Comparative studies on growth traits of Sanga and Friesian-Sanga crossbred calves raised on natural pasture on the Accra Plains of Ghana |
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| Authors: | E T Sottie K A Darfour-Oduro S A Okantah |
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| Institution: | (1) CSIR-Animal Research Institute, P.O. Box AH 20, Achimota, Ghana |
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| Abstract: | Data collected from 1993 to 2006 at the Animal Research Institute of Ghana was used to compare the performance of Sanga and
Friesian-Sanga crossbred calves on natural pasture. Performance traits analyzed were birth weight (BWT), weaning weight adjusted
to 210 days (WW7), preweaning average daily gain to 210 days (ADG 1), weight at 12 months adjusted to 365 days (W12), weight
at 18 months adjusted to 540 days (W18) and postweaning average daily gain (ADG 2, from weaning to 540 days). Effects in the
model describing these traits were breed, season, sex and first-order interactions between these effects. With the exception
of heavier birth weight of Friesian-Sanga crossbred calves (19.98 kg vs. 19.18 kg), body weights of Sangas at weaning, 12 months
and 18 months exceeded those of the Friesian-Sanga crossbred calves by 3.76 kg, 35.06 kg and 46.24 kg respectively. The Sangas
were also superior in preweaning average daily gain (0.35 kg/day vs. 0.26 kg/day) and postweaning average daily gain (0.28 kg/day
vs. 0.21 kg/day). There was a tendency of increasing weight difference between the two breeds with advancing age. It was suggested
that improved nutrition such as supplementary feeding would be necessary for crossbreds to express their potential for growth. |
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| Keywords: | Accra Plains Friesian-Sanga Growth traits Natural pasture Sanga |
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