Global InformationAustralian Friesian Sahiwal information
 Australian Friesian Sahiwal cow | |
| Country of origin | Queensland, Australia |
|---|---|
| Type | Sahiwal & Holstein-Friesian |
| Use | Dairy production |
| Traits | |
| Color | Black/White/Red&Black |
The Australian Friesian Sahiwal, is an Australian breed of dairy cattle whose development commenced in the 1960s by the Queensland Government. It is a combination of the Sahiwal, a dairy breed of Bos indicus from Pakistan and Holstein (Bos taurus) breeds, designed for the tropical regions of Australia. Cows produce approximately 3,000 litres of milk per lactation[1] under tropical pasture conditions with a high resistance to heat, humidity, ticks and other parasites.
The AFS breed has now been successfully exported to many tropical countries of South East Asia, Central and South America and the Indian sub-continent.
The Australian Friesian Sahiwal (AFS) cows are crossbreeds developed by Queensland as a suitable breed that will be able to thrive in tropical climates.[2] To achieve this successful crossbreeding, multiple programmes were established in which various genotypes and crossbred cattle were involved. Ultimately, this Holstein-Friesian and Sahiwal breed was a success in mitigating the various problems other cattle suffered in varying environments. With the success of this crossbreeding, a study in Bangladesh concluded that the AFS were a superior breed in terms of its milk production that was necessary for various tropical countries and was soon exported to countries whose economies depended on its livestock like Bangladesh.[citation needed] Hence, due to its ability to produce desirable milk outcome and heat and tick resistance, the AFS was a successful crossbreed.
- ^ Australian Friesian Sahiwal Archived June 6, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Alexander, G.I; Tierney, M.L (1990). "Selection Methods Used In The Development Of The AFS Breed Of Tropical Dairy Cattle'" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2022-02-21. Retrieved 2020-11-02.