• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제6권4호
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• pp.509-514
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• 1993

The experiment was conducted to determine the effect of different fiber levels on milk production of crossbred Holstein milking cows fed urea-treated rice straw (UTS) as a roughage. Eight cows were allotted into 2 squares of 4 cows each with 4 treatments by a balanced design. The treatments were 17%, 22%, and 24% crude fiber (CF) diets and Thai feeding system (free choice of roughage and 1 kg of concentrates/2 kg of milk) as a control. Body weight change was not significantly different among the treatments during the experiment. Milk production (4% FCM) and milk protein content wee not different among the treatments, but milk fat content was low in the 17% CF group and high in the control group. Cows fed the 17% CF diet consumed less UTS and more concentrates than the others, and consequently total DM intake was not different among the treatments. The feed conversion ratio was significantly higher in the control. Feed cost per kg milk was lowest in the control and highest in the 17% CF diet. The fiber content of the diet would be more than 17%, preferably 22-24% for normally producing Thai crossbred Holstein cows when the UTS was fed as a main roughage source.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제15권7호
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• pp.982-985
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• 2002

A study was carried out to determine glucose kinetics, nutrient balance and milk production of lactating Etawah crossbred goats. The animals (27.2 to 29.1 kg BW) were randomly divided into four levels of dietary treatment groups: the first group R1 received 100% (3 kg) fresh king grass (Penisetum purpuroides), the second group R2 received 75% king grass and 25% king grass silage prepared with chicken manure, the third group R3 received 50% king grass and 50% silage, and the fourth group R4 received 100% silage. In addition to the roughage, each group received 800 g of concentrate (CP 14.77% of DM; 17.26 MJ/kg). Animals fed king grass silage made with chicken manure were found to be superior to the group fed king grass alone. Glucose kinetics and retained energy were significantly affected. Calculations showed that glucose requirements for maintenance and milk production can be met for the groups with high levels of silage (R3 and R4). The values of glucose flux were in the range of 2.52 to 4.50 mg/min.kg $BW^{0.807}$ which are lower, but close to, the values for the temperate lactating dairy cow. The present glucose flux value for the lactating Etawah crossbred goat is higher than the previous value published from this laboratory.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제16권8호
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• pp.1093-1101
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• 2003

Reproductive data, such as numbers of days to the first estrus and A.I. service postpartum, number of days to conception, number of A.I. services required for conception, interval between the first estrus and first A.I. service and the average interval of A.I. service in Thai native-Friesian crossbred and pure Friesian dairy cows, were compiled in the National Dairy Training and Applied Research Institute in Chiang Mai, Thailand. The data were analyzed statistically and the effect of milk production on these reproductive traits was investigated. The reproductive efficiency of purebred cows was obviously inferior when compared with crossbred animals, in spite of special care being given to the purebred only in order to alleviate the effect of a tropical climate and provide better feeding. However, the regression analysis between reproductive and lactational parameters revealed a definite antagonistic effect of lactation on reproduction, especially in the purebred cows, which had a larger amount of milk production and longer lactation period. If these effects of lactation were eliminated, there would be no evident difference in reproductive efficiency between purebred and crossbred cows in the conditions of this study. Among the reproductive parameters examined, the number of days to the first estrus and interval between the first estrus and first A.I. service were less affected by breed difference and the magnitude of lactation than other reasons.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제10권3호
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• pp.313-317
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• 1997

Data collected from crossbred dairy cattle at the Institut Haiwan, Kluang, were used to evaluate the effects of breed of sire, percentage of Bos taurus inheritance and season of birth on some calving traits. Breed of sire effect was significant on age at first service (p < 0.01), age at first calving (p < 0.01) and postpartum interval to first service (p < 0.05) but not on calving interval (p > 0.05). Linear contrasts indicate that crossbred-sired cows had first service 593 days earlier and first calving 508 days earlier than purebred-sired cows. Cows sired by Friesians, however, had the earliest first service (466 days) and were among the earliest at first calving (917 days). However, the crossbred-sired cows had slightly longer post-partum interval to first service (13 days longer) and calving interval (20 days longer). Percentage of B. taurus inheritance affected (p < 0.01) all the calving traits studied. In general, the cows with 50% inheritance had the best calving performance. Season of birth had no effect (p > 0.05) on them.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제14권9호
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• pp.1245-1249
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• 2001

A study was conducted with 14 gayals to study their growth pattern from birth to 24 months of age, and gayal was compared with native calves and crossbred calves of gayals and exotic animals. A significant difference in liveweight gains up to 3 months (p<0.001) or up to 6 months (p<0.05) was found between gayal and native calves, but the difference reduced with increase of age and found non-significant (p>0.05) at 9 months and 12 months. The daily liveweight gain up to 3, 6, 9 or 12 months of age of gayals were 404.60, 306.80, 315.20 and 312.20 g/d, respectively and of native calves were 217.3, 245.3, 262.0 and 269.0 g/d, respectively. Gayal female calves had lower weights at birth (20.2 kg) and weaning (81.8 kg) and daily liveweight gains (298.5 g/d) than males (24.3 kg, 84.0 kg and 317.8 g/d, respectively) but the differences were not significant (p>0.05). Cross breeding gayal cows with Friesian bulls increased daily liveweight gain of the crossbred calves. The rate of increase of daily liveweight gain may further be increased if gayals are crossed with beef type animals, and optimum feeding may also be required which needs further research.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제10권6호
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• pp.621-628
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• 1997

This study aimed to quantify the impact of crossbreeding at farm level, in mixed farm systems in Gujarat. Households with crossbred cattle did not differ from households without crossbreds in terms of farm resources, crop gross margins and off-farm income. The use of crossbred animals did increase livestock gross margins by 64% and household income by 22%. The three agro-ecological zones included in this study differed considerably according to farm system and household income. However, in all three zones, households with crossbreds had higher livestock gross margins than households without crossbreds. There was no real difference in work load and labour division between households with and without crossbreds. There was also no difference in the use of bullocks for draught purposes between the two types of households. In particular buffaloes are being replaced by crossbred cattle. There was a large variation in farm income, largely because of land area. The milk offake per average cow and the number of buffaloes also related positively to farm income in both types of households. Crossbreeding has proved technically and financially viable in different Gujarat mixed farming systems. It can be concluded that crossbreeding is an important development option for landless farmers.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• 제59권2호
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• pp.3.1-3.7
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• 2017

Background: The modelling of lactation curve provides guidelines in formulating farm managerial practices in dairy cows. The aim of the present study was to determine the suitable non-linear model which most accurately fitted to lactation curves of five lactations in 134 Gir crossbred cows reared in Research-CumDevelopment Project (RCDP) on Cattle farm, MPKV (Maharashtra). Four models viz. gamma-type function, quadratic model, mixed log function and Wilmink model were fitted to each lactation separately and then compared on the basis of goodness of fit measures viz. adjusted $R^2$, root mean square error (RMSE), Akaike's Informaion Criteria (AIC) and Bayesian Information Criteria (BIC). Results: In general, highest milk yield was observed in fourth lactation whereas it was lowest in first lactation. Among the models investigated, mixed log function and gamma-type function provided best fit of the lactation curve of first and remaining lactations, respectively. Quadratic model gave least fit to lactation curve in almost all lactations. Peak yield was observed as highest and lowest in fourth and first lactation, respectively. Further, first lactation showed highest persistency but relatively higher time to achieve peak yield than other lactations. Conclusion: Lactation curve modelling using gamma-type function may be helpful to setting the management strategies at farm level, however, modelling must be optimized regularly before implementing them to enhance productivity in Gir crossbred cows.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제19권9호
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• pp.1291-1297
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• 2006

The potential of the spot urine sampling technique as an alternative to performing a total urine collection to predict the microbial nitrogen supply was evaluated in crossbred bulls. In a completely randomized design, 20 growing crossbred bulls were assigned four levels of feed intake (120, 100, 80 and 60% of voluntary dry matter intake) on diets comprised of wheat straw and concentrate mixture (50:50). After three months of experimental feeding, a metabolism trial was conducted for ten days, during which spot urine collections were performed every 6 h post feeding on days 9 and 10. The daily urinary excretion of allantoin (A) and purine derivatives (PD) decreased with the reduction in feed intake while creatinine (C) excretion remained similar in animals fed at different levels. The microbial nitrogen (MN) supply calculated from the PD excreted in total urine (35.08 to 72.08 g/d) was higher at increased levels of feed intake. PD concentration in spot urine samples had poor correlation with feed intake except at 12 h post feeding. A/C ratio and PD/C ratio in spot urine samples remained similar irrespective of sampling time and significantly (p<0.01) correlated with daily urinary PD excretion, digestible organic matter intake and dry matter (DM) intake. However, no significant differences were evident in these ratios among animals fed at levels 120, 100 and 80% of voluntary dry matter intake (VDMI) at different times post feeding. These results suggests that the spot urine sampling technique to predict the microbial protein supply is not suitable for detecting small differences in MN supply and hence, estimation of PD excreted in total urine (mmol/d) is necessary to assess precisely the MN supply in crossbred bulls.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제23권2호
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• pp.213-225
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• 2010

The objective of the current study was to determine factors influencing concentrations of protein-related blood metabolites in indigenous Nguni and crossbred cattle in the semi-arid communal rangelands in South Africa. The body condition scores (BCS), packed cell volume (PCV) and serum concentrations of protein-related metabolites were determined seasonally in 100 cattle raised on communal rangelands from August 2007 to May 2008. Nguni cattle had lower (p<0.05) albumin-globulin ratio, albumin, urea and creatinine, and higher (p<0.05) globulin concentrations than the local crossbreds. Local crossbreds had higher (p<0.05) alanine aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase concentrations and lower (p<0.05) aspartate aminotransferase concentrations in the postrainy season than Nguni cattle. The creatinine concentrations of Nguni and crossbred cattle were lowest in the sour rangeland during the hot-wet season. The albumin concentrations of Nguni and crossbred cattle were higher (p<0.05) whilst PCV, albumin-globulin ratio and creatine kinase concentration were lower (p<0.05) in the sour rangeland than in the sweet rangeland. Total protein, albumin, globulin, aspartate aminotransferase and creatine kinase concentrations of Nguni and crossbred cattle were lower (p<0.05) in the hot-wet and late cool-dry seasons than in other seasons across rangeland types. Urea concentrations in both breeds were highest in the sweet rangeland in the hot-dry season compared to other seasons. It was concluded that Nguni cattle had lower concentrations of protein metabolites than local crossbreds and protein deficiencies were most prominent in the sweet rangeland during the cool-dry seasons.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제14권12호
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• pp.1741-1746
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• 2001

An experiment was conducted at the experimental duck farm of Cantho University to determine the effects of feeding duckweed (Lemna minor) that completely replaced commercial protein supplements in diets for crossbred meat ducks. The experiment included five treatments, with four replicates and ten crossbred ducks per replicate (pen). The five diets were based on broken rice offered ad libitum, supplemented with either 27 (control, SB100), 19 (SB70), 15 (SB55), 12 (SB40) or zero (SB0) g/day of ground, roasted soya beans, with fresh duckweed supplied ad libitum, except for the control (SB0) treatment. A vitamin / mineral premix and salt were included in the control (SB100) diet, but not in the diets with duckweed. These diets were fed to growing crossbred meat ducks (Czechoslovak Cherry Valley hybrids) from 28 to 63 days of age, when two birds (one male and one female) per pen were slaughtered for carcass evaluation. Total daily intakes were 95, 108, 108, 105 and 107 g of dry matter (DM) (p<0.001) and daily live weight gains 26.1, 29.1, 28.3, 27.1 and 27.6 g (p<0.001) for the SB100, SB70, SB55, SB40 and SB0 diets, respectively. Corresponding feed conversion ratios (FCR, dry matter basis) were 3.63, 3.71, 3.82, 3.89 and 3.88 kg feed/kg gain, respectively. There were no significant differences in carcass yields, chest and thigh muscle weights, and internal organ weights between the ducks fed the control diet and those fed duckweed diets. Fresh duckweed can completely replace roasted soya beans and a vitamin-mineral premix in broken rice based diets for growing crossbred ducks without reduction in growth performance or carcass traits. If the duckweed is grown on farm, and managed and harvested by household labour, the saving over purchased protein supplements is up to 48%.