Indian Journal of Animal Research

  • Chief EditorK.M.L. Pathak

  • Print ISSN 0367-6722

  • Online ISSN 0976-0555

  • NAAS Rating 6.50

  • SJR 0.263

  • Impact Factor 0.4 (2024)

Frequency :
Monthly (January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November and December)
Indexing Services :
Science Citation Index Expanded, BIOSIS Preview, ISI Citation Index, Biological Abstracts, Scopus, AGRICOLA, Google Scholar, CrossRef, CAB Abstracting Journals, Chemical Abstracts, Indian Science Abstracts, EBSCO Indexing Services, Index Copernicus
Indian Journal of Animal Research, volume 50 issue 6 (december 2016) : 867-871

Breeding efficiency of Crossbred cattle and Murrah buffaloes at organized dairy farm

Varinder Raina*, Raman Narang, Puneet Malhotra, Simarjeet Kaur, P.P. Dubey, Shashi Tekam, S.K. Dash
1<p>Department of Animal Genetics and Breeding,&nbsp;Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Science University, Ludhiana-141 004, Punjab, India.</p>
Cite article:- Raina* Varinder, Narang Raman, Malhotra Puneet, Kaur Simarjeet, Dubey P.P., Tekam Shashi, Dash S.K. (2016). Breeding efficiency of Crossbred cattle and Murrahbuffaloes at organized dairy farm . Indian Journal of Animal Research. 50(6): 867-871. doi: 10.18805/ijar.v0iOF.6663.

A total of 1474 and 1935 production and reproduction records of crossbred cattle and Murrah buffaloes from the year 1992 to 2012 were utilized in the present study to investigate breeding efficiency (BE) and various performance traits. Breeding efficiency was calculated using Wilcox and Tomar methods and  Least –squares of Harvey model was used to study the effects of various non-genetic factors (period, season) on breeding efficiency.  Average breeding efficiency of Crossbred cattle  was 82.31 ± 0.97%  ranging from 75% to 85% by Wilcox method and 98.14 ± 1.09% ranging from 95% to 99% by Tomar method. Average breeding efficiency of  buffaloes was 78.03 ± 1.01% ranging from 69% to 84% by Wilcox method and 78.39  ± 0.39% ranging from 74% to 80% by Tomar method  under the management conditions. Breeding efficiency correlated positively with weight at calving, milk yield 305 days and milk yield complete in Crossbred cattle and Murrah buffaloes by both methods. The effect of period was significant(<0.01) on the breeding efficiency by Wilcox method and non-significant by Tomar method in Crossbred cattle. The effect of season was non-significant on breeding efficiency by both methods in crossbred cattle. In Murrah buffaloes the effect of period was significant(<0.01) on the breeding efficiency by both methods  while the effect  season was significant(<0.05) on breeding efficiency by Tomar method and non significant by Wilcox method. Therefore it is imperative to emphasis improvement in the husbandry practices and the introduction of genetic evaluation programmes at the same time.


  1. Ahmad M. (1999). ‘Genetic Evaluation of Native and Crossbred Dairy Cattle in Pakistan.’ Ph.D. thesis, Dept. Animal Genetics and Breeding Univ. New England, Australia.

  2. Baghdasar, G. A. and K. H. Juma. (1998). Some aspects of life performance of Iraqi buffalo. In: Proc. 6th World Cong. Genet. Appl. Livest. Prod. Jan 11-16. Armidale NSW. Australia.

  3. Bashir M K, Khan M S, Bhatti S A and Iqbal A. (2007). Lifetime Performance of Nili-ravi Buffaloes in Pakistan. Asian-    Australian Journal of Animal Science 20: 661-68.

  4. Beever, D. E. (2006). The impact of controlled nutrition during the dry period on dairy cow health, fertility and performance. Animal Reproduction Science 96: 212-226.

  5. Cilek S and M E Tekin. (2005). The Environmental Factors Effecting Milk Yield and Fertility Traits of Simmental Cattle Raised at Kazova State Farm and Phenotypic Correlations between these Traits. Turkey Journal of Veterinary Animal Science 29: 987-93.

  6. Dam B P Van, Bartlett P C, Kirk J H and Mather E C. (1988). The effect of age at calving on reproduction, milk production and disease incidence in the first lactation of dairy heifers. Theriogenology 30:583-91.

  7. Habib, M. A., (2011). Analysis of Red Chittagong Genotype in Nucleus Breeding Herd. Ph.D. dissertation, Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh pp. 90-92

  8. Hammoud M H, El-Zarkouny S Z and Oudah E Z M. (2010). Effect of sire, age at first calving,season and year of calving and parity on reproductive performance of Friesian cows under semiarid conditions in Egypt. Archiva Zootechnica 13: 60-82.

  9. Jairath L K, Hayes J F and Cue R I. (1994). Multitrait restricted maximum likelihood estimates of genetic and phenotypic parameters of lifetime performance traits for Canadian Holsteins. Journal of Dairy Science 77: 303-12.

  10. Kadarmideen, H. N.; Thompson, R.; Coffey, M. P. and Kossaibati M. A. (2003). Genetic parameters and evaluations from single- and multiple-trait analysis of dairy cow fertility and milk production. Livestock Production Science 81: 183-195.

  11. Kiwuwa G H, Trail J C M, Kurtu M Y, Worku G, Anderson F M and Durkin J. (1983). Crossbred Dairy Cattle Productivity in Arsi Region, Ethiopia. International Livestock Research, Report No. 11. ARDU and ILCA, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

  12. Lucy, M. C. (2001). Reproductive loss in high-producing dairy cattle: Where will it end?. Journal of Dairy Science 84: 1277–1293.

  13. McDowell, R.E. (1985). Meeting constraints to intensive dairying in tropical areas. Cornell International Agriculture Mimeograph 108, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY.

  14. Oudah, E. Z. M.; Mostafa, M. A.; El-Arian, M. N. and Ismail, R. F. (2008). Productive and reproductive performance of Russian Black Pied cows in the first three lactations under hot climate conditions in Uzbekistan. Journal of Agricultural Sciences Mansoura Univ 33: 4063-4075.

  15. Pryce, J. E.; Coffey, M. P. and Brotherstone, S. (2000). The genetic relationship between calving interval, body condition score and linear type and management traits in registered Holsteins. Journal of Dairy Science 83: 2664–2671.

  16. Sewalem, A.; Miglior, F.; Kistemaker, G. J.; Sullivan, P. and Van Doormaal, B. J. (2008). Relationship between reproduction traits and functional longevity in Canadian dairy cattle. Journal of Dairy Science 91: 1660–1668.

  17. Sodakar S B, Singh B N and Khan F H. (1988). Studies on breeding efficiency in Friesian X Sahiwal crossbreds. Indian Journal of Dairy Science 41: 185-87.

  18. Syed M S , Qureshi M S, Khan S and Saleem M. (2009). The performance of dairy buffaloes kept at three state farms. Pakistan Journal of Zoology 9: 297-301.

  19. Tadesse M, Thiengtham J, Pinyopummin A and Prasanpanich S. (2010). studied Productive and reproductive performance of Holstein Friesian dairy cows in Ethiopia. Livestock Research for Rural Development 22: 172-78.

  20. Tomar N S. (1965). A note on the method of working out breeding efficiency in Zebu cows. Indian Dairyman 17: 389-90.

  21. Wilcox C J, Pfau K O and Bartlett J W. (1957). An investigation of female reproductive performance and longevity and their interrelationships within a Holstein Friesian. Journal of Dairy Science 40: 942-47.

Editorial Board

View all (0)