Breeding and lactation efficiencies (BE and LE), parity-wise production profile, productive herd life and lifetime milk production (LTMP) of Gir cows (N=309), based on 1363 calvings during 1991 to 2010 at Cattle Breeding Farm, JAU, Junagadh were studied. Age at first calving (AFC) and calving interval (CI) of Gir cows were 1527.76±14.17 and 481.22±4.86 days, respectively. CI ranged from 386 to 505 days among different lactations. When AFC and CI were taken into account together, BE of the cows as per Tomar (BE-T) was estimated to be 86.91±0.49 %. About 17 % of Gir cows in the herd calved for the first time at >42 months of age (Av. 37.04 month) and 38 % of the cows had less than 14 months of CI. Lactation period (LP) of Gir cows varied significantly (P>0.05) from 230 days to 335 days showing an increasing trend with increase in no. of parity. Overall LP of Gir cows was 281.02±4.56 days, LE being 61.07±1.10%. Total lactation milk yield (TLMY) and standard lactation milk yield (SLMY) of Gir cows averaged 2006.29±48.77 and 1819.73±45.44 lit, respectively. Milk yield increased significantly (P>0.05), with increase in no. of parity, reaching peak TLMY (2425 lit) and SLMY (2303 lit) in 5th lactation. TLMY was 2134 to 2362 lit, and SLMY 1950 to 2110 lit in 6th to 8th lactation. Productive herd life averaged 3107.87±81.40 days (8.51 years). Mean number of calvings during lifetime was 4.25±0.15. A total of 19- 25 % of the total cows performed in the herd for more than 12 years, (average being 14.6 years) and for > 6 lactations. Gir cows produced 9988.71±649.08 lit LTMP. LTMP of Gir cows was significantly associated with both, the BE and LE (r =0.23 to 0.25). MSLMY showed significant (P>0.05) correlation (r=0.31 to 0.37) with BE-W and LE. Association of AFC was significant with BE-T (r=0.26). The 1st and 2nd CI showed a correlation (r= 0.57 to 0.59, P>0.01) of high magnitude with BE-W. The findings revealed that Gir cows in the herd are worth- retaining in the herd till 8th lactation with satisfactory breeding efficiency of about 87 % for economically viable sustainable dairy farming.

Aim:This study was carried out to evaluate groundnut haulms (GNH) as alternate feed source by its incorporation and assessment in terms of feed intake and growth performance in the diets of broilers.Materials and Methods:A total of 240 1-day-old Cobb-400 broiler chicks were randomly assigned to four dietary treatments each with three replicates (n=60). Experimental Birds in group T1 were fed with conventional feed while birds in T2, T3, T4 were fed containing 2%, 4%, and 6% of GNH replacing maize and soyabean on iso-nitrogenous basis.Results:Feed intake increases significantly (p>0.05) with increasing level of GNH in the diets of experimental birds. Highest feed intake was recorded in T4 (6% GNH), followed by T3 (4% GNH) than T2 (2% GNH) and T1 (control). Birds fed GNH gained significantly (p<0.05) higher body weight than birds fed the control diet. Birds in T4 [6% GNH] gained highest body weight, followed by T3 (4% GNH) than T2 (2% GNH) and T1 (control). However, feed conversion ratio (FCR) remained non-significant for all treatment groups.Conclusion:On the basis of the results of this study, it is concluded that supplementation of GNH can successfully replace costly ingredients like maize and soybean meal in the diets of broiler birds up to the level of 6 percent of concentrate mixture without any harmful effects on feed intake, growth and FCR.

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Herd structure and herd performance traits of Gir herd of Cattle Breeding Farm, JAU, Junagadh, Gujarat was studied utilizing monthly data over a period of 10 years (2001-2010). A herd with an average of 110 Gir cows had average total strength of 388.38±3.09 and total adult units (AUs) of 259.27 ±13.42. The total females present in the herd were 71.82%. The Gir herd consisted of 28.98 % cows, 22.02 % breedable heifers, 22.34 % calves (female + male) and 12.33 % males above 1 year. Wet average and herd average were 6.77±0.10 and 3.84±0.06 lit/d/cow, and % milch cows and number of milch cows were 57.03±0.85 and 63.12±1.42, respectively. Effect of month was significant on the herd average only. All herd performance traits were significantly influenced by year. Return over feed cost (ROFC) at variable feed cost was estimated to be 116.36±4.24 % at market rate of milk. Calving incidence was significantly (P less than 0.05) influenced by month. Majority (42.08 %) of calving occurred during September to December. Of 562 animals disposed of, the maximum proportion (33.96 %) was cows principally due to old age (>6 lactation) and low yield. Maximum cows, 26.21% were disposed of in their 3rd lactation. Growing/breeding males were sold @ 28.57% and castrated males to the tune of 22.32 %. The correlations among the herd structure and performance traits of the herd were negative, medium in magnitude and significant, - 0.21 to - 0.29 with wet average, -0.16 to -0.21 with herd average and -0.25 to -0.73 (P less than 0.05) with % ROFC. For the Gir herd under the study, herd structure of 30-33% cows, 18-21% breedable heifers and 72-75% total female proportion resulted in optimum wet average (>7.32 lit/d/milch cow) and herd average (> 4.17 lit/d/cow) and also higher ROFC >139.6 %.