Productive and reproductive performance of dairy cattle and their crossbreds in Bhutan

摘要

ThestudywasconductedtoestablishbaselineinformationpertainingtoproductiveandreproductiveperformanceofdairybreedsandtheircrossbredinBhutan.Thedatafrom1340animalsrearedby782farmersfrom14districtswerecollectedthroughinterviewusingastructuredquestionnaire.Tocorroboratethesurveyfindingsonthedailymilkyield,actualdailymilkyieldof733animalswerealsomeasuredusingaspringweighingbalancewith10gprecision.Therespondentswerecomposedofmembersandnon-membersofthedairyfarmers#8217;groupsandthecattlemigratoryherders.Theoverallmeanlactationrecord,ageatfirstservices,gestationperiod,heatinterval,servicesperconception,calvingintervalanddaysopenforthedairybreedsandtheircrossbredinBhutanwere303(SE=2.4)days,25.3(SE=0.16)months,279(SE=0.31)days,21.0days(SE=0.04),1.33nos.(SE=0.02),488days(SE=2.7)and149days(SE=2.58),respectively.Thedatawereregisteredfromapopulation,atvariousstagesoflactation,lactationnumber,ageandlocationscoveringdifferentagro-ecologicalzones.Themeandailymilkyieldsreportedbytherespondentsforoncemilkingforthesummerandwintermonthswere1.54Kg,4.23Kg,1.62Kg,5.07Kg,3.49Kgand1.08Kg,3.03Kg,1.08Kg,3.58Kgand2.07KgfortheLC,Jx,Mx,PJandBSx,respectively.Themeandailymilkyieldreportedfortwicemilking(morningplusevening)forthesummerandwintermonthswere2.04Kg,6.15Kg,2.08Kg,7.10Kg,5.08Kgand1.41Kg,4.49Kg,1.48Kg,4.61Kgand3.08KgfortheLC,Jx,Mx,PJandBSxrespectively.Themeandailymilkyieldsmeasuredinthesummermonthswere1.43Kg,3.74Kg,1.48Kg,4.80Kgand3.60Kg(oncemilking)and1.86Kg,5.52Kg,2.10Kg,6.21Kgand5.90Kg(twicemilking)fortheLC,Jx,Mx,PJandBSx,respectively.Thetotaldailymilkyieldincreasedbyabout30,ifanimalsweremilkedtwiceinaday.Therewasnodifferencesoncorroboratingsurveyfindingswiththeactualmeasurementofdailymilkyield,indicatingreliabilityofthesurveyfindings.Ingeneral,theproductiveandreproductiveperformanceofdairybreedsandtheircrossbredinBhutanwererelativelypoor.Theenhancementoffarmers#8217;skillsandknowledgethrougheducationonimprovedcattlemanagementpractices,importanceofcompletemilkingandadoptingtwicemilkingofanimalsinadaycouldcontributetoeconomicviabilityandsustainabilityofdairyfarmsinthecountry.