The Performance of Cross-bred dairy Cows in (North Darfur State (Elfashir (Case study)

Abstract

The present study was conducted to assess the milk production and some reproductive patterns of cross-bred dairy cows with Friesian (inheritance over 50%) in North Darfur (Elfashir) Records of 153 cross-bred cows were studied in three selected dairy farms: (Farm-1, Farm-2 and Farm-3) . It was also found that the total herd structures were 47.7%, 16.34%, 17%, 15.7% and 3.18% lactation cows, dry cows heifers, calves and bulls respectively. The farms were visited weakly for recording daily milk production, daily feed intake and daily observations. The study revealed that the overall mean of milk production per cow per day and age at 1st calving was10.52±5.25 kg and 30.8±3.23 months in farm 1, 2 and 3 respectively with non-significant differences and highly correlation with milk production and age at 1st calving to (p0.05>). The total average of lactation length, open period, dry period and calving interval was 252.22±51.6, 80.22±19.86, 78.91±31 and 374.94±23.55 days for farm 1, 2 and 3 respectively. The study also revealed that 1.33±0.401as the overall mean of number of services per conception. iii