Early Growth and Reproductive Performances of Horro Cattle and thier F₁ Jersey Crosses in and around Horro-Guduru Livestock Production and Research Center, Ethiopia

Abstract

A cross-sectional survey, an assessment of recorded data and  measurements of different traits were conducted to determine the reproductive and early growth performances of Horro cattle and their F₁ Jersey crosses of the study area. The mean(SD) total farmland, cropland and grazing land holdings of individual smallholder householders were 3.6±3.16, 2.86±2.51 and 0.81±0.89 respectively, while the mean(SD) livestock species holding were 17±11.66, 2.9±3.98,2.9 ±4.83, 1.8±1.66 and 9.3±8.97 for cattle, sheep, goats, equine and poultry respectively. Anestrous, repeat breeder, endo-metritis and dystocia were the main reproductive health problems which were found to occurs with the  proportion of 21.1%, 19.7%, 5.6% and 1.4%, while the remaining 52% attribute to non pregnancy in cows due to voluntary waiting period, post
partum period and lack of AI service. The overall mean age at first service across both production sites(on station and on farm) was 48.85 months for local Horro and 33.25 months for Horro-Jersey F₁ Crosses, where as the mean (SD) NSPC for Horro and Horro-Jersey crossbred heifers was found 2.1±1.09 and 1.7±0.94 respectively. Breed of animals had high  significance effect at (P < 0.001) on AFS and AFC. The mean birth weight of Horro and Horro-Jersey crossbred calves was 17.5±2.25 and 18.2±2.03 kg respectively. Calf birth weight was significantly (P<0.001) influenced by breed and sex, season and year of birth of a calf. The mean (SD) body weight measure of Horro calves at six, twelve, eighteen and twenty four months age is found to be 69.8±31.19, 117.7±22.65, 129.4±24.82 and 150±23.56 Kg respectively. While, their respective counterpart Horro-Jersey F₁ crossbred calves were found to weigh 64.42±10.18, 136.6±27.97 and 145.1±22.27 kg mean(SD) body weight at six, twelve and eighteen  months of ages respectively.