Linear body measurements as an indicator of Kenana cattle milk production.

Data on (239) females from Kenana cattle population reared in the Um-Benein livestock Research Station and villages around in addition to some areas in the Gezira State were used in this study to determine milk production, the relationship between linear body measurements and between the latter and age and milk production. Traits studied were daily milk yield (DMY), days in milk (DM), height at withers (HTW), heart girth circumference (HGC), abdominal circumference (ABC) and body length (BL) with the ultimate goal to securing a valid indicators of dairy potential of Kenana cattle .The overall means of daily milk yield and days in milk for Kenana cattle were 4.30.376 (kg) and 249.982.96 days, respectively. Peak daily milk yield was 5.740.33 (kg) reach at the third lactation. The correlation coefficients between daily milk yield and linear body measurements were 0.36, 0.20, 0.54 and 0.28 for heart girth, abdominal girth, body length and height at withers, respectively. Prediction equation was derived to estimate milk yield with (0.52) coefficient of determination (R2). Means daily milk yield (kg) obtained using the estimated method and developed equation using linear body measurement were 4.7210.162 and 4.7050.090, respectively. No significant differences (P≤0.05) in means of daily milk yield obtained using the two methods.