Productive performance of Red Kandhari and its Jersey crosses in different lactations

The data on 481 lactation records including 204 records of Red Kandhari cows and 277 records of Jersey x Red Kandhari crossbred cows were collected from Cattle Unit, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, (MAFSU), Parbhani over a period of 27 years (1977–2004). The lactation milk yield for first, second, third, fourth and fifth and above lactations for Red Kandhari cows were 375.16±34.15 kg, 458.17±37.62 kg, 450.91±26.74 kg, 532.69±67.74 kg and 674.29±82.09 kg, respectively and for Jersey x Red Kandhari crossbred were 1100.28±73.18 Kg, 1318.50±135.20Kgand 1353.92±91.61 Kg, 1549.77±188.47 kg and 1438.37±48.89 kg, respectively. The first lactation length and first dry period in Red Kandhari cows were 273.30±10.33 days and 239.05±21.88 days, while in Jersey x Red Kandhari crossbred cows were 302.68±9.19 days and 86.72±8.90 days, respectively. The least square analysis of variance for first, second and third and more than three lactations for lactation milk yield, lactation length and dry period showed that the genetic group had significant source of variation for all traits in all lactations except first and second lactation length. Sire within genetic group had significant source of variation for first lactation milk yield and all traits of third and more than three lactations. Season and period of calving had non-significant influence on all the traits in all lactations except first dry period. It was also observed that the improved performance in all the traits under study in Red Kandhari cow and Jersey x Red Kandhari crossbred cow was observed in fourth and fifth and above lactations.