Causes of reasons for disposal of Kankrej cattle at an organized farm

Abstract

An analysis was performed to study the reasons for disposal of Kankrej cattle at an organized farm. Data
were collected from different disposal and production records from January 2003 to December 2013
and these were analyzed by using frequency and per cent basis. The overall mean annual disposal of
Kankrej cows at LRS, Sardarkrushinagar was 20.36 ± 02.20 and contributed 18.91 ± 02.29 and 01.45
± 00.34 nos., respectively for culling due to various reasons and death. The overall per cent disposal of
cows was 18.71, contributing 17.38 and 01.34 per cent, respectively due to culling and death. The results
showed that reproductive disorders (30.80%), low milk production (19.20%) and udder problems/ blind
teat (17.86%) were the major reasons for culling of adult Kankrej cows followed by minor reasons like old
age (09.82%), sale to other institute (08.93%) and death (07.14%), off breed (02.68%), vices (01.79%),
diseases (01.34%) and inferior growth (00.45%). The culling of cows due to involuntary reasons (reproductive
disorders, udder problems and diseases) accounts 50 per cent of total disposal of Kankrej cattle herd of
the research station. Highest number (34) of Kankrej cows were culled in the year 2011. The highest per
cent culling (18.75) was practised in first lactation and lowest (05.80) in the seventh lactation. However,
70.09, per cent of cows were culled up to the fourth lactation. Highest numbers (69) of cows were culled
due to reproductive disorder followed by low milk (43) production. Majority of cows were culled due to low
milk production and culled up to third third lactation. The high involuntary culling rate not only makes the
dairy enterprises economically less profitable but also reduces the genetic improvement by lowering the
selection differential for milk production.