Effects of Non-genetic Factors Affecting the Productive Performance of White Fulani and Friesian x White Fulani Genotypes in Kaduna, Nigeria

Abstract

This research was conducted to assess the effects of genetic and non genetic factors on the productivity of commercial dairy herd in Kaduna. Nigeria. Data on 252 calving which comprised, 100 white Fulani calves (male 46, female 54) and 152 Friesian × white Fulani calves (male 66, female 86) obtained from records routinely kept for each lactating cow from 2009 to 2014, inclusive were used for the study. The data was subjected to the General Linear Model (GLM) procedure of statistical analysis system. The least squares mean of total milk yield, daily milk yield, lactation length, calving interval, gestation length and age at first calving were 676.39±0.45 kg, 3.54±0.02 kg, 191.07±0.27 days, 382.36±0.59 days, 270.85±0.16 days, and 46.20±2.49 months, for white Fulani breed respectively while the corresponding values for the Friesian × White Fulani crossbred were 1108.22±0.06 kg, 4.84±0.03 kg, 228.97±0.28 days, 366.50±0.65 days, 270.93±0.12 days and 38.80±0.29 months. The age at first calving and parity of dam had significant (P<0.05) effects on both total milk yield and average daily milk yield in both breeds. In addition to the above mentioned breeds, year of calving was significant in the crossbred. However, season of calving had no significant (P>0.05) effect on total milk yield as well as average daily milk yield in both genotypes.