Comparative study of first lactation performance of Norwegian Red crossbred cows with traditional breeds in New Zealand dairy systems : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
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Date
2024
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Massey University
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Abstract
The Norwegian Red (NR) dairy breed has garnered global interest due to its breeding objectives, which prioritize health and fertility traits alongside production performance. The increasing demand for enhanced robustness in dairy cattle worldwide has led to the integration of this breed into various production systems. In New Zealand, some dairy farmers are utilising semen from Norwegian Red bulls, exploring the potential benefits of this breed under New Zealand’s unique pastoral farming conditions. The aim of this research was to compare the first lactation performance of F1 NR cattle with traditional New Zealand breeds. Data for this study was collected from six dairy farms in Southland, New Zealand, during the 2022–2023 milk production season. Data was collected from 1178 first lactation cows including 4639 herd-tests of daily yields of milk, fat, protein, somatic cell counts, and persistency. Animals included 386 NR cross (NRX), 231 Holstein Friesian (F), 84 Holstein Friesian cross (FX), 134 Holstein Friesian ×Jersey (FJ) and 58 Jersey cross (JX) cows. Findings indicate Holstein Friesian cows produced the greatest cumulative milk yield (3,744 kg), 138.6 kg more than NRX cows. The JX demonstrated the highest yields for protein, fat, and milksolids, while the NRX exhibited significantly lower yields for most of these lactation parameters. There were no significant differences between the breed groups for milk yield and milksolids yield, persistency and somatic cell score (somatic cell score = Log2 somatic cell count). Lactation curves for milk and milksolids yield were modelled for each breed, with the F cows initially outperforming the other breed groups, then for the remainder of both lactation curves, differences among breeds were not significant. Overall, the lactation performance of the NRX tends to be reduced in comparison to the traditional New Zealand breeds. These results pertain specifically to first lactation cows; therefore it is necessary to undertake further analysis to evaluate the long-term productivity and longevity of the NR breed under New Zealand conditions. This research provides an initial insight into the performance of the NR breed in New Zealand's pastoral farming systems.