Performance evaluation in Afrikaner cattle at Neudamm Agricultural College

Abstract

Abstract by author:

Afrikaner beef cattle records (n = 1259) collected at Neudamm Agricultural College farm over fifteen years from 1985 to 2001 were analyzed and used to estimate reproductive, survival and growth traits up to weaning. Average calving interval were computed from the data set and used to estimate calving percentage. Age at first calving was 2. 9 years (n = 126); calving rate in primiparous cows was 74. 2 percent while that in all cows in the herd was 81. 2 percent (n = 285). Age at first service for bulls was 3. 2 years (n = 8). Apparent calf survival from birth to weaning was 92. 8 percent. The model used to estimate least square means for growth traits (birth weight, 100-day weight and weaning weight) included the fixed effects of sex, year-season of birth and parity. There were significant differences (p . 001) between males and females for all the growth traits. In females the least square means for birth weight 100-day weight and weaning weight were 30. 8 ± 0. 2, 106. 0 ± 0. 9 and 162. 5 ± 1. 1, respectively. Corresponding estimates for the three growth traits in males were 33. 5+0. 1, 117. 2±0. 9 and 177. 3+1. 1. The estimated generation intervals in this herd were 3. 3 years and 3. 6 years among females and males, respectively. The calving rates obtained in this study are much higher than what is reported in other areas in Southern Africa and could be due to small sample size