Author(s)

Ahmedin Abdurehman Musa¹, Yesihak Yusuf Mummed², Mohammed Yusuf Kurtu², Melese Temesgen³, Travis Gene O’Quinn⁴, Umer Seid Geletu¹

¹Department of Animal Science, College of Agriculture, Oda Bultum University, Chiro, Ethiopia.
²School of Animal and Range Sciences, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Haramaya University, Haramaya, Ethiopia.
³Department of Food Science, Institute of Technology, Haramaya University, Haramaya, Ethiopia.
⁴Department of Animal Sciences and Industry, Kansas State University, Manhattan, USA.

The study was conducted to evaluate the fattening performance of Arsi, Borana, Harar and Holstein Friesian crossbred bulls finished under a similar feeding condition at the beef farm in Haramaya University. The average daily weight gain of the four breeds ranges from 0.49 to 0.71 kg. Feed conversion efficiency also ranges from 0.11 - 0.15. Simple linear regression models were used to explore the relationship between live body weight change and change in body condition score as well as seven linear body measurements for all age groups. An average change for a unite of body condition score was equivalent to 20.3, 20.61, 22.42 and 27.78 kg for Borana, Arsi, Harar and Holstein Friesian crossbred bulls respectively. Body condition score was significantly influenced by breeds. There was a significant breed by age interaction effect on the initial body condition score of the four breeds. There was a significant and positive strong association between change in body weight and body condition score. There was a significant and strong correlation between change in body weight and change in Total topline, neck length, heart girth, flank circumference and rump length having correlation coefficients ranges from 0.57 to 0.97. A higher net profit of 7380.47 ETB per head was recorded by Borana bulls followed by Harar bulls, Arsi and Holstein Friesian crossbred with net profit of 5406.86, 5193.29 and 3384.98 ETB per head respectively. Borana bulls are more superior in weight gain and net profit. Bodyweight change could be predicted based on body condition score change during the fattening period.

Weight Gain, Body Condition Score, Change in Linear Body Measurement

Musa, A. , Mummed, Y. , Kurtu, M. , Temesgen, M. , O’Quinn, T. and Geletu, U. (2022) Growth Performance of Arsi, Borana, Harar and HF-Crossbred Bulls Finished under Similar Feeding Condition. Open Journal of Animal Sciences, 12, 171-191. doi: 10.4236/ojas.2022.122013.