The reproductive and milk performance merit of Butana cattle in Sudan

Data from the Butana herd of Atbara Livestock Research Station were analyzed for the period 1949 - 1999. The least squares means for age at first calving, calving interval, milk yield per lactation, daily milk yield, lactation length and dry period were 45.05 +/- 3.56 months, 382.38 +/- 8.30 days, 1662.57 +/- 108.96 kg, 6.10 +/- 0.40 kg, 268.17 +/- 5.56 days and 119.10 +/- 8.30 days, respectively. The analysis of variance revealed that the sire and parity number influenced the studied traits, while year-season of calving influenced the milk yield per lactation, daily milk yield and lactation length. Linear and quadratic regressions on lactation length significantly influenced milk yield per lactation and daily milk yield. Heritability estimates for age at first calving, calving interval, milk yield per lactation, daily milk yield, lactation length and dry period were 0.19 +/- 0.07, 0.09 +/- 0.03, 0.26 +/- 0.06, 0.27 +/- 0.07, 0.04 +/- 0.02, and 0.09 +/- 0.03, respectively. This study highlighted the importance or conserving the indigenous dairy cattle breeds for future generations. The presence of significant variation and the corresponding heritability estimates give promise of reasonable genetic improvement under selective breeding with respect to milk yield characters.