Journal of Dairy Science, Vol 74, Issue 7 2303-2308, Copyright
© 1991 by American Dairy Science Association
Comparison of ten Friesian strains in Poland for yield traits from first
three parities
A. Zarnecki, J. Jamrozik and H. D. Norman
Department of Genetics and Animal Breeding, Academy of Agriculture,
Krakow, Poland.
Milk yield, fat yield, and fat percentage for the first three parities
were compared for crosses of Friesian strains from Canada, Denmark,
Israel, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden, the United Kingdom, the
US, and West Germany with Polish black-and-white cattle. Mixed model
multitrait BLUP solutions for milk yield ranked Holstein strains (US,
Canada, and Israel) and New Zealand Friesians higher than European
Friesian strains for all three parities. Largest difference for milk
yield between highest ranking US strain and lowest ranking Polish
strain was 1002 kg for first lactation. Rankings for fat yield were
similar to those for milk yield. For all three parities, the New
Zealand strain ranked highest for fat percentage and the US strain
lowest. Although rankings were consistent across parities for all
yield traits, differences between Holstein and Friesian strains
decreased as parity increased. Holstein strains maintained their
superiority for milk and fat yields for all three parities despite
difficult environmental conditions and a feeding regimen worse than
in their country of origin.
