Influence of various climatic factors on milk production and related traits in Mpwapwa cattle and their crosses
| dc.contributor.author | Msechu, James Kundaeli Kileghua | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2023-05-15T12:02:15Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2023-05-15T12:02:15Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 1994 | |
| dc.description | Thesis | en_US |
| dc.description.abstract | A study was carried out to examine the influence of various climatic factors on milk production in Mpwapwa breed cattle and their crosses in Livestock Production Research Institute in Mpwapwa Central Tanzania. It was based on daily milk yields and weather information recorded from 1964 to 1989. Milk yields of individual cows were accumulated for periods of 28 days and related to average weather records for the same periods and or the preceding period. A short term supplementary study was used to investigate reaction of different genetic groups of the cattle, in terms of daily milk yield, milk components, and rectal temperature, to weather conditions. Over the study period, daily maximum and minimum temperatures averaged 26.2°CS and 14・5°C, while average daily temperature-humidity index was 68.5 and 74.1 (morning and afternoon), and annual rainfall averaged 785 mm. Least squares means for 28-day milk yield (kg) were 123.8, 179.1, 175.5, 213.3, 131.1, respectively for Mpwapwa and Jersey, Ayrshire, and Friesian crosses, and Backcross. All were significantly different (P<0.05), except between Jersey and Ayrshire crosses. The studies revealed that several of the weather variables had a significant influence on milk yield during the same or the subsequent period. However, the magnitude and sign of the partial regression coefficients were inconsistent and erratic. In most analyses concurrent rainfall showed a positive relationship with milk as might be expected from the effect of rain on pasture growth. But, surprisingly, some of the temperature variables were also positively related to milk yield. Separate analyses of the data of each of the five genetic groups failed to demonstrate distinct differences between groups in reaction to the climatic factors studied. In the supplementary study daily milk yield and yield of various milk components did not appear to be influenced by concomitant weather variables. Rectal temperature was however, significantly influenced by weather variables recorded at the same time. The genetic groups did not differ significantly in rectal temperature. The lack of conclusive results might have partly been caused by the close association between some of the weather variables. Inclusion of previous milk in most of the analyses, in an effort to increase precision, may have complicated the interpretation of the results also. Further investigation on the nature of the relationships suggested by trends revealed by the study was recommended. Changes were recommended in the breeding programme to exploit the more productive | en_US |
| dc.description.sponsorship | Norwegian Agency for International Development (NORAD) through a project at Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA), Animal Science Department | en_US |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://www.suaire.sua.ac.tz/handle/123456789/5258 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | en_US |
| dc.publisher | Sokoine University of Agriculture | en_US |
| dc.subject | Milk production | en_US |
| dc.subject | Cattle | en_US |
| dc.subject | Mpwapwa | en_US |
| dc.title | Influence of various climatic factors on milk production and related traits in Mpwapwa cattle and their crosses | en_US |
| dc.type | Thesis | en_US |