Effect of improved feeding and housing, Friesian blood level and parity on milk production of Ankole x Friesian cows

In North Kivu, D.R. Congo, cattle are raised in extensive systems based on local breeds and
crossbreds. This farming method affects the performance of dairy animals and mortgages the
level of milk consumption in population. An improved farming system, including feed
supplementation, Friesian cross-breeding and the sheltering of animals in stalls at night, was
studied to evaluate its effect on milk production by Ankole x Friesian crossbreds. The study
was performed in Beni, D.R. Congo, on two groups of 15 animals (control group-CoG and
improved group-IG), homogeneous according to Friesian blood and parity levels. The
improved system, Friesian blood and parity levels increased significantly milk production
(P<0.001). Farming system increased milk production by 1.6 l/d (5.2 l/d vs 6.8 l/d
respectively in CoG and IG). Milk production ranged from 5.3±0.04 l/d to 6.6±0.02 l/d and
from 4.9±0.02 l/d to 7.2±0.02 l/d according, respectively, to Friesian blood level and parity. A
significant interaction was observed between farming system and Friesian blood level, and
between farming system and parity (P<0.001). The two groups were characterized by a fair
adaptation to forage availability associated to climatic factors. The study showed the
importance of genetic and environmental factors on the milk production of crossbred dairy
cows of the region.