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The length of gestation period of Ayrshire cows when mated with bulls of other breeds

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

R. Laird  and
E. A. Hunter
R. Laird
Affiliation:
The West of Scotland Agricultural College, Auchincruive, Ayr KA6 5HW
E. A. Hunter
Affiliation:
Agricultural Research Council Unit of Statistics, Edinburgh University, May field Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JZ
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Summary

Least squares analyses were undertaken on 1519 gestation lengths of cows mated to Beef Shorthorn, Hereford, Charolais, German Simmental or British Friesian bulls. Gestation length was influenced largely by breed of sireand byindividual sires within breeds. Approximately 100 calvings are required to give a mean value with a standard error of 0·50 day. Heritability of gestation length was estimated to be 0·24±0·05. It is recommended that Artificial Insemination organizations survey and publish the mean gestation lengths of their bulls and that dairy farmers modify, where necessary, pre-partum feeding in the light of this information.

Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Production , Volume 24 , Issue 1 , February 1977 , pp. 63 - 67
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1977

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References

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