Louisiana Hill Farm Experiment Station, Homer.