Effect of Non-Genetic Factors on Pooled Productive and Reproductive Traits in Sahiwal Cattle

Abstract

Introduction
The present study investigated the influence of various non-genetic factors on various economic traits to plan better management
practices for higher milk production in Sahiwal cattle.
Materials and Methods
The data for the present investigation were collected over a period of 71-years (1944-2014) from pedigree sheets of 1367 Sahiwal
cows born to 112 sires maintained at Government Livestock Farm, Chak-Ganjeria, Lucknow were utilized. The influence of nongenetic factors on different traits were studied by least-squares analysis of variance for non orthogonal data using mixed model
least-squares and maximum likelihood programme described by Harvey (1990).
Result
The overall performance levels of cows for total milk yield (TMY) and lactation length (LL) were 1815.192±12.87 kg and 300.77
±1.58 days, respectively. The overall least-squares means estimated for all the reproduction traits in this study were 192.60±2.35
days for service period, 163.74±2.31 days for dry period and 475.64±2.78 days for calving interval. The least-squares analysis of
variance for the pooled lactation traits showed the significant (p<0.01) effect of season of calving on total milk yield, whereas it
was significant (p<0.05) for total dry period and non-significant for other pooled lactation traits i.e. lactation length, service period
and calving interval. The effect due to period of calving on all the pooled lactation traits was found to be significant (p<0.01). The
effect due parity on all the pooled lactation traits was also significant (p<0.01).
Conclusion
Analysis of variance for the pooled milk production traits showed that the effect due to season of calving was significant for
total milk yield and total dry period. The effect due to period of calving on all the pooled milk production traits was found to
be significant. The effect due parity on all the pooled milk production traits was also significant effect of non-genetic factors on
pooled milk production and reproduction traits revealed that managemental practices were not similar during different periods.