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Productivity and morphology of Ankole cattle in three livestock production systems in Uganda

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 June 2011

D.R. Kugonza ,
M. Nabasirye ,
D. Mpairwe ,
O. Hanotte  and
A.M. Okeyo
D.R. Kugonza*
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda International Livestock Research Institute, Nairobi 0100, Kenya
M. Nabasirye
Affiliation:
Department of Crop Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
D. Mpairwe
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
O. Hanotte
Affiliation:
International Livestock Research Institute, Nairobi 0100, Kenya
A.M. Okeyo
Affiliation:
International Livestock Research Institute, Nairobi 0100, Kenya
*
Correspondence to: D.R. Kugonza, Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Makerere University, PO Box 7062, Kampala, Uganda. email: donkugonza@agric.mak.ac.ug
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Summary

Phenotypic characterization is critical in breed improvement and conservation. To determine the performance and morphological features of Ankole cattle in three livestock production systems (LPS) of Uganda, 248 farms were studied. Height at withers (HW), heart girth (HG), body length (BL), ear length, horn length (HL), distance between horn tips (HS) and body weight (BW) were then measured on 120 bulls and 180 cows. Data were analysed using LPS (crop livestock, agropastoral, pastoral), county (Gomba, Kazo, Kiboga, Mawoggola, Nyabushozi) and sex (females, males) as main factors. In the results, age at sexual maturity was 23.6 ± 0.5 months for bulls and 22.7 ± 0.5 months for cows. Age at first calving was 33.2 ± 0.5 months, whereas calving interval was 12.9 ± 0.8 months. Lactation length differed between LPS (5.5 ± 0.4, 6.3 ± 0.3 and 7.4 ± 0.2 months in agropastoral, crop livestock and pastoral, respectively). Mean daily milk off take was 2.2 ± 0.1 kg/cow whereas preweaning calf survivability was 90.0 ± 6.5%. Sex and LPS significantly influenced HW, HL and HS. Positive correlations were observed between BW and HG, BL and HL. Correlation coefficients were much lower in females than in males, except for BW vs HG and BW vs HW. Results show wide variations both in performance and morphology suggesting that within breed selection scheme and/or management improvement may lead to productivity improvements.

Résumé

La caractérisation phénotypique est fondamentale dans l'amélioration et la conservation de la race. Afin de déterminer la performance et les caractéristiques morphologiques des bovins Ankolé dans trois systèmes de production animale de l'Ouganda, on a entrepris des études dans 248 fermes. La hauteur au garrot, le périmètre thoracique, la longueur du corps, des oreilles et des cornes, la distance entre les pointes des cornes et le poids corporel de 120 taureaux et de 180 vaches ont été alors mesurés. On a ensuite analysé les données en utilisant comme facteurs principaux le système de production animale (mixte, agropastoral, pastoral), le district (Gomba, Kazo, Kiboga, Mawoggola, Nyabushozi) et le sexe (femelle, mâle). Les résultats ont été les suivants: l'âge à la maturité sexuelle était pour les taureaux de 23,6 ± 0,5 mois et pour les vaches de 22,7 ± 0,5 mois, l'âge à la première mise bas était de 33,2 ± 0,5 mois, tandis que l'intervalle entre les mises bas était de 12,9 ± 0,8 mois. La période de lactation variait selon le type de système de production (5,5 ± 0,4, 6,3 ± 0,3 et 7,4 ± 0,2 mois respectivement dans les systèmes agropastoral, mixte et pastoral). Le rendement moyen journalier de lait était de 2,2 ± 0,1 kg par vache tandis que la survie des veaux avant le sevrage était de 90,0 ± 6,5 pour cent. Le sexe et le système de production influençaient de façon significative la hauteur au garrot, la longueur des cornes et la distance entre les pointes des cornes. On a observé des corrélations positives entre le poids corporel et le périmètre thoracique, la longueur du corps et la longueur des cornes. Les coefficients de corrélation étaient nettement inférieurs pour les femelles que pour les mâles, à l'exception des rapports poids corporel/périmètre thoracique et poids corporel/hauteur au garrot. Les résultats montrent des écarts considérables tant dans la performance que dans la morphologie, suggérant ainsi qu'un programme de sélection et/ou l'amélioration de la gestion pourraient développer la productivité de la race.

Resumen

La caracterización fenotípica tiene una importancia fundamental en la mejora y conservación de razas. Se han estudiado 248 explotaciones en Uganda para determinar el rendimiento y las características morfológicas del ganado Ankole en tres sistemas de producción (LPS, por sus siglas en inglés) de Uganda. Se han medido en 120 toros y 180 vacas la alzada a la cruz (HW, por sus siglas en inglés), perímetro torácico (HW, por sus siglas en inglés), diámetro longitudinal (BL, por sus siglas en inglés), longitud de la oreja (EL, por sus siglas en inglés), longitud del cuerno (HL, por sus siglas en inglés), distancia entre las puntas de los cuernos (HS, por sus siglas en inglés) y el peso corporal (BW, por sus siglas en inglés). Los datos han sido analizados utilizando LPS (pastos para el ganado, agropastoral, pastoral), el condado (Gomba, Kazo, Kiboga, Mawoggola, Nyabushozi) y el sexo (hembras y machos) como factores principales. En los resultados, la edad de madurez sexual (ASM, por sus siglas en inglés) fue de 23.6 ± 0.5 meses para los toros y de 22.7 ± 0.5 para las vacas. La edad para el primer parto (AFC, por sus siglas en inglés) fue de 33.2 ± 0.5 meses, mientras que el intervalo entre partos (CI, por sus siglas en inglés) fue de 12.9 ± 0.8 meses. La duración de la lactación (LL, por sus siglas en inglés) difirió entre LPS (5.5 ± 0.4, 6.3 ± 0.3 y 7.4 ± 0.2 meses en agropastoral, pastos para el ganado y pastoral, respectivamente). La producción media de leche fue de 2.2 ± 0.1 kg/vaca mientras que la supervivencia antes del destete fue de 90.0 ± 6.5%. El sexo y LPS influyó significativamente en HW, HL y HS. Se observaron correlaciones positivas entre BW y HG, BL y HL. Los coeficientes de correlación fueron mucho más bajos en las hembras que en los machos, excepto en BW vs HG y BW vs HW. Los resultados muestran grandes variaciones entre rendimiento y morfología, sugiriendo que dentro del plan de selección racial y/o de gestión puede conllevar mejora sustancial en el campo de la productividad.

Keywords

morphometriccharacterizationreproductive performanceAnkole cattlemorphométriquecaractérisationperformance de reproductionbovins Ankolémorfometríacaracterizaciónrendimiento reproductivoganado Ankole
Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Genetic Resources/Resources génétiques animales/Recursos genéticos animales , Volume 48 , April 2011 , pp. 13 - 22
Copyright
Copyright © Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations 2011

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