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Comparative Performance of Early and Late Maturing Nili Ravi Buffalo Heifers |
A.N. Naqvi, S. A. Shami |
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Abstract |
Age at maturity was studied in 661 Nili Ravi buffaloes maintained at six dairy farms in Pakistan. The mean age at maturity in the overall data from the six farms was 976.49 9.2 days. Significantly lower mean age at maturity (957.93 10.68 days) was observed at Military Dairy Farm, Khyber Okara, Military Dairy Farm, Punjnad and Livestock Research Station, National Agricultural Research Centre, Islamabad (Group I) compared to (1015.26 17.39 days) other three Military Dairy Farms, Peshawar, Nowshera and Rawalpindi (Group II). The advantages associated to early; age at maturity were as following. Male and female calves were heavier (38.35 0.17 and 31.84 15 kg, respectively) in Group I as compared to (29.27 0.26 and 26.27 0.26 kg) in Group II. Milk yield per lactation was significantly higher in Group I (1912 12 lit.) as compared to (1833.36 16.56 lit) in Group II. Lactation length was significantly longer (284.41 1.23 days) in Group I as compared to (277.77 2.02 days) in Group II. Dry period and service period were significantly shorter (241.59 4.18 and 217.05 4.95 days, respectively) in Group I as compared to (306.39 78 and 280.95 9.32 days) in Group II. The mean age at first calving and sex ratio were low (1282.75 10.14 days and 100 ????:130.7 ???? in Group I compared to (1308.7 16.44 days and 100 ????:152.15 ???? in Group II but the differences were non significant. |
Keywords:
Age; Maturity; Nili Ravi Buffalo; Pakistan |
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