Effect of Improved Feeding and Housing, Friesian Blood
Level and Parityon Milk Productionof
Ankole xFriesian
Crossbred Cows
DK Kibwana1, 2, AM Makumyaviri2
and JL Hornick1*
1University
of Liege, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Tropical Veterinary
Institute, Boulevard of Colonster, 20, B43,
4000 Liege, Belgium; 2Catholic University of Graben, Faculty of Veterinary
Medicine, 29 Butembo, D.R. Congo;
*Corresponding author:jlhornick@ulg.ac.be
Abstract
In North Kivu, D.R. Congo, cattle are raised in extensive systems
based on local breeds and crossbreds. This farming method affects the
performance of dairy animals and mortgages the level of milk consumption in
population. An improved farming system, including feed supplementation, Friesian
cross-breeding and the sheltering of animals in stalls at night, was studied to
evaluate its effect on milk production by Ankole x Friesian crossbreds. The study was
performed inBeni, D.R. Congo, on two
groups of 15 animals (control group-CoG and improved group-IG), homogeneous
according to Friesian blood and parity levels. Theimproved system, Friesian blood and parity levels increased significantly milk
production(P<0.001).
Farming system increased milk
production by 1.6 l/d (5.2 l/d vs 6.8
l/d respectively in CoG and IG). Milk
production ranged from 5.3±0.04 l/d
to 6.6±0.02 l/d
and from 4.9±0.02 l/d to 7.2±0.02 l/d
according, respectively, to Friesian blood level and parity. A significant
interactionwas observed
between farming system and
Friesian blood level, and between farming system andparity (P<0.001). The two groups were characterized by
a fair adaptation to forage availability associated to climatic factors. The study showed the importance of genetic and
environmental factors on the milk production of crossbred dairy cows of the
region.