Effects of Environment on Productive Performance of Holstein-Friesian Dairy Cows in Three Agro-Ecological Regions of Zimbabwe

Year 2022, Volume: 5 Issue: 3, 172 - 179, 01.07.2022

Tafara Kundai Mavunga , Eddington Gororo Obert Tada

https://doi.org/10.47115/bsagriculture.1031623

Cited By: 1

Abstract

The level of performance in any livestock production enterprise is a function of genetic and non-genetic factors and their interaction. For the purpose of agricultural production decisions, Zimbabwe was divided into five agro-ecological zones (AEZ) according to rainfall intensity, distribution and length of rainy season. Commercial dairy production, based on specialist dairy breeds such as Holstein, Holstein-Friesian and Jersey, is confined to AEZ I, II, III and IV. The performance of these breeds in contrasting AEZ has not been determined. In this study, farm level data of 7562 Holstein-Friesian cows calving in the period 2003-2011 was used to compare milk yield and milk components across three contrasting AEZ of Zimbabwe. A Generalized Linear Model (GLM) was fitted to investigate the fixed effects of year, season and AEZ and random effects of days in milk (DIM) on milk production and component traits. The factors herd, agro-ecological zone, year and season had significant (P<0.001) effects on all variables tested. The most favourable performance of Holstein-Friesian cows was observed in AEZ II and during the hot-dry season due to higher test-day milk yield, protein, butterfat and total solids, and lower somatic cell counts. However, season and agro-ecological region are not limiting factors for commercial dairy production in Zimbabwe. Where animal performance may be sub-optimal, opportunities do exist for using strategies and technologies that help adapt and cope with climate conditions.

Keywords

Non-genetic factors, Agro-ecological zone, Dairy cattle, Herd, Season

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