Dairy cattle genetics and its applications in Brazil

Author(s)
Madalena, F E
Peixoto, M G C D
Gibson, John
Publication Date
2012
Abstract
The Brazilian dairy industry is based mainly on pasture-oriented, dual purpose systems in the tropical part of the Country, utilizing 'B. taurus' x 'B. indicus' hybrid animals, mostly Holstein/Gir, milked with restricted suckling of calves, which was shown to be more economical than artificial rearing in most circumstances. The Brazilian farmers have maintained for decades the dairy herd intermediate between B. taurus and B. indicus. Results of surveys and census data reveal a wide variation in dairy farm size, which is associated with different genotype use; low-input, smaller farms use a higher proportion of the more resilient, low B. taurus grade cows, while larger farms use more of the higher yielding, higher 'B. taurus' grades.
Citation
Livestock Research for Rural Development, 24(6), p. 1-18
ISSN
0121-3784
Link
Language
en
Publisher
Centro para la Investigacion en Sistemas Sostenibles de Produccion Agropecuaria
Title
Dairy cattle genetics and its applications in Brazil
Type of document
Journal Article
Entity Type
Publication

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