trouble making. According to Payne and Hodges
(1997), if improved management was not given, the
pure-bred cattle imported from temperate regions often
failed to survive. The more tragic dimension to this
practice arose when such cattle were introduced in
harsh environmental conditions. Vaccaro (1979)
concluded that the performance of temperate dairy
cattle in the tropical areas of Latin America was
disastrous. Purebred temperate cows suffered
unacceptably high losses, which indicated that the
animals of temperate zone did not adapt well to the
harsh environments of the tropics. Seasonal variation in
animal performance in the tropics is expected to be
primarily a manifestation of variation in feed quality
and quantity (Javed et al., 2000).
The present results suggested that milk yield was
sensitive to seasonal variations. Generally, the cows
which calved in autumn produced more milk,
apparently due to low environmental temperatures and
availability of good quality fodder. The cows that
calved during spring season might have confronted with
hot season and scarcity of fodder period (summer) after
calving as they approached peak lactation. The cows
calving in summer season were the poor producers as
these cows faced hot season and scarcity of fodder
period immediately after calving. Thermal stress may
also explain seasonal variation in performance in the
region where the present herd was being maintained
where dry months (summer season) are invariably the
hottest months. Thus, a combination of nutritional
inadequacy and thermal stress may well explain the
seasonal variation in the productive performance of
cows under study. This is even more likely as ambient
temperature around 45o
C or higher is not uncommon in
this region. The results of the present study indicate that
calving in spring and summer months were undesirable.
Efforts should be diverted to the conservation of feed
and fodder for scarcity periods in addition to provision
of shade for reducing the thermal stress. Moreover,
breeding should be managed in such a way that most
calvings occur in autumn or winter seasons. This may
eliminate seasonal and nutritional stress on Holstein
Friesian and Jersey cows.
The present study revealed that comparatively high
milk yield was obtained in the second and third
lactations except in Farm born Jerssey cows where
difference was non significant in all lactations. The
lactation maturity in the cows may also vary with the
rate of development and increased functioning of the
active secretory tissue of the udder, which could be
greatly influenced by feeding and management
practices. According to Schmidt et al. (1988), first
lactation cows freshening at 24 months of age produce
approximately 75% of the milk produced by mature
cows. Average figures for 3-years old cows indicate
that they produce approximately 85% of the milk
produced by a mature cow; the figures for 4 and 5 year
old cow are 92 and 98%, respectively. Cows of most
breeds are considered mature at 6-years of age. When