Indigenous sheep of Kenya are very important to resource-poor farmers and pastoralists. They have over time adapted to the harsh environmental conditions of the arid and semi-arid lands where they are faced with challenges of persistent droughts, diseases, conflicts and…
The insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-I) gene has been described in several studies as a candidate gene for growth traits in farm animals. The present preliminary study attempts to establish associations between growth traits and genetic polymorphisms at the 5’…
Live weight data from 590 Murrah buffalo calves (140 male and 450 female calves) maintained at the Central Cattle Breeding Farm, Alamadhi, Tamil Nadu, India, born in the period between 1990 and 2004 were used for this study. Data were…
Data on 566 Tellicherry goats, recorded between 1988 and 2007 were used to study the effect of non-genetic factors on body weight and daily gain from birth to 12 months of age. The least-squares means for body weight at birth…
Economic values of milk volume (VOL), fat yield (FYLD), protein yield (PYLD), live weight (LWT), longevity (LON), calving interval (CIV) and somatic cell score (SCS) were derived for Holstein and Jersey cattle, based on milk payment systems of four major…
Milk production in South Africa comes under pressure periodically as a result of market forces, but can dairy producers effectively respond to these market forces? During these periods a large number of dairy cows are slaughtered and their numbers decrease…
In order to improve mutton production, Dorset x Mandya and Dorset x Nellore halfbred rams were mated with Mecheri ewes to produce Dorset x Mecheri x Mandya and Dorset x Mecheri x Nellore quarterbreds. Least-squares analyses of the body weight…
Data (n = 4836) from a pig company in Namibia recorded over the period 2002 – 2007 were analysed to: (i) compare performance of two sow lines for the age at first farrowing (AFF), number born alive (NBA), life total…
Limited use of cereal straws in livestock feeding is due to their low voluntary intake, low protein contents and low digestibility. Nutritional value of these roughages can be improved through chemical or physical methods. Efficacy of treating straw with urea…
Profit rate for a meat production enterprise can be decomposed into the unit price for meat and herd efficiency. Optimal slaughter mass maximizes herd efficiency which, at its maximum, can be expressed in terms of a product of…
Data from purebred and crossbred cattle, consisting of the Hereford (H), Simmentaler (S) Afrikaner (A) breeds, were analysed to estimate breed additive effects, individual heterotic effects, breed maternal and average maternal heterotic effects. The traits studied were birth mass, weaning…
Feeder- breeder dimorphism is advantageous when large offspring for slaughter is obtained from small breeding animals. The effect of feeder- breeder dimorphism on herd efficiency is evaluated for terminal crossbreeding and growth modification by biotechnological or dietary means. Selection criteria…
Higher reproduction and lower replacement rates lead to a higher proportion of terminally crossbred offspring to sell. Substantial improvement in herd efficiency can be achieved by improvement in the ratio of replacement rate to reproduction rate by selection or crossbreeding…
Carcasses of 122 ram lambs born from Finnsheep X Merino (FM) and Merino (ME) as dam lines, crossed with the Ile de France (IF), SA Mutton Merino (SAMM), Dohne Merino (DM), FM and Merino as sire lines were evaluated for…
The seasonal growth pattern and dry matter (DM) yield of bana grass (Pennisetum purpureum x P. americanum) was compared with that of kikuyu (P. clandestinum) under irrigation. In addition, the yield and chemical composition of bana grass at different stages…
Bana grass (Pennisetum purpureum x P. amerieanum) was compared with kikuyu (P. clandestinum) and forage sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) with respect to quality of samples ;elected by four oesophageally fistulated steers. Hand-cut samples of the three forages were also compared…
Correlations were estimated from a total of 7740 lamb records, collected from 1943 to 1990, from the progeny of 215 sires of the registered Elsenburg Dormer sheep stud. Phenotypic correlations were generally positive and medium to high except for a…
Forty-five ewes (29 Romanov X Dorper, 9 Karakul, and 7 Dorper) were divided into four groups, synchronized using progestagen sponges and superovulated with 1000 IU pregnant mare serum gonadotrophin. Sponges were withdrawn on days 13, 14, 15 and 16 (in…
Fat provides essential fatty acids and a concentrated source of energy for dairy cows. The energetic efficiency of milk production is therefore also improved. Of the numerous fat sources that are available, oilseeds, especially cottonseed, probably offer the best opportunity…
Mean daily milk yield for 478 Holstein-Friesian cows from two herds, recorded between 1984-1985, and for 218 Jersey cows from two herds, recorded between 1984-1985, were used to estimate lactation curve parameters for Wood's gamma function: Yn = A nbe-cn.Yn…
