E-ISSN 2223-0343

Influence of non-genetic factors on birth and weaning weights of Friesian crossbred calves in the Sudan

El Nazeir BA1, Mohammed AM1, El Khidir OA2 and Atta M3*

1Animal Production Research Center, Sudan; 2Kenana Sugar Company, Sudan; 3Department of Animal Resources, Qatar

 
Abstract

The present study was carried out to examine the effects of calf sex, parity order and season of calving on birth and weaning weight of Friesian crossbred calves comprising weight records of animals born from 2002 to 2011. The data were arranged by dams’ parity order (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th) calving seasons (dry summer, wet summer and winter season) and calf sex. The overall mean calf birth and weaning weights were 33.7±5.1 kg and 82.9±6.4 kg, respectively. Male calves were superior to females in birth and weaning weights. The lightest birth weight was recorded for the calves born in first parity. The calf birth weight increased with increasing parity order. The heaviest birth weight of calves was observed to dam at 5th parity after which no variation was observed among calves. The lightest weaning weight was recorded for the calves born to first parity dams. There was no variation in weaning weight for calves born to dams from 2nd to 7th parity order. Calves born during dry summer had the lighter birth and weaning weights than their fellow mates born during wet summer and winter. It can be concluded that the studied factors significantly affected birth and weaning weights of Friesian crossed calves. Since the potential for such crosses to be used as conventional dairy animals in the tropics is high, it is highly advised to pay high attention to nutrition and management during gestation and pre-weaning periods.

Keywords: Friesian; Kenana; crossbred; dams’ parity order; season of calving; calves’ sex
 
To cite this article: El Nazeir BA, AM Mohammed, OA El Khidir and M Atta, 2015. Influence of non-genetic factors on birth and weaning weights of Friesian crossbred calves in the Sudan. Res. Opin. Anim. Vet. Sci., 5(4):178-182.
 

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