Annals of Warsaw University of Life Sciences SGGW Animal Science No 52, 2013: 167 171 (Ann. Warsaw Univ. of Life Sci. SGGW, Anim. Sci. 52, 2013) Comparison of calving course of Limousine purebreds and their crossbreeds with Polish Holstein-Friesian cows TOMASZ PRZYSUCHA, JAN SLÓSARZ, MARCIN GO BIEWSKI, MA GORZATA KUNOWSKA-SLÓSARZ Department of Animal Breeding and Production, Warsaw University of Life Sciences SGGW Abstract: Comparison of calving course of Limousine purebreds and their crossbreeds with Polish Holstein-Friesian cows. Calving course of 100 cows of Limousine breed covered by bulls of the same breed as well as 100 cows of Polish Holstein-Friesian breed inseminated with Limousine bull s semen was investigated. In purebred population the material was taken from the beef cattle recording scheme provided by the Polish Association of Beef Cattle Breeders and Producers. In case of commercial crossing the material was taken from the questionnaires collected by the technicians representing Mazovian Centre of Animal Breeding and Reproduction in owicz. The data base covered calving course degree and calf body weight at birth degree. It was proved, that the signi cantly higher ratio of deliveries when human help was needed was stated in the purebred Limousine population (14%), in comparison to crossbreeding where the above mentioned ratio was only 7%. The most dif cult calvings were observed for the calves of the highest birth weight. The high ratio of assisted calvings in commercial crossing as well as in purebred population of Limousines suggest that all of the deliveries should be monitored by the breeders. It should be also stated that the ratio of dif cult calvings in the commercial crossing is signi cantly lower than that observed in purebred PHF population. Because of so low ratio of assisted calvings in commercial crossing with Limousine bulls it should be recommended to use the semen of bulls which pedigree show high body weight at birth and muscularity. Key words: Limousine, calving course, commercial crossing INTRODUCTION Beef cows are not milked, hence the economic results of this branch of beef production depend mainly on the number of healthy and vital calves born from cows without any negative in uence on their health and future reproduction. Among many factors in uencing the proper calves development, beside of husbandry conditions, the calving course is mentioned by many authors (Nogalski 2004, Grodzki et al. 2009, Przysucha 2009). Calving course depends on many factors like: breed, body weight and condition of cow, calving number, body weight and sex of calf at delivery. Calving dif- culty, growth rate and calf muscularity are the main traits used to formulate the evaluation criteria of breeding indexes for beef cattle in many countries. According to many authors (Philippson 1976, Philippson 1977, Burfening et al. 1978, Meijering 1984, Berger 1994, Nogalski and Klupczy ski 1999, Grodzki et al. 2010), calving course is in uenced by many genetic and phenotypic factors. On the base of the wide literature review Nogalski (2004) and Przysucha (2009) agreed, that the main factors affecting calving course were: cow age (calving number), calf body
168 T. Przysucha et al. weight at birth, calf sex, cow caliber and its pelvis area, parents breed, pregnancy length, parents genotypes, cow condition and feeding during pregnancy, calf shape and its position at delivery. All the above mentioned factors are strictly connected one to the other. Following the rules of the most breeding programs for beef breeds it is easy to recognize, that calving course, calf body weight at delivery, calf body shape, daily growth rate, feed conversion, cutting rate and carcass quality are the main items to the breeding value formula (Nogalski and Klupczy ski 1999, Przysucha et al. 2005, Przysucha et al. 2007). In the young Polish beef cattle production the purebred female population consists of fourteen beef breeds, but Limousine cows and heifers number amounts to about 70% and in commercial crossing to 89%. It means, that the Polish breeders have already made a decision about the most useful beef breed. Limousine breed is predisposed for the intensive fattening with the very high daily gain at the moderate feedstuffs use. Animals kept for slaughtering can be fattened to the high body weight without any risk of over fattening. The proper use of beef bulls (without regard of their breed) is crucial for the commercial crossing results. This type of crossbreeding is often identi ed with calving dif culties. Papers provided by many authors clearly proved, that the calving dif culties within specialized beef breeds are the same or even lower (in case of commercial crossing) than those in case of purebred dairy herd (Hanset 1981, Nix et al. 1998, Nogalski 2002, Przysucha and Grodzki, 2008, Przysucha et al. 2009). The aim of the research was to determine the frequency of dif cult calvings in Limousine cows and dairy cows inseminated by Limousine bulls semen in the commercial crossing. MATERIAL AND METHODS The calving course of 100 purebred Limousine (2 6 years old) cows inseminated by the same breed bulls as well as 100 Polish Holstein-Friesian (PHF) cows serviced by Limousine bulls semen (commercial crossbreeds) was monitored. Results of beef cattle recording scheme conducted by Polish Association of Beef Cattle Breeders and Producers constituted the material for investigation. In case of commercial crossing (dairy cow Limousine bull) the calving course was examined by technicians from Mazovian Centre of Animal Breeding and Reproduction in owicz. The data base covered calving course degree and calf body weight at birth degree. Calving course was evaluated as: normal, without any assistance (1), help of the breeder needed (2). Depending on body weight at birth (kg) calves were divided into the following groups: up to 35 kg, 36 45 kg, >45 kg. Statistical analysis of the calving dif- culties frequencies was carried out by Chi-square test using SPSS 12.0 (Statistical Product and Service Solution 1998). RESULTS AND DISCUSSION The ratio of calving course examination for purebred and crossbred populations was presented in Table 1.
Comparison of calving course of Limousine purebreds... 169 TABLE 1. The ratio of calving course examination for purebred and crossbred populations Factor Population purebred commercial crossing Unit Calving course 1 2 Total N 86 14 100 % 86 14 100 N 93 7 100 % 93 7 100 Obtained results show signi cantly higher ratio of dif cult calvings in the purebred Limousine population in comparison to commercial crossing. The calf body weight at birth had signi cant in uence on calving course ratio. The highest ratio of dif cult calvings were found, when calf body weight was the highest (Table 2). Obtained results are the same as those presented by practically all the authors dealing with the problem. with Limousine bulls is much lower than those shown by the authors dealing with the purebred PHF (Fouz et al. 2013). Because of the relatively small percentage of dif cult deliveries in commercial crossing with Limousine bulls, this breed should be recommended to use for that purpose. The highest calving dif culty, compared with pure Holsteins was for crosses with Belgian Blue followed by Limousine and Galician Blonde (Fouz et al. 2013). TABLE 2. The in uence of calf body weight at birth on calving course Population Purebred Commercial crossing Calf body weight at Calving course (%) birth (kg) 1 2 <35 100 0 35 45 89 11 >45 79 21 <35 100 0 35 45 91 9 >45 73 27 Relatively high percentage of dif- cult calvings (with assistance needed) in purebred Limousines and crossbreds from commercial crossing of PHF cows with Limousine bulls suggests, that all of the deliveries should be monitored by the breeder. It should be stated, that the ratio of dif cult calvings in commercial crossing Irrespectively to calves genotype (purebreds or crossbreeds) the frequencies of dif cult calvings increase with the birth body weight of the calves (Table 2). Higher rate of dystocia were observed in Limousine crossbreds (38%) compared to purebreds (32%).
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Comparison of calving course of Limousine purebreds... 171 Statistical product and service solution case version 8.0 for Windows, User s Guide, 1998, by SPSS Inc., USA. Streszczenie: Porównanie przebiegu porodu u krów rasy Limousine i jej miesza ców z byd em rasy polskiej holszty sko-fryzyjskiej. W pracy oceniono przebieg porodów 100 krów rasy Limousine krytych buhajami tej samej rasy oraz 100 krów rasy polskiej holszty sko-fryzyjskiej odmiany czarno-bia ej (PHF) krytych w krzy owaniu towarowym z buhajami mi snej rasy Limousine. W hodowli czystorasowej materia em do bada by y wyniki oceny u ytkowo ci byd a mi snego prowadzonej przez Polski Zwi zek Hodowców i Producentów Byd a Mi snego. W przypadku krzy owania towarowego materia em do bada by y dane zawarte w Kartach przebiegu ocielenia krowy prowadzonych przez specjalistów Mazowieckiego Centrum Hodowli i Rozrodu Zwierz t Sp. z o.o. w owiczu. Dane dotycz ce 100 porodów krów rasy Limousine inseminowanych nasieniem buhajów tej samej rasy oraz 100 porodów krów PHF inseminowanych nasieniem buhajów mi snej rasy Limousine obejmowa y ocen przebiegu porodu oraz mas ciel cia przy urodzeniu. Uzyskane wyniki jednoznacznie pokazuj, e znacznie wi kszy i statystycznie istotny udzia porodów wymagaj cych pomocy cz owieka stwierdzono w populacji czystorasowej byd a Limousine (14%), w porównaniu z krzy owaniem towarowym krów mlecznych z buhajami tej rasy, gdzie odsetek trudnych ociele wyniós zaledwie 7%. Analiza statystyczna wykaza a istotny wp yw masy ciel cia na rozk ad ocen przebiegu porodu w obu badanych populacjach. Najwi cej trudnych porodów zanotowano w grupie ciel t o najwi kszej masie przy urodzeniu. Stosunkowo du y odsetek porodów wymagaj cych udzia u cz owieka zarówno w krzy owaniu towarowym, jak i w populacji czystorasowej Limousine, sugeruje potrzeb monitorowania przez hodowc wszystkich porodów. Nale y podkre li, e odsetek przypadków trudnych ociele w krzy owaniu towarowym z ras Limousine jest znacznie mniejszy z ich cz sto ci, jak notuje si u byd a PHF utrzymywanego w czysto ci rasy. MS. received in November 2013 Authors address: Wydzia Nauk o Zwierz tach SGGW Katedra Szczegó owej Hodowli Zwierz t ul. Ciszewskiego 8 02-786 Warszawa Poland e-mail: tomasz_przysucha@sggw.pl