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Influence of non-genetic factors on birth and weaning weights of
Friesian crossbred calves in the Sudan
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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
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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.
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Keywords:
Friesian; Kenana; crossbred; dams’ parity order; season of calving;
calves’ sex |
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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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