RT Journal Article
T1 The use of crossbreeding with beef bulls in dairy herds: effects on calving difficulty and gestation length
A1 Fouz Dopacio, Ramiro
A1 Gandoy, Fernando
A1 Sanjuán Hernán-Pérez, María Luisa
A1 Yus Respaldiza, Eduardo
A1 Diéguez Casalta, Javier
K1 Crossbreeding
K1 Dairy
K1 Calving difficulty
K1 Gestation length
K1 Stillbirths
AB This study was designed to analyse the evolution in the use of beef bull semen for dairy cattle insemination and, mainly, to assess calving difficulty, gestation length and proportion of stillbirths after breeding pure Holsteins or crossbreeding. Data were collected during 2004 to 2011 for 552 571 Holstein calvings (457 070 Holstein × Holstein, 43 384 Holstein × Limousine, 32 174 Holstein × Belgian Blue and 19 943 Holstein × Galician Blonde). The highest calving difficulty, compared with pure Holsteins was for crosses with Belgian Blue followed by Limousine and Galician Blonde. The Holstein × Limousine and Holstein × Galician Blonde crossbred calves had significantly longer gestation lengths than Holstein × Holstein and Holstein × Belgian Blue calves. Between the latter two, pure Holstein had the shortest gestation length. Calving difficulty and gestation length decreased as the age of the dam advanced. The most difficult calvings were observed in twin calvings, followed by the calvings of male calves and female calves. The gestations leading to the birth of male calves were longer than those leading to female calves and twin calves. Stillbirths were not related to the breed used for mating. Through examining these parameters, sire breed should be considered when selecting a beef breed for the insemination of milk-producing dams
PB Elsevier
SN 1751-7311
YR 2013
FD 2013
LK http://hdl.handle.net/10347/24278
UL http://hdl.handle.net/10347/24278
LA eng
NO Animal, Volume 7, Issue 2, 2013, Pages 211-215
DS Minerva
RD 24 abr 2026