Productive and Reproductive Performance of Friesian Dairy Cattle in Eastern Saudi Arabia

Abstract

This study was conducted in Al-Ahsa in the eastern region of Saudi Arabia. Data on health, production, reproduction and growth performance were obtained from records kept in a private farm between 1985-1999. General linear models were used to investigate the effect of various sources of variations and covariates on productive and reproductive parameters. The occurrence of diseases was higher in old (n=460) representing (83.9%) than young cows (n= 88) representing (17%). Bloat, eye infection, ketosis and skin troubles represented 8.0% 4.6% 4.6% and 1.8% of the disease cases respectively. Udder problems (n=389) accounted for 71% and diarrhoea (n=10 ) 55%. Bloat and udder problems were more frequent in summer than winter. Birth weight influenced (P<0.0001) survival at birth. Twins born in winter had significantly (P<0.050) higher survival rates at one week than those born in summer. Survival rate, at one month, was greater (P>0.05) for winter than summer born calves. The survival rates of males were higher than that of females. Single males born in winter had greater survival rates than other categories of calves. Corrected overall mean milk yield of 1616 records in this study was 7092.26±2116.36 kg, with a minimum yield of 568 kg and a maximum yield of 16658 kg . Season and parity affected lactation length (P<0.05). Average peak daily milk yield was 33.02±8.40 kg with a minimum of 28 kg and a maximum of 63 kg. Calving interval had a mean value of 409.22± 95.72 days with a minimum of 330 days and a maximum of 1049 days. Year of birth but not season of birth affected (P<0.05) age at first calving .Heifer calves born in summer took none significantly (P>0.01) longer time to calve (815.7±9.2 days) than heifer calves born in winter -2- (799.1±9.5 days). Young heifers gave birth to 32.45% of the calves and the older cows gave birth to 67.55% of the calves. Twinning rate was 4.56% and was higher in older than in younger cows. Single born female and male calves represented 45.45% and 49.99% of the total born calves respectively. Twins of similar sex represented 0.11% and 1.6% for females and males respectively. Mixed sex twins (male and female) represented 2.8% of total born calve. Calf loss during pregnancy has been attributed to abortion, stillbirth and death at birth. The percentage of calves lost to abortion was 5.12% in summer and 11.34% in winter. 22.09% of the cows that conceived from first insemination did that in winter. Generally 77.68% of the old cows required more than one insemination to get pregnant and 87.89 %of young stock did the same. Overall calf loss was 5.57%. The number of inseminations needed by each cow to conceive varied between 1-12 with a mean of 2.98±2.28. The length of interval between first heat and last insemination was 98.04±2.28 days in old cows and 94.02±3.40 days in young cows. Similarly season did not influence interval between calving and first insemination. Gestation length in old cows was 272.00±0. 477 days and was shorter (P<0.0001) than that of young stock (276.71±0.65 days). Males were born heavier (30.40 ± 0.40 kg) than females (28.38 ± 0.36kg). There were significant (P<0.05) sex and birth type differences in birth and weaning weight. Weaning weight of male calves was 70.24 ± 0.27 kg and that of female calves was 70.01 ± 0.27 kg .