Merit and Demerits of HF Crossbreed Cattle of India
Crossbreeding of Indian breeds with foreign breeds started in India from the year 1875.After Independence of India,during 1950s with the aim of increase the milk production
Crossbreeding experiments between Indigenous breeds with HF,Jersey and brown swiss carried out.
In 1971 at NDRI, karnal for crossbreeding
Holstein Friesian was used on Tharaparkar cows.HF cross was called Karan Fries.First
Lactation milk yield of this HF crossbreed was 3619kg in 305 days.The average fat percentage ranged between 4.10 and 4.17 and SNF ranged between 8.58 and 8.75 percentage.
Merits of HF Crossbreed cow:
1.Increase in milk production per cow
From 1 litre to 7 litre average per day production per cow
2.Increase in lactation length from 180 days to 300 days
3.lncrease growth rate
4.Decrease in age at puberity
From 2-3 years in native cattle to 14-18 months in native HF crossbreeds.
5.decrease in calving interval
From 2-3 years in native cattle to 12-14 months in HF crossbreeds.
6.higher birth weight and growth rate in calves.
7.better reproductive efficiency
8.crossbreed HF cow are docile,can be easily handled.
9.Heat detection and Artificial insemination is easier in cross breed HF cow
10.Price of crossbreed HF cow milk is less in comparison to native breeds.
Demerits of HF crossbreed cow:
1.HF crossbreed cows are susceptible for heat stress,able to thrive only between 15’C to 27’C.Not suitable for climate above 30’C
2.Need good quality of feed and fodder.
Deficiency of good quality feed and fodder lead to Deficiency diseases and poor milk production and poor reproductive performance.
3.Need more drinking water.During winter 30 to 50 litres and during summer 60 to 100 litres.
4.Need good cattle shed and 50 to75 square feet floor space.
5.less disease resistance when compare to native cattle for following diseases
Foot and mouth disease
Babesiosis
Theileriosis
Mastitis
Milk fever
Ketosis
6.poor resistance to ticks and flies infestation when compare to native cattle.
7.short life span
8.high susceptibility to lameness
9.production of milk with low fat percentage.
10.High ratio of Male calves birth when compare to birth of female calves
Presence of lethal genes lead to death of more highbreed HF calves.
HF cross breeds not produced from pig Gene’s.It is not at all possible to produce.It was a false propaganda.
With proper feed and proper breeding policy disease resistance HF cross breed is
Possible In India.
Because of the good decision of scientific community and Indian administration cross breed cattle in India developed in right time to solved the milk scarcity problem in India. Otherwise we have to import milk from other countries now and milk price is above the purchasing power of common Indian.
Dr MS Satavahan.
