FACTORS AFFECTING PERFORMANCE OF SAHIWAL CATTLE – A REVIEW Authors: Z. Rehman, M. S. Khan, M. Aslam Mirza Journal: Journal of Animal and Plant Sciences (JAPS) ISSN: 1018-7081 (Print), 2309-8694 (Online) Volume: 24 Issue: 1 Pages: 1-12 Year: 2014 DOI: NA URL: https://doi.org/NA Publisher: Pakistan Agricultural Scientists Forum Abstract:

Sahiwal cattle of Pakistan is one of the best zebu cattle breed that can potentially play the same role as Holstein for
tropical environment. The environmental factors are generally influenced the Sahiwals' performance as well as other
breeds. The performance traits reviewed were age at first calving, milk yield, lactation length, dry period, calving
interval, and service period of Sahiwal cows. The average age at first calving among Pakistani Sahiwals ranged from1242±6.7 to 1358±7.9 days. It was 1094 to 1263 days in Indian Sahiwals while Kenyan herd was reported to have
1293±9.3 days of age at first calving. Lactation milk yield have been reported 1474±15.4 kg to 2058.3±9.25 kg in 247 to
318 days longer lactations in Pakistani Sahiwals. Reports on dry period have a range of 148 to 245 days while the
lactation milk production for Indian Sahiwals was almost in the same range 1455±10 to 2177.8±40.8 kg in 274±0.8 to
372±8 day long lactations. All the productive and reproductive traits were affected by herd, year, season of calving and
parity. The phenotypic correlations among various performance traits have also been reported. Phenotypic deterioration
in milk yield was noted over the years. 

Keywords: Sahiwal cattle, eenvironmental factors, phenotypic performance, milk yield