Crossbreeding of cattle for increasing milk production in India: A review

Abstract

The present paper evaluates the performance of crossbreds for lifetime parameters, economics of crossbreds, decline in performance of crossbreds over generations and constraints in performance recording and sire evaluation. The lifetime performance in crossbreds was much higher than indigenous breeds. The Friesian crosses had higher lifetime milk yield, longer herd and productive life and completed more number of lactations than other breed crosses. The lifetime milky yield and number of lactations completed in 75% (two- and three- breed) crosses was relatively low. Variability in performance of crossbreds under field conditions could be ascribed to different availability of inputs, agro-ecological conditionns, type of farmer and the indigenous and exotic breeds used in crossbreeding. Crossbred cattle have higher milk productivity and reproductive efficiency hence are more profitable than buffaloes and local cattle. Production performance of F2 crossbred COWS declined (17-42%) on inter se mating among the F1 animals, and ways were suggested to minimize it. Major constraints in performance recording and progeny testing have been discussed..The monthly test interval method was more suitable and convenient for computation of lactation yield under field conditions. The least squares method can be used for estimating the breeding values of bulls under field conditions. BLUP and contemporary method used for estimating breeding values using organized farm data.