Evaluation of different sire index suitable for Sunandini cattle under small holding systems of Kerala, India
2006
Kumar, T.S., Kerala Livestock Development Board, Kerala (India) | Mathew, S., College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Kerala (India)
Sunandini is a new 'composite breed' of cattle evolved by crossing the non-descript cattle of the Kerala with exotic donor breeds (Brown Swiss, Jersey and HF) limiting the exotic inheritance to 50%. There are of course many examples of new breeds of cattle created in the developed world during the 19th and some in the 20th century, but nothing comparable in size (over 2 million individuals in the population) and economic importance. As per the latest census (2003) the total cattle population in Kerala, the southern state in India is 21.22 lakh of which 82% are Sunandini cows. Cows in field are mostly reared under semi-intensive system of management and are fed with oil cakes, compounded feed as concentrate and green grass and paddy straw as the roughage. The farmers do not practice weaning of calves. The entire state is having facilities for artificial insemination (AI) of cows with deep frozen semen. The Kerala Livestock Development Board (KLDB), a governmental organization, is entrusted with the supply of frozen semen throughout the state. A modified progeny-testing programme (Young bull programme) is followed by the state for the improvement of Sunandini cattle where the sons of proven bulls are using for large-scale AI programme instead of progeny tested proven bulls. Every year 40 bulls put into progeny test in six different field performance recording (FPR) area and top four bulls are selected for the production of next generation breeding bulls by nominated mating with elite cows. Success of any breed improvement programme depends on the accuracy of estimation of breeding value (BV) of bulls and the selection application programme. Keeping this in view the present study was undertaken to find a suitable ire evaluation techniques for Sunandini bulls under small holding system.
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