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Impact of crossbreeding Holstein and Brown Swiss cows on milk yield, composition, and fatty acid profiles in subtropics

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Abstract

Milk yield (MY), composition, and fatty acid profiles of purebred Holstein (HO) cows, Brown Swiss (BS), and their F1 crossbreds (HS) were compared under subtropical climate in Egypt. Pure HO had significantly greater 305-MY, total-MY, and daily-MY (p < 0.05) than pure BS and crossbred HS. Furthermore, HO and HS had significantly higher peak-MY (44.2 and 43.3 kg, respectively) than BS (36.1 kg). In comparison with HO, BS had significantly higher milk fat, protein, total solids, and solid-not-fat % (p < 0.05); however, no significant differences were observed between BS and HS for milk fat %. The milk fat of BS had higher concentrations of saturated (C17:0 and C18:0) fatty acids (FA) than that of the HO and HS (p = 0.001 and 0.008, respectively). Content of C4:0, C6:0, C8:0, C12:0, and C15.0 FA did not differ between genotypes. Milk from HO and BS had significantly higher concentrations of unsaturated (C20:1 and C20:5) FA than that from HS (p < 0.05). C14:1 (myristoleic), C16:1 (palmitoleic), and C18:2 (linoleic) FA contents were similar for all genotypes. In conclusion, BS surpassed HO for all milk composition traits and some FA components; however, HS had comparable milk fat percentage with BS. There appears to be an opportunity to modify the concentration of certain FA by breeding.

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Acknowledgements

The authors express appreciation to the owner of EXPANDED herd, Ismailia—El-Sahrawi road, for permitting us to collect the data.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Animal Wealth Development, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Zagazig University, El-Zeraa Str. 114, Zagazig, 44511, Egypt

    Mahmoud S. El-Tarabany

  2. Biological Applications Department, Radioisotopes Applications Division, NRC, Atomic Energy Authority, Inshas, Cairo, Egypt

    Akram A. El-Tarabany & Sana S. Emara

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  1. Mahmoud S. El-Tarabany
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  2. Akram A. El-Tarabany
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  3. Sana S. Emara
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Correspondence to Mahmoud S. El-Tarabany.

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Experimental procedures were conducted in accordance with the Zagazig University Animal Ethics Committee guidelines (ANWD-215).

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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El-Tarabany, M.S., El-Tarabany, A.A. & Emara, S.S. Impact of crossbreeding Holstein and Brown Swiss cows on milk yield, composition, and fatty acid profiles in subtropics. Trop Anim Health Prod 50, 845–850 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-017-1506-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-017-1506-2

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