title: Short communication: Jersey × Holstein crossbreds compared with pure Holsteins for production, mastitis, and body measurements during the first 3 lactations.
abstract: Jersey (JE)×Holstein (HO) crossbred cows (n=76) were compared with pure HO cows (n=73) for 305-d milk, fat, and protein production, somatic cell score (SCS), clinical mastitis, lifetime production, and body measurements during their first 3 lactations. Cows were in 2 research herds at the University of Minnesota and calved from September 2003 to June 2008. Best prediction was used to determine actual production for 305-d lactations as well as lifetime production (to 1,220 d in the herd after first calving) from test-day observations. During first lactation, JE×HO cows and pure HO cows were not significantly different for fat plus protein production; however, JE×HO cows had significantly lower fat plus protein production during second (-25 kg) and third (-51 kg) lactation than pure HO cows. Nevertheless, JE×HO cows were not significantly different from pure HO cows for lifetime production or lifetime SCS. The JE×HO cows were not significantly different from pure HO cows for SCS and clinical mastitis during first and second lactations; however, JE×HO cows tended to have higher SCS (3.79) than pure HO cows (3.40), but significantly lower (-23.4%) clinical mastitis during third lactation. The JE×HO cows had significantly less hip height, smaller heart girth, less thurl width, and less pin width than pure HO cows during the first 3 lactations. Furthermore, JE×HO cows had significantly less udder clearance from the ground and significantly greater distance between the front teats than pure HO cows during their first 3 lactations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA. hein0106@umn.edu
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Heins
authors.forename: L B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Hansen
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Seykora
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Hazel
authors.forename: D G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Linn
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D049628:Body Size / Q000235:genetics*; D002417:Cattle / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D002452:Cell Count / Q000662:veterinary; D003433:Crosses, Genetic; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D007774:Lactation / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D008414:Mastitis, Bovine / Q000235:genetics*; D008892:Milk / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D008894:Milk Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D004041:Dietary Fats; D008894:Milk Proteins