Horro and their crossbred dairy cow’s reproductive performance in Ethiopia subhumid tropical environments

Abstract

The estrus detection system, proper time of insemination, feeding, and health care practices each make a significant contribution towards the herd's optimal breeding efficiency and lifetime production. In the subhumid environments of Ethiopia, the age at first calving, days open, calving to first heat, and services per conception are economic traits in the reproductive performance of Horro and their crossbred dairy cows. As a result, data collected at Ethiopia's Bako Agricultural Research Center from 1980 to 2019 were used to study the reproductive performance of Horro and their crosses with Holstein Friesian and Jersey dairy cows. The overall mean ± standard error of age at first service (AFS), age at first calving (AFC), number of services per conception (NSP), calving interval (CI), days open (DO), conception rate (CR), and replacement rate (RR) were 29.2±0.2 months, 39.8±0.2months,1.76±0.4, 13.2±0.3 months, 94.3±4.3 days, 75.0±1.3%, and 28.4±0.3%, respectively. At 60 and 90 days, the odds ratio of the nonreturn rate (NRR) was 0.22 and 0.96, respectively. The breeds (sire and dam) and birth period had a significant (P < 0.001) influence on AFS and AFC, whereas season and dam parity had a significant influence on CI and DO. Inconsistent management in feeding, heat detection, inseminator skills, insemination time, health, and other husbandry practices may result in extended periods of AFS, AFC, CI, and DO. To improve the reproductive performance of Horro and their crosses with Holstein Friesian and Jersey dairy cows in Ethiopia's subhumid environments, we should focus on increasing management factors.