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Comparative Performance of Different Grades of Crossbred Cows on Military Farms in India

Institute of Agricultural Research Statistics, New Delhi, India

ABSTRACT

The production, mortality, and culling records for 1934–1955 of 1,500 cows of different levels of crossbreeding from nine Indian military farms were studied. The breeds were Holstein-Friesian and Ayrshire.

In production characteristics, half-breds and five-eighths excelled all other grades, and performance of the two did not differ materially. Their yields were 2,200–3,000 kg as compared to 1,650–1,900 kg of the Sahiwals. The average merit decreased as the foreign blood deviated from half or five-eighths on either side.

Mortality among five-eighths and half-bred female calves was less than 5% vs. 17% in three-fourths and over 32% in other grades. In adult females it was 2% per year for half-breds and over 7% for others.

Culling among females before calving was 4 and 32%, respectively, for half-breds and thirty-one by thirty-two's. Half-bred cows completed, on an average, eight lactations as against an over-all average of four for crossbreds and also for Sahiwals.

The rate of abnormal calvings was 7% among half-breds, as compared to 13% for crossbreds and 8% for Sahiwals.