EFFECT OF IMPROVE FEEDING ON PRODUCTIVE AND REPRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE OF CROSSBRED HEIFERS AND COWS

Abstract

Dairy cattle rearing is an inseparable and integrated part of the smallholder subsistence farming system. Dairy cattle production in Bangladesh is characterized by low productivity levels due to mainly genetic and nutritional constraints. It is a fundamental approach to provide good quality diets to dairy cattle for optimum production. Therefore the study was designed to compare the productive and reproductive performance of LocalxHolstein-Friesian (LxHF) and LocalxSahiwal (LxSh) crossbred heifers and cows under traditional feeding system and improved feeding system. A total of 100 crossbred heifers and cows (LxHF, 50 and LxSh, 50) were selected from three upazillas of Lalmonirhat District reared under improved feeding system or traditional feeding system. The productive performances like daily milk yield and lactation period and reproductive performances like age at first heat, services per conception, age at first calving, gestation length, post-partum heat period and calving interval parameters were studied by collecting data through a well prescribed questionnaire. The result revealed that among the productive parameters daily milk production were significantly (P<0.05) improved in the LxHF crossbred heifers and cows were managed under improved feeding system compared to the cows were managed under traditional feeding system. On the other hand, among the reproductive parameters, age at first heat, services per conception, post-partum heat period, calving intervals were also improved (P<0.05) in the crossbred heifers and cows were managed under improved feeding system than the traditional feeding system. Age at first heat, age at first calving and calving intervals in LxHF crossbred and services per conception and post-partum heat period in LxSh crossbred were slightly improved (but not significantly) by improved feeding system. Where daily milk production of LxSh crossbred cows and lactation period of LxHF crossbred and LxSh crossbred cows were slightly increased (P>0.05) by improve feeding. So, it is suggested that the productive and reproductive performance of crossbred heifers and cows may be improved by improved feeding system. In the socio-economic aspects of Bangladesh, it is crying need to improve the productive and reproductive performance of crossbred dairy cows. The present result revealed that the productive and reproductive performances of crossbred heifers and cows were higher under improved feeding system compared to the traditional feeding system. So it may be suggested that the farmers of Lalmunirhat District should provide improve feeding to their crossbred heifers and cows to achieve better performances.