30.08.10 Author: Paige Glover, Larry Schaeffer, Jalal Fatehi, CGIL, University of Guelph and Ted Burnside, Coordinator, TwoPlus Crossbreeding Project, Gencor Inc.
Dairy crossbreeding project in Canada
Canadian TwoPlus project at the University of Guelph shows that Crossbreeding to Norwegian Red Sires improves Calving Ease, Reproduction, Survival and Maintains Production.
Results to date indicate that crossbreeding may be a profitable alternative for commercial dairies. A number of Canadian dairy breeds could complement the high producing Canadian Holstein for health, reproduction, milk solids yield, survival and vitality. The Norwegian Red breed has been effectively selected with heavy emphasis on calving ease, calf liveability, female reproduction, health traits, udders and feet and legs conformation and solids yield for over 30 years.
Crossbreeding of purebred HO females to any other breed of sire will immediately reduce inbreeding levels to zero in the F1 cross and eliminate problems associated with inbreeding depression. However, crossbreeding, as a total package, can also provide financial benefits in terms of improved fertility, fewer calving problems, better disease resistance, higher survival and with no significant decrease in milk production. Choosing non-HO sires for crossing to HO females should use the same degree of care as choosing HO sires.
The report (enclosed) presents the advantages of using Norwegian Red genetics. Crossbred animals are not going to win in the show ring nor bring large prices for individual animals at auctions, but through their performance may prove to be very profitable for commercial enterprises.
Canadian TwoPlus Project Report (pdf)