A COMPARATIVE STUDY ON THE PRODUCTIVE & REPRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE OF DAIRY CATTLE AVAILABLE IN CHAR & PLAIN LAND AREAS OF ULIPUR UPAZILA IN BANGLADESH

Abstract

This study was undertaken to compare the productive and reproductive performances of crossbreds and Indigenous dairy cows that are available in char & plain land area of Ulipur upazila under Kurigram District. In achieving this objective a sample of 96 dairy cows (Indigenous & Crossbred) were selected randomly covering five villages of Ulipur upazila in Kurigram District under Rangpur division of Bangladesh. A total of 96 dairy cows belong to different breeds, such as 32 Sahiwal cross, 32 Holstein cross, and 32 Indigenous cows were selected and their information regarding milk production and other reproductive parameters were collected from individual farm family for a period of last six months (June-November’2014). The numbers of animals of each of the genotypic classes were 32 for Sahiwal cross, 32 for Holstein cross and 32 for Indigenous. Significant differences were found within the milk yield (p<0.05), calving interval (p<0.05), service per conception rate, (p<0.05), age at first heat, (p<0.05), gestation length (p<0.05) at plain & char area (p<0.05). Average lactation yield, average lactation length and age at first calving (Months) at plain & char area were found in no significant differences (p>0.05). Highest milk yield (12.37 lit/day), age at first heat (20.5 months) and lowest calving interval (533 days) were observed in Holstein cross at char land area. But in case of Sahiwal cross, milk yield was (8.4 lit/day), age at first heat (24.5 months) and calving interval was (561days). The lowest milk yield (1.84 lit/day), age at first heat (30.5 months) and highest calving interval (684 days) were found in Indigenous cow. Production performances of Holstein crossbred were superior to other dairy crossbreds. Sahiwal crossbred was ranked in second. Finally the study identified some problems of raising cows in the rural areas of Bangladesh. These were scarcity of feeds and fodder, inadequate grazing land, lack of Veterinary Care and services, lack of availability of good quality bull, distance of AI centers specially at char areas, lower conception rate, high price of feed and fodder, lack of training and Extension and low price of milk.