Liveweight Performance at Maturity in N'dama Cattle Raised on Semi-improved Tropical Pasture

Abstract

Tlrc strr(i!j exarrrirzerf fhc Lluclzoelglzf perfi~rrrrlrnceo fN1L7nirmc rrttle nf trlafrrnty. Perfor~rrarzccd nta or1 54 pr~rcbrerf
N'llnrtrn cnl-nes horrl befri~eer1l 950 tl1ro~rgll195a5rz d reared or2 serrll-ir~rprovedt roplcnl pastr~rer lf Fnslrola, Nlgcrrn
zocro nrrizlysed. Tlre ovcmll least-squnres alrll stn~zdnrde rror of~rleait~ rinf~rzruee igl~t( MW)r eprescrzflizg N'Dnnzn
hrccd mzlrlrnge tons 327.37k13.44 kg. Birtlr year, senson ojbrrtlr, sire, dnrll pnrrty arid age-at-last reconled zi~eiglit
lrnii rlo sigrirficn11t effect (P>0.05) on tlre irlntlrre werglrt of N'Uarr~n cattle. Sex ofcnlfwas a Izlglrly srgri!ficnrzf
(I-'<0.001)s or~rceD fvnr~llfi~ofttio erglit at rirat~rrzty,w rtll N'Dnnrn hulls ntzd cozos zi1e~glung383.48_+72. 31 lig arid
2 77.25+14.75 kg, rospecflz~elyT. he resrrltsfirrther zndrcate tllnt tlzouglz N'Dnrria rrrnles had a hlglrer MW f l ~ ~tlzi'et ~
ferrrnles, t11cy nffa~riefdlr cir pllyslologrcnl r~rnfurztny f n yozr~zgera ge (69 r~lorztlzs)f lrnn tlieferrtnles (84 rrronfhs).
Hcrrtnbility estllllrzte of0.59rt0.28 obfnu~edtl rro~iglpi aterrlnl I~nlfslbsm ctllodfor MWzuns cons~~lercrrdr oderntel!j
hrg11.I t ZrJnsevldc~lfth nt selectzorz based or1 tlizs trait zolll yield strbstallflcrl ger~efrcprogresIsI Z the Ilcrd. But tlrc rlct
c~corzorrtrcrr rrplzcntro~zos f select-ozgfor wintllre zuci8lrt rrrlrst be cons~deuedfirstb; efore decidrlzg oli tlre rrtost ely-ic~erit
breerhrzg sysienls to rise, tnlclrlg irito accorirlf tlzc producfzon gonls.