Sign in Subscribe
Agriculture

Advances in Tropical Animal Agriculture: Wolaita Sodo University Researchers Study Jersey Breed Performance

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Tropical regions face a significant challenge in boosting dairy production to meet market demand, prompting the introduction of high-yielding temperate dairying breeds. However, the tropical environment can impact the expression of these breeds' genetic potential, leading researchers to investigate the performance of Jersey dairy stock in East Africa. A recent study by Wolaita Sodo University analyzed data from 1164 records of purebred Jerseys from 2008 to 2023, finding significant interactions among year, season of calving, and parity on lactation milk yield.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study aimed to investigate milk production and reproductive performance of Jersey dairy stock at Wolaita Sodo dairy breeding center.
  • Data analysis revealed significant influences of calving year and parity on lactation milk yield, lactation length, and milk yield.
  • Environmental factors such as milking season, period, and stage of lactation significantly affected milk yield.
  • Reproductive performance traits such as age at first service, age at first calving, calving interval, days open, and number of services per conception were influenced by year of birth/service, calving season, and parity.
  • Management inconsistency and climate fluctuations adversely impacted cow productivity and reproductive efficiency.
  • The study concluded that improvements in management practices, feeding levels, and health management are critical for enhancing dairy productivity in the tropical environment.

Statistics:

  • The overall mean for lactation milk yield (LMY) was 1852.5±21.5 litres.
  • The overall mean for milk yield (DMY) was 5.5±0.07 litres.
  • The overall mean for lactation length (LL) was 337.2±2.5 days.
  • The age at first service (AFS) was 23.2±0.4 months.
  • The age at first calving (AFC) was 34.9±0.5 months.
  • The calving interval (CI) was 462.7±8.1 days.
  • The days open (DO) were 186.9±7.0 days.
  • The number of services per conception (NSPC) was 1.89±0.05.

Sources:

  • Journal of the Indonesian Tropical Animal Agriculture, 2025, 50(2):68-81.
  • http://ejournal.undip.ac.id/index.php/jitaa
  • A free version of this journal article is available at https://doi-org.sdpl.idm.oclc.org/10.14710/jitaa

Read more