Hostname: page-component-7479d7b7d-fwgfc Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-07-08T18:04:54.289Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Evaluation of beef breeds for rangeland weaner production in Zimbabwe 1. Productivity of purebred cows

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

H. P. R. Tawonezvi ,
H. K. Ward ,
J. C. M. Trail  and
D. Light
H. P. R. Tawonezvi
Affiliation:
Matopos Research Station, Private Bag K 5137, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe
H. K. Ward
Affiliation:
Matopos Research Station, Private Bag K 5137, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe
J. C. M. Trail
Affiliation:
International Livestock Centre for Africa, PO Box 5689, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
D. Light
Affiliation:
International Livestock Centre for Africa, PO Box 5689, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Get access

Abstract

Purebred cows were evaluated for reproductive performance and live weight, and for pre-weaning growth and viability of crossbred progeny sired by unrelated breeds. The cows comprised three indigenous breeds, Mashona, Nkone and Tuli and four exotic breeds Africander, Brahman, Sussex and Charolais. Over 3 years, the mean calving rates % (s.e.) were 55·5 (3·0), 76·0 (3·8), 63·1 (4·5), 69·6 (3·5), 70·0 (3·8), 60·0 (4·3) and 67·0 (5·0) for Africander, Mashona, Nkone, Tuli, Brahman, Sussex and Charolais cows, respectively. Bos taurus and Brahman cows were heavier at parturition and at calf weaning than indigenous cows. Mashona cows were lightest at both stages. Calves of Bos taurus cows were heaviest at birth and those of Mashona lightest. Calves of Brahman cows had the most rapid growth rate and at weaning (240 days) weighed in kg (s.e.) 207 (3·1), compared with 184 (2·1), 172 (2·2), 187 (2·6), 184 (2·1), 178 (2·7) and 186 (2·9) for progeny of Africander, Mashona, Nkone, Tuli, Sussex and Charolais, respectively. Pre-weaning survival rates of the breeds were not significantly different but viability was higher in progeny of indigenous than exotic breeds. The productivity estimates combining calving rate, cow weight, calf weaning weight and pre-weaning viability demonstrated the superiority of indigenous breeds and the Brahman over Africander and Bos taurus breeds.

Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Production , Volume 47 , Issue 3 , December 1988 , pp. 351 - 359
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1988

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Bonsma, J. C. and Skinner, J. D. 1969. Factors affecting birth date, birth weight and pre-weaning growth rate of Afrikaner, Bonsmara and Hereford cattle in the subtropics. Proceedings of the South African Society of Animal Production 8: 161–163.Google Scholar
Brownlee, J. W. I. 1977. The Nkone cattle of Rhodesia. Rhodesian Agricultural Journal 74: 1–9, 27–32.Google Scholar
Cartwright, T. C. 1973. Comparison of F, cows with purebred and other crosses. In Crossbreeding Beef Cattle, Series 2 (ed. Koger, M., Cunha, T. J. and Warnick, A. C.), pp. 49–63. University of Florida Press, Gainesville.Google Scholar
Dickerson, G. E. 1969. Experimental approaches in utilising breed resources. Animal Breeding Abstracts 37: 191–202.Google Scholar
Goodwin, C. P. D. 1976. The Tuli — Rhodesia's masterpiece. Modern Farming 4: 9–13.Google Scholar
Harvey, W. R. 1977. User's guide for least-squares and maximum likelihood computer program. Ohio State University, Columbus.Google Scholar
Harwin, G. O.Lamb, R. D. and Bisschop, J. H. R. 1967. Some factors affecting reproductive performance in beef females. Proceedings of the South African Society of Animal Production 6: 171–177.Google Scholar
Heyns, H. 1960. The growth of the Afrikaner calf in relation to the production and composition of milk of its dam. 2. The milk production of the dam and growth of the calf. South African Journal of Agricultural Science 3: 517–530.Google Scholar
Holness, D. H., Hale, D. H. and Hopley, J. D. H. 1980. Ovarian activity and conception during the post partum period in Afrikaner and Mashona cows. Zimbabwe Journal of Agricultural Research 18: 3–11.Google Scholar
Mason, I. L. and Maule, J. P. 1960. Indigenous Livestock of Eastern and Southern Africa. Technical Communication, Commonwealth Bureau of Animal Breeding and Genetics, No. 14. Commonwealth Agricultural Bureaux, Slough.Google Scholar
Maule, J. P. 1973. The role of indigenous breeds for beef production in southern Africa. South African Journal of Animal Science 3: 111–130.Google Scholar
Ministry of Agriculture, Botswana. 1981. Ten Years of Animal Production and Range Research in Botswana. Animal Production Research Unit, Ministry of Agriculture, Gaborone, Botswana.Google Scholar
Oliver, J. 1966. The productivity of Mashona cattle in Rhodesia. Experimental Agriculture 2: 119–128.Google Scholar
Paterson, A. G. 1981. Factors affecting postweaning growth and reproduction of crossbred cattle under an intensive production system. D. Sc. Thesis, University of Pretoria.Google Scholar
Peacock, F. M. and Koger, M. 1980. Reproductive performance of Angus, Brahman, Charolais and crossbred dams. Journal of Animal Science 50: 689–693.Google Scholar
Peacock, F. M., Koger, M., Kirk, W. G., Hodges, E. M. and Warnick, A. C. 1971. Reproduction in Brahman, Shorthorn and crossbred cows on different pasture programs. Journal of Animal Science 33: 458–465.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Preston, T. R. and Willis, M. B. 1974. Intensive Beef Production. 2nd ed. Pergamon Press. Oxford.Google Scholar
Rakha, A. M., Igboeli, G. and King, J. L. 1971. Calving interval, gestation and post partum period of indigenous central African cattle under restricted system of breeding. Journal of Animal Science 32: 507–509.Google Scholar
Richardson, F. D. 1977. The effect of plane of nutrition, time of weaning and other factors on productivity of beef cows and their calves in a marginal rainfall area of Rhodesia. Ph.D. Thesis. University of London.Google Scholar
Tawonezvi, H. P. R., Ward, H. K., Trail, J. C. M. and Light, D. 1988. Evaluation of beef breeds for rangeland weaner production in Zimbabwe. 2. Productivity of crossbred cows and heterosis estimates. Animal Production 47: 361–367.Google Scholar
Thorpe, W., Cruickshank, D. K. R. and Thompson, R. 1980. Genetic and environmental influences on beef cattle production in Zambia. 1. Factors affecting weaner production from Angoni, Barotse and Boran dams. Animal Production 30: 217–234.Google Scholar
Thorpe, W., Cruickshank, D. K. R. and Thompson, R. 1981. Genetic and environmental influences on beef cattle production in Zambia. 4. Weaner production from purebred and reciprocally crossbred dams. Animal Production 33: 165–177.Google Scholar
Trail, J. C. M. 1981. Merits and demerits of importing exotic cattle compared with the improvement of local breeds. In Intensive Animal Production in Developing Countries (ed. Smith, A. J. and Gunn, R. G.), Occasional Publication, British Society of Animal Production, No. 4, pp. 191–232.Google Scholar
Trail, J. C. M., Buck, N. G. and Light, D. 1980. Future beef cattle breeding systems — Botswana. Consultancy report covering cattle breeding research assistance to Government of Botswana by the International Livestock Centre for Africa (ILCA), October 1980.Google Scholar
Trail, J. C. M., Buck, N. G., Light, D., Rennie, T. W., Rutherford, A., Miller, M., Pratchett, D. and Capper, B. S. 1977. Productivity of Africander, Tswana, Tuli and crossbred beef cattle in Botswana. Animal Production 24: 57–62.Google Scholar
Turner, J. W., Farthing, B. R. and Robertson, G. L. 1968. Heterosis in reproductive performance of beef cows. Journal of Animal Science 27: 336–338.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Vorster, T. H. 1964. Factors influencing the growth, production and reproduction of different breeds of beef cattle under range conditions in Southern Rhodesia. Research Bulletin, Southern Rhodesia Department of Agriculture, No. 1.Google Scholar
Ward, H. K., Richardson, F. D., Denny, R. P. and Dye, P. J. 1979. Matopos Research Station: A perspective. Rhodesia Agricultural Journal 76: 5–17.Google Scholar
Willis, M. B. 1976. The use of Bos taurus in breeding programmes in the tropics. In Beef Cattle Production in Developing Countries (ed. Smith, A. J.), pp. 332–346. University of Edinburgh Press.Google Scholar