Estimation of genetic parameters for physiological and milk production traits of Holstein Friesian crossbreds reared in Tanzania

Publication Type

Journal Article

Name of Author

• Vincent Habimana, Department of Animal, Aquaculture, and Range Sciences, Sokoine University of Agriculture,Morogoro, Tanzania.Follow
• Chinyere Charlotte Ekine-Dzivenu, International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Nairobi, Kenya
• Athumani Shabani Nguluma, Department of Animal, Aquaculture, and Range Sciences, Sokoine University of Agriculture,Morogoro, Tanzania
• Zabron Cuthibert Nziku, Tanzania Livestock Research Institute (TALIRI) Eastern Zone, Tanga, Tanzania
• Gota Morota, Laboratory of Biometry and Bioinformatics, Department of Agricultural and Environmental Biology, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo, Japan
• Sebastian Wilson Chenyambuga, Department of Animal, Aquaculture, and Range Sciences, Sokoine University of Agriculture,Morogoro, Tanzania.
• Raphael Mrode, International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Nairobi, Kenya

Publication Date (Issue Year)

2025

Journal Name

International Journal of Livestock Production

Abstract

The main objective of this study was to estimate the genetic parameters for physiological traits, milk yield, and milk composition in Holstein Friesian crossbred cattle raised at the Tanzania Livestock Research Institute’s (TALIRI) Tanga dairy farm. A total of 29 lactating Holstein Friesian × Zebu crossbred cows with 50% (HF50) and 75% (HF75) Holstein Friesian gene levels in their second and third months of lactation were included. Breed composition was determined based on the animal recording system at TALIRI, Tanga. A series of univariate and bivariate repeatability (r) test-day models was used to estimate genetic parameters, genetic (rg) and phenotypic correlations (rp) for milk yield (MY), milk composition traits including fat, protein, lactose, and solids-not-fat (SNF) percentages and physiological parameters, including core body temperature (CBT), rectal temperature (RT), respiratory rate (RR), and panting score (PS) in cows during their second and third parties. A pedigree-based restricted maximum likelihood method was implemented using Wombat software. The heritability (h²) estimates (h² ± SE) for MY and composition traits ranged from 0.34 ± 0.05 to 0.41 ± 0.03. The h² ± SE for physiological traits ranged from 0.10 ± 0.08 to 0.61 ± 0.08. R estimates (r ± SE) for MY and composition ranged from 0.60 ± 0.04 to 0.62 ± 0.03 while r for physiological traits ranged from 0.58 ± 0.07 to 0.72 ± 0.08. The high h² and r estimates observed in this study indicate that genetic improvement of these traits through selective breeding may be feasible

Keywords

Bivariate repeatability model, Holstein Friesian crossbred cattle, milk yield, milk composition, physiological trait, univariate repeatability model, Tanzania.

Rsif Scholar Name

Vincent Habimana

Rsif Scholar Nationality

Rwanda

Cohort

Cohort 3

Thematic Area

Food security and Agribusiness

Africa Host University (AHU)

Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA), Tanzania

Funding Statement

This study was funded by the Regional Scholarship and Innovation Fund (RSIF) of the Partnership for Skills in Applied Sciences, Engineering, and Technology (PASET) under Project Grant Number P165581, awarded to the SACIDS Africa Centre of Excellence for Infectious Diseases of Humans and Animals (SACIDS-ACE) at Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA).

Recommended Citation

Habimana, V., Ekine-Dzivenu, C. C., Nguluma, A. S., Nziku, Z. C., Morota, G., Chenyambuga, S., & Mrode, R. (2025). Estimation of genetic parameters for physiological and milk production traits of Holstein Friesian crossbreds reared in Tanzania. International Journal of Livestock Production https://doi.org/doi.org/10.5897/IJLP2025.0874