Analysis of type traits of Cika first calving cows

Abstract

The aim of the study was to analyse type traits in 1,086 first-calving Cika cows. Statistical model was analysed by GLM procedure in SAS/STAT statistical package, which included the fixed effect of scoring year, and age at scoring and days after calving as linear regressions. First-calving cows were on average 126.5 cm high at the withers at the age of 33.9 months, which clearly shows that it belongs to small to medium body sized cattle. The largest proportion of the variability was explained in the measured traits of the body frame (0.14–0.17). The explained proportion of variability among individual traits of autochthonous was between 0.03 and 0.07, while 0.12 in the composite trait of autochthonous. We found out that type traits and therefore the classification of animals were significantly affected at least the following effects: the scoring year, age and stage of lactation. Classification of animals into the appropriate type, should therefore, be carried out after exclusion of the environmental effects. This would give a more accurate classification of Cika first-calving cows.

Keywords

• cattle
• autochthonous breeds
• Cika cattle
• first calving cows
• type traits
• scoring