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Animal Husbandry

Cross – Breeding of Cows

Indian cows generally are known as ‘BOS INDICUS’. They have their typical charecteristics cows in India hitherto, were mainly raised for getting a male calf for agricultural purpose and not for milk. After 1970, as there was increased demand for milk, scientists adopted a method of ‘ CROSS- BREEDING’, in this method, local cows ( Indian cows) when come in oestrous are bred (artificially) with the semen of the bulls of European Breeds, which are known generically as "Bos Taurus". Breeding of cows for getting more milk was known to the scientists of European country after 1850. This resulted in selection of good cow mothers, and good male calves born out of them. The make calves born to high yielding mothers are well cared and reared for breeding. Out of hundred such breeding Bulls hardly 15-20 bulls are capable to transmit genes of high yielding quality to its progeny. Such bulls are known as proven sires. This technique of selection of breeding bulls improved milk yield to a great extent. Thus using semen of such bulls is used to get a cross bred born. The first generation calf has 50% Exotic Blood Level. The 50% blood level cow shen bred to Exotic bulls the second generation calf is known as 75% blood level cross breed. One can go for forward crossing upto 7th generation; where in the 7th generation cross bred carries 99.99% exotic blood level.

Such cross breeding improves the performance of dairy cow. It is observed that, by and large 50 to 62.5% blood level animals, are suitable, in India, for getting more milk; beyond 62.5% blood level animals need more health and management care.

Out of various identified dairy breeds of the world, HOLSTEIN FRESIAN and JERSEY breeds are accepted for cross breeding.

Holstein Fresian (Popularly known as HF) is a black 7 white cdoloured animal which gives good quantity to milk with 3 to 4 % fat % .

Jersey breed is red or chocolate coloured breed which gives comparatively less milk than HF. How ever the fat percentage of milk is more than 4 to 6%. Other breeds are not found to be as suitable as these, and thus could not become popular. Where faslities for green fodder are more HF crosses are perferred where they are limited Jersey crosses are used.