Mohammad hadi Khabbazan; Abdollah Rezagholivand Lahrud; Saeed mokhtarzadeh; Hojatollah Moosapour
Volume 24, Issue 4 , December 2022, , Pages 395-401
Abstract
The objective of this study was to compare growth performance, birth and weaning body weights, and survivability between purebred Balouchi (n=53) and crossbred Balouchi×Romanov (n=114) lambs. In addition, carcass characteristics (n=24) were determined. Balouchi ewes were inseminated with Romanov ...
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The objective of this study was to compare growth performance, birth and weaning body weights, and survivability between purebred Balouchi (n=53) and crossbred Balouchi×Romanov (n=114) lambs. In addition, carcass characteristics (n=24) were determined. Balouchi ewes were inseminated with Romanov semen to produce crossbred lambs. All experimental lambs were weaned at 77 d of age and slaughtered at 10 months of age. Birth body weight of the purebred Balouchi lambs was significantly greater than for the crossbred lambs (3.75 vs. 3.56 kg, P<0.01). However, weaning body weight and average daily gain from birth until weaning and slaughter were greater (P<0.05) for the crossbred lambs than for the purebred lambs. Slaughter body weight at 10-month age were not different brtween the tow groups (P=0.08). Litter size was also increased by crossbreeding and using hormone (1.13 vs. 1.00), but lamb survivability was not different between the two groups. The fat yield decreased with crossbreeding. Crossbreeding increased (P<0.05) the weights of testis, liver, heart, and lung. It is concluded that crossbreeding Balouchi ewes with Romanov semen resulted in improved litter size, weaning and slaughter body weights, average daily gains from birth until weaning and slaughter, and carcass characteristics without affecting lamb survivability. Therefore, crossbreeding can be a profitable strategy to increase lamb (meat) production in Balouchi sheep.
Abdollah Rezagholivand Lahrud; Akbar Nikkhah; Hadi Khabazan; Saeed mokhtarzadeh; Majid Dehghan; Farzad Sadighi; Yosef Mokhtabad; Farzad Safari; Azim Rajaei
Volume 22, Issue 3 , September 2020, , Pages 457-469
Abstract
The aim of this study was to compare feedlot performance, carcass characteristics, blood metabolites, and economic profits between pure and crossbreeds Holstein calves. Crossbreeds were produced by crossing Holstein (H) cows with Angus (A), Charolais (C), Limousin (L) and INRA 95 (I) bull’s semen. ...
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The aim of this study was to compare feedlot performance, carcass characteristics, blood metabolites, and economic profits between pure and crossbreeds Holstein calves. Crossbreeds were produced by crossing Holstein (H) cows with Angus (A), Charolais (C), Limousin (L) and INRA 95 (I) bull’s semen. The performance of 25 calves of each breed (125 calves in total) was compared in a fattening period of eleven months. The average daily gain was significantly higher in crossbred calves compared to pure Holstein calves. The interaction of breed and time was significant (p < 0.01). The Charolais crossbred calves and pure Holstein had significantly lower dry matter intake than other crossbreeds, and feed conversion ratio in the C×H calves was remarkably more favorable than other groups (p < 0.01). Dressing percentage and saleable meat yield for C×H, L×H and I×H crossbreeds were higher than for pure Holstein and A×H. Concentrations of plasma urea of Charolais crossbred calves was more than other groups (p < 0.01). Economic calculations demonstrated that the respective highest profit for the whole fattening period belonged to crossbreeds of C×H, I×H, L×H, A×H, and pure Holsteins. In conclusion, the calves from Holstein-beef crosses had higher feedlot performance, dressing percentage and economic productivity than pure Holstein calves.