Physiological Adaptation of Holstein Frisian Dairy Cattle in Ethiopia: Review Article

Abstract

This article was planned to summarize available information's on physiological adaptation of Holstein Frisian dairy cattle in Ethiopia. The literature was reviewed for presence of such adaptations. Although a temperate type, Holstein Frisian is the most common and predominate exotic dairy cattle breed in Ethiopia. The reason behind is, its ability to adapt a wide range climatic environments and the world's known high milk production potential. Above 70% livestock production in Ethiopia is on the hand of Smallholders and pastoralists who often lives in harsh environments which may be hot and dry, hot and humid, or cold and can be characterized by scarce feed and water resources and high disease pressure with large seasonal and annual variations. Adaptation to these factors is largely based on genetics, but animals like HF are a special breed that can “learn” to live under such stressful conditions. It seems like Lowering of its metabolic requirement and sweating to keep the internal body environment in ''steady state'' when external environment is changed, hormonal activities and vasoconstrictions of muscle to cold stress are some of the desirable physiological attributes or adjustments helped them better to fit and survive. Years of research have shown that environmental stress is a huge problem for dairy cattle in tropics. However breeds like Holstein withstand better than other exotic dairy cattle through their unique physiological mechanisms but no such research have so far been done in Ethiopia.

Keywords: Adaptability, dairying, physiology, environmental stress, Literature, productivity