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Some aspects of fertility in purebred and crossbred dairy cattle

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

H. P. Donald
Affiliation:
A.R.C. Animal Breeding Research Organisation, West Mains Road, Edinburgh 9
W. S. Russell
Affiliation:
A.R.C. Animal Breeding Research Organisation, West Mains Road, Edinburgh 9
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Extract

An account is given of the conception rates (in terms of calves born) following artificial insemination of contemporary purebred and crossbred cattle derived from purebred Friesian, Ayrshire and Jersey stock in an experimental herd. First inseminations were given to 222 purebred and 495 crossbred females approaching first pregnancy; and to 165 purebred and 347 crossbred females approaching second pregnancy. Fitted values for conception rates showed no noteworthy differences for year, season, age of female, or breed of bull. Crossbred females, however, were about 10% more likely to conceive than purebreds. Purebred females mated to bulls of their own breed showed lower conception rates than those mated to bulls of another breed.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1968

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References

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