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Abstract
To evaluate the productive performance of Holstein Friesian cattle maintained at Government Dairy Farm Quetta. For this study the data were collected and utilized for the period of 2006 to 2013. In this study the parameters including effect of sire, parity, effect of season and calving year were under the study. While the heritability and repeatability was analyzed with the method of data analysis. In current study result for milk yield showed that higher milk yield and lactation length were observed in spring season as compared to other seasons. The results of heritability and repeatability for milk yield, lactation length and dry period were low, medium to high. In this study effect of calving season was observed significantly on above traits with low and moderate results of heritability estimate, it is concluded that milk yield, lactation length and dry period are highly influenced by environmental factors.
Keywords: Performance traits; Holstein Frisian; Subtropical environment
Introduction
Livestock sector of Pakistan serves as back of the national economy, however Pakistan has large number of better dairy animal breed, but due to unawareness regarding the utilization of genetic potential of these animals, now these breeds are known as low milk producer breeds [1]. It is real fact that milk production of these animals can be enhanced either increasing the number of dairy animals or by improving the management practices and changing the environmental conditions [2]. It has been reported that improving the management practices and environmental conditions can play a vital role for producing more effective genetic potential of these dairy breeds [3]. Crossbreeding program is important mating system through this system non descriptive and local breeds of dairy animals can be cross for getting higher genetic potential for fast and better improving method. Due to shortage of higher milk producing dairy animal's Pakistani government started to establish various dairy farms of high milk yielding dairy animals such as Jersey and Holstein Frisian in various localities of Pakistan [1]. Heritability is major genetic parameter which represent possible amount of genetic change for different selected traits and repeatability can be defined as inferiority or superiority of any trait that could consider for expression in future [2]. There are number of genetic and environmental factors, which can enhance or...