Milk Yield and Reproductive Traits of Holstein Cattle Population in Turkey

Abstract

In this study, records of milk and fertility yield of Holstein Friesian dairy cattle reared in Turkey were evaluated. For this purpose, data were taken from the Turkish Central Union of Cattle Breeders between 1992 and 2012. Total of 194408 lactation records obtained from 10 provinces, 305-day milk yield (305 DMY), lactation length (LL) and dry period (DP) and the calving interval (CI) traits were investigated and the effects of year of birth, lactation number, calving month, location and calving age on these traits were evaluated. The descriptive statistics of 305 DMY, LL, DP and CI were obtained as 6010 +/- 3.480, 364.33 +/- 0.184, 61.78 +/- 0.067 and 416.59 +/- 0.270 respectively. As a result, effect of province, year of birth, lactation number, calving month, location and calving age on 305 DMY, LL, DP, CI were stasticly important (p<0,01) and also effect of lactation number on CI were not important (p>0,05). Turkey Holstein Friesian dairy cattle population 305 GSV was increased to the years (p <0.01) and LS, KKS and BA were found to be not similar for years. These parameters could be used as selection criteria and to increase the success of the selection in breeding studies.