Proteins are essential for the human diet. These are obtained from animal and plant sources. Proteins play important role in the physical and mental growth.
In short human health relies upon animal proteins. Animal proteins are available in milk, meat (all kinds) and eggs. Therefore, self-sufficiency in milk, beef and egg production is the need of time.
Every individual needs 36 gm/day protein for a healthy living. Whereas in Pakistan only approximately 17.4 gm protein is available per capita/day, therefore every individual is deficient by 18.6 gm. This situation is thought-provoking for all the stakeholders in the livestock industry.
In the economic survey of Pakistan 2004-05 at present human population is 152.52 million, which is deficient approximately 270 tonnes of animal proteins. To fill this gap it is utmost for veterinarian and other stakeholders to leave no stone unturned to fill this gap.
Cattle, buffalo, sheep, goat and poultry are important sources of animal protein. A recent survey indicates 26.3m buffalo, 24.20m cows, 56.70m goats, 24.90m sheep and 359.20m poultry. Meat obtained from cow and buffalo, sheep, goat and poultry is 1115, 740 and 416 thousands tonnes respectively.
These figures indicate major share of cow and buffalo to provide animal protein. This further reflects that the future of meat production can be associated with cows and buffaloes. It has been carefully estimated that 70% of cows does not fall under any pure breed and called non-descript. These non-productive cows are a burden on the country's economy and efforts to improve their production have not been fruitful.
Therefore it was planned to breed these animal with exotic breed for milk production in the past and now the scientists are thinking of improving these animal production through introduction of beef breed semen.
Beef production can be increased either through fattening of surplus cattle and buffalo calves or through crossbreeding of non-descript cows with the beef breed semen. The second option is more workable and profitable.
Very little work, if any, has been carried out in the country on beef production through cattle crossbreeding. In 1998 LPRI organisation in Okara the recommendation of Pakistan Agriculture Research Board initiated a project in which non-descript cows were inseminated with beef breed semen ie Simantal and brown Swiss.
The progeny thus obtained was compared with the progeny of local cows for their growth rate, weaning weight, adult weight. The results obtained indicated upto 1300 gms growth/day in simental crosses whereas in brown Swiss the result was not appreciable.
Based on the result of these studies another study under the Annual Development Programme was planned and is in progress. In the new study the semen of Angus, Hereford and Charlois has been used to inseminate the non-descript cows.
The progeny obtained from these cows is under observation for different production parameter. The detail of which is given in the tables below:
The research work carried out on cattle crossbreeding so far on beef production has led to very encouraging results, shortage of protein, increasing prices of meat/mutton and the present high market rate of poultry, it is high time to launch a mega project on beef production.
It is hoped that work on beef production through cattle crossbreeding will help in bridging the gap and protein demand supply to the nation and will also be a step towards achieving the target to meet World Trade Organisation standards.
It is hoped that the present work will provide guidelines for the stakeholders of livestock to plan/enter into the beef production. Besides earning reasonable profit, they will be in a position to provide the nation a cheap animal protein thus participating in better health of the nation.
TABLE I
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Sr. Particulars Simmental x Brown Swiss Non-
No Non-descript Non-descript descript
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1. Average birth weight(Kg) 29 26 18
2. Average weaning weight (Kg) 205 165 85
3. Av. growth rate upto weaning (gm) 838 661 319
4. Av. growth rate upto slaughtering (gm) 750 600 275
5. Maximum potential (gm) 1,300 1100 650
6. Feed efficiency (Kg) 7.25 7.45 9.65
7. Dressing percentage 52 50 47
8. Beef and Bones 35:65 38:62 42:58
9. Age at maturity (days) 600 -- 712
10.Weight at maturity (Kg) 330 -- 240
11.Age at conception (Days) 660 -- 788
12.Age at calving (Days) 945 -- 1073
13.Weight at calving (Kg) 405 -- 305
14.Service period (Days) 150 -- --
15.Calvin interval (Days) 516 -- --
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TABLE II
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Sr.Particulars Angus (Kg) Hereford (Kg) Charolais
No
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1. Av. birth weight (Male) 31.86 33.84 31.54
2. Average birth weight (Female) 29.60 30.55 28.12
3. Weaning weight (Male) 210 Days 206.11 210.00 224.58
4. Weaning weight (Female) 210 Days 194.00 211.66 201.87
5. Growth rate upto weaning 210 Days 0.829 0.838 0.919
(Male)
6. Growth rate upto weaning 210 Days 0.782 0.862 0.827
(Female)
7. Yearling weight (Male) 280 260 302
8. Yearling weight (Female) 280 305 275
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