Abstract
Background: Brahman crossbreds exhibit heavy weight, good health, nice coat-color and docility, making them advantageous for beef production. Appropriate proportion of Brahman genetics in female herds is crucial for sustainable development in Western Highlands of Vietnam. This study aims to evaluate the effects of different proportions of Brahman genetics on reproductive performance of crossbred females. Methods: Data were collected from 1,285 breeder cows in Dak-Lak and Gia-Lai provinces between 2017 and 2021. The traits measured included age at first service (AFS), weight at first service (WFS), age at first calving (AFC), and days open (DO). Data was analyzed using the GLM and linear regression. The statistical models included province, dam breed group, birth year of heifers and parities as fixed effects. Results: AFS, WFS, AFC and DO were higher in female crossbreds with higher proportion of Brahman genetics. Incorporating Brahman genetics to female herds improved WFS, but not AFS, AFC and DO. For every 1% increase of Brahman genetics, AFS, WFS, AFC and DO increase by 1.39 days, 1.55 kg, 1.42 days and 0.813 days, respectively. Conclusions: When breeder cows were upgraded with Brahman genetics, body weight at first service was improved. However, the other reproductive traits were negatively affected.
Keywords
Beef cattle, Body weight, Brahman cattle, Reproductive performance