This study aimed to compare purebred Holstein (HO, no=360) and crossbred cows (CR, no=275) in terms of productivity indicators obtained combining different body measures, body condition score (BCS) and milk yield (MY), composition and cheese-yield traits assessed through individual model cheese-making procedure. Crossbred cows originated from a 3-way rotational crossbreeding scheme starting from HO cows and involving Viking Red, Montebèliarde and HO sires (4 generations, PROCROSS scheme). Cows were kept in 2 herds specialised for typical hard-cheese production. All cows were measured (withers height, hearth girth and body length) and 225 cows were weighed to develop an equation to predict body weight (BW) from body measures. Predicted BW and BCS were used to predict body composition and energy content (NRC) and to estimate the net energy requirements for maintenance (NEm, MJ/d) on the basis of metabolic weight (NRC) or body protein mass (NRC modified). MY and milk composition were used to estimate the energy content of milk (MJ/kg). When compared to HO cows, CR cows yielded (P<0.05) less milk, energy in milk and cheese per day (from -4.5 to -3.5%), whereas differences in terms of daily yield of fat and protein were not significant. Crossbred cows had lower (P<0.01) hearth girth, wither height and body length, greater (+10%) BCS, estimated body fat percentage (+11.5%) and total body energy content (+8%) than HO cows. Conversely, differences in predicted BW (+1.5%) were not significant, likewise those in NEm based on metabolic weight (+1%). Considering the huge differences in body composition, predicted NEm based on body protein mass was on the contrary lower for CR compared to HO cows (-2.5%, P<0.05). Productivity indicators were computed by scaling output traits on BW and on NEm, and CR cows evidenced significantly lower daily yield of milk, milk constituents, milk energy and cheese per unit of BW and unit of NEm based on metabolic weight (from -6 to -3.4%, P<0.05). However, when productivity indicators referred to NEm based on body protein mass as input trait, differences between CR and HO cows ranged between 2 and 3% and were never significant.

Body traits and milk productivity indicators of purebred and crossbred dairy cows

M. Piazza
;
S. Saha;S. Schiavon;N. Amalfitano;G. Bittante;L. Gallo
2020

Abstract

This study aimed to compare purebred Holstein (HO, no=360) and crossbred cows (CR, no=275) in terms of productivity indicators obtained combining different body measures, body condition score (BCS) and milk yield (MY), composition and cheese-yield traits assessed through individual model cheese-making procedure. Crossbred cows originated from a 3-way rotational crossbreeding scheme starting from HO cows and involving Viking Red, Montebèliarde and HO sires (4 generations, PROCROSS scheme). Cows were kept in 2 herds specialised for typical hard-cheese production. All cows were measured (withers height, hearth girth and body length) and 225 cows were weighed to develop an equation to predict body weight (BW) from body measures. Predicted BW and BCS were used to predict body composition and energy content (NRC) and to estimate the net energy requirements for maintenance (NEm, MJ/d) on the basis of metabolic weight (NRC) or body protein mass (NRC modified). MY and milk composition were used to estimate the energy content of milk (MJ/kg). When compared to HO cows, CR cows yielded (P<0.05) less milk, energy in milk and cheese per day (from -4.5 to -3.5%), whereas differences in terms of daily yield of fat and protein were not significant. Crossbred cows had lower (P<0.01) hearth girth, wither height and body length, greater (+10%) BCS, estimated body fat percentage (+11.5%) and total body energy content (+8%) than HO cows. Conversely, differences in predicted BW (+1.5%) were not significant, likewise those in NEm based on metabolic weight (+1%). Considering the huge differences in body composition, predicted NEm based on body protein mass was on the contrary lower for CR compared to HO cows (-2.5%, P<0.05). Productivity indicators were computed by scaling output traits on BW and on NEm, and CR cows evidenced significantly lower daily yield of milk, milk constituents, milk energy and cheese per unit of BW and unit of NEm based on metabolic weight (from -6 to -3.4%, P<0.05). However, when productivity indicators referred to NEm based on body protein mass as input trait, differences between CR and HO cows ranged between 2 and 3% and were never significant.
2020
Book of Abstracts of the 71st Annual Meeting of the European Federation of Animal Science
978-90-8686-349-5
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11577/3359962
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