Dairy crossbreeding: Pros and cons for Holstein dairy systems

Abstract

In some dairy systems, robustness of pure Holstein cows, which can be defined as their ability to maintain good reproductive, health and production performance, has decreased. This may result in poor animal performance and profitability. Dairy crossbreeding might be a way to improve it. However, crossbreeding has not been widely used for dairy cattle breeding in developed countries except in New Zealand. One explanation is the lack of knowledge on the pros and cons of dairy crossbreeding. The aim of this paper is to review the literature on dairy crossbreeding. One advantage of crossbreeding is to benefit both additive and non-additive genetic effects. Several scientific studies report a positive influence of heterosis, especially on functional traits. Hence, the first generation of crossbred cows between Holstein and Montbéliarde reached almost the genetic level of Holstein cows for milk production and the genetic level of Montbéliarde cows for conception rate. Changes in animal performance and profitability after crossbreeding introduction depended on the initial situation of dairy farms. In high milk-yielding herds with low prevalence of reproduction and health disorders, the introduction of crossbreeding was not more profitable than pure Holstein mating. However, in high milk-yielding herds with high prevalence of disorders, crossbreeding increased margin over variable costs up to 5 % compared to pure mating. In moderate milk-yielding herds, profitability advantage of crossbreeding was smaller but robustness of cows was improved.