Comparative performance of dairy cows in low-input smallholder and high-input production systems in South Africa |
| |
| Authors: | S. Abin C. Visser C. B. Banga |
| |
| Affiliation: | 1.Department of Animal and Wildlife Sciences,University of Pretoria,Pretoria,South Africa;2.ARC Animal Production Institute,Irene,South Africa |
| |
| Abstract: | The aim of this study was to benchmark the performance of dairy cows in the low-input smallholder system against their counterparts in the high-input system, in South Africa. Data comprised of cow performance records from the national dairy recording scheme. Performance measures included production (305-day yields of milk, fat, and protein), lactation length, somatic cell count (SCC), and reproductive traits, represented by age at first calving (AFC) and calving interval (CI). Least squares means of each trait were compared between the two systems, and lactation curves for production traits and SCC were plotted for each production system. Mean yields of milk, fat, and protein were significantly (P?P?P?P?P?
|
| |
| Keywords: | |
| 本文献已被 SpringerLink 等数据库收录！ |
|
