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Phenotypic and Production Performance of Indigenous Zebu Cattle (bos Indicus) Under Hot and Humid Temperature in Mymensingh District

MA Hossain
Department of Dairy Science, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202, Bangladesh

MAS Khan
Department of Dairy Science, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202, Bangladesh

MA Hashem
Department of Animal Science, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202, Bangladesh

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

The present study was conducted to find out the present condition of native cattle, their rearing habit, milk production, fat%, some important reproductive parameters, blood parameters, climate effects and birth weight of calves and give important suggestion for production constraints. Data was compiled statistically only for tabular, percentage, mean and standard deviation. Eighty three local cows and 17 heifers were taken under this study from 72 farmers. Body weight and condition score, average daily feed intake, daily milk yield,hemoglobin, packed cell volume,the fat percentage, age at first calving, calving interval and birth weight of the local calves were 173.23 ± 32.03 kg and 2.55 ± 0.34, 12.5 kg (fresh basis) and 7.72 kg (DM basis), 1.43 ± 0.58 kg.,7.8 ±1.00 (g/100 ml), 52 ± 52.10(%) and 57.6 ± 9.1g/kg, 52.8 ± 13.32 months, 417.6 ± 109.5 days, 14.43 ± 2.56 kg respectively. Average number of eggs of parasite was 53 per gm of feces. So considering the trial parameters indigenous cows rearing under rural condition was a profitable practice in selected areas minimizing effect of climate stress and thrives well in hot and humid temperature maintaining phenotypic and productive performance of Bangladesh.

Keywords: Zebu cattle, Production performance, Climate, Semi-integrated

Location: Nearby village of Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU), Mymensingh

Start Date:

End Date:

Program Area: Animal Health and Management

Commodity: Cattle

Objectives:

The study was undertaken to assess the effects of seasonal change in thermal environment, morph metrics characterizations, productive and reproductive traits, blood parameters and stage of pregnancy on thermoregulation, growth of calves, and climate effect of local cows on their survival capacity maintaining phenotypic and productive performance under local tropical conditions of Bangladesh.

Methodology:

The experiment was conducted at nearby village of Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU), Mymensingh for one year with 83 local cows and 17 heifers to study the baseline production performance of local cattle.Description of animal site One typical village named -Boira which is about two kilometer away from BAU; Mymensingh Campus had been selected for the study. The villagers are mostly resource poor small household farmers out of 22% were landless but every family has some indigenous cattle. The village was well communicated from the University; the farmers were very interested for this study. Constant visit and collection data from farmer’s level was easy for better communication. The cows of villagers are generally used for multipurpose like dairy, drought and meat. Rice straw was the main source of the animals as residual part of crop. Very little roadside green grass were used as succulent feed. Wheat bran, oil cake and common salt were fed to the animals by the comparatively better off farmers. Animals are mainly stall feed and sometimes tethered. Numbers of animal in study Seventy two individual farmers having 83 indigenous cows and 17 heifers were taken for this study. Baseline data were collected having 100 animals through direct interviewing with 72 farmers. The animals received as usual feed supplied by the farmers of that area on availability basis.Average productivity and fertility indices Cows were milked once in the morning. Calves were usually tied up at night and they had free access to their dam during the whole day. Productivity had been monitored by supplied International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) draft data sheets for measurement of milk production and changes in live weight, Scottish Agricultural College grading viz. 1-5 had been used for condition score and from various reproductive indices like at first parturition, calving interval and start of sexual cycle/conception, conception rate, number of calves boned/ weaned etc. Scheduled visits and sampling Eighty three cows and 17 heifers had been ear tagged (1-100) for identification. The cows, calves, heifers and milk yield were weighed daily. Fecal eggs were examined under microscope for parasitism from the collected fecal sample of individual animal. Visiting schedule was maintained daily on the study area. METHODS OF FEEDING: Cows were fed as usual traditional system by the villagers. Most of the animals were mainly stall fed and sometimes tethered in the field surrounding of household farmers. Green grass and rice straw is the main source of the study animals. Fresh water supplied for the trial animals were ad libitum. Climatic conditions Ambient temperature, rainfall and relative humidity were collected from the meteorological station situated at BAU campus, Mymensingh. Mean value of ambient temperature (T) and relative humidity (RH) recorded during the experiment period were calculated. The temperature-humidity index (THI) was calculated using the following equation by Ravagnolo et al., 2000.THI= (1.8*T+32) -[(.0.0055*RH) *(1.8*T-26)].Feed sample analysis Determination of Dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP) and Ash were done according to AOAC (1984) in the laboratory of Department of Animal Nutrition. RDP, UDP, digestibility of CP and DM were done according to Scottish Agricultural College bulletin (1984). Blood collection and analysis Blood samples were collected aseptically by venipuncture from the jugular vein using disposable syringes and were immediately transferred to test tubes containing Na2-EDTA as anticoagulant. The samples were used for hematological measurement using standard methods (Jain, 1996). Statistical Analysis Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics such as number, range, percentages, mean and standard deviation. A number of tables were prepared keeping in view the objectives of the study.

Source of Information: International Journal of Natural and Social Sciences, 2017, 4(3):49-57 ISSN: 2313-4461

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

In conclusion, above reveals show that performance of indigenous cattle regarding morph metric characterization, productive and reproductive traits, blood parameters and climate effect (temperature, rainfall and relative humidity etc) as considering the trial parameters indigenous cows rearing was a profitable practice in selected areas coping with hot and humid temperature. As a result, it is possible to improve the phenotypic and production performance of indigenous cows in hot and humid temperature conditions in selected areas of Bangladesh.

Knowledge Management: Journal