Assessment of Longevity and Lifetime Productivity of Local Cattle Breeds in Relation to International Breeds

TL;DR

Local cattle breeds in Poland live longer and are more productive over their lifetime compared to international breeds, making them valuable for improving longevity in cattle.

Contribution

The study demonstrates that local cattle breeds have superior longevity and productivity traits compared to high-production international breeds.

Findings

Polish Red and White-Backed cows showed significantly longer lifespans than international breeds like Holstein-Friesian and Jersey.

Reproductive problems were the main cause of culling across all breeds in Poland.

Local breeds may serve as a genetic resource to enhance longevity in other cattle breeds.

Abstract

Longevity is one of the most important functional features, both from an economic and production perspective. Although cattle can live to be around 20 years old under natural conditions, the high intensity of production has significantly shortened this period. The aim of this study was to analyse parameters associated with the length of life and productivity of cows, taking into account the breed factor. The analyses carried out allowed us to conclude that native breeds clearly differ from high-production breeds, achieving better parameters regarding longevity, length of life in the herd, and the share of the first lactation in the entire productive life of the animal. The demonstrated tendency of native breeds towards longevity is an additional advantage to those already known, associated with the production of high-quality material.

This study was based on data obtained from a total of 9518 cows belonging to seven cattle breeds: local breeds—Polish White-Backed (249), Polish Red (269), Polish Black-and-White (255), and Polish Red-and-White (290)—and international breeds—Polish Holstein-Friesian (5917), Jersey (940), and Simmental (1598). The breeds were characterised in terms of the following parameters: length of life, length of productive life, milking life, longevity index, percentage share of yield in the first 305-day lactation and first complete lactation in the lifetime yield, and functional longevity. Reasons for culling and the relationship between the length of life/productive life and milk performance parameters were determined as well. The analysis of the length of life and length of productive life in seven different cattle breeds kept in Poland unequivocally demonstrates that local breeds clearly stand out in this regard in comparison to international breeds. They may in the future constitute a valuable gene reservoir for improving longevity in other breeds. The length of life of Polish White-Backed and Polish Red cows was 2817 days and 3607 days, respectively, while that of Polish Holstein-Friesian and Jersey cows was only 2131 and 1956 days, respectively, and the most common cause of culling of cows in Poland (39.07%), irrespective of breed, was reproductive problems. The favourable results of parameters related to the longevity of the local breeds of Polish Red and White-Backed show that they can become a tool for improving the longevity of international breeds.