Reproduction is an important consideration in the economics of cattle production. In the absence of regular breeding and calving at the appropriate time cattle rearing will not be profitable. A healthy calf each year is the usual goal. This is possible only by increasing the reproductive efficiency of the animals.
Successful reproduction encompasses the ability to mate, the capacity to conceive and to nourish the embryo and deliver the viable young ones at the end of a normal gestation period. In fact, interruption in this chain of events leads to failure of the cow either to conceive or the embryo to die or to have a premature delivery of the fetus.
The reproductive efficiency is a complex phenomenon controlled by both genetic and non-genetic factors, the non- genetic factors being climate, nutrition, and level of management. The reproductive efficiency varies not only between species and breeds but also among the animals within the same breed.
Even the best feeding and management can not coax performance beyond the genetic limit of an inferior animal. Improving the genetic merits of livestock populations is important at all levels of management. A sound breeding program is a necessary part of the total animal production system. It is absolutely imperative to improve the productive capacity and physical appearance of the animal population.
The factors which influence the breeding efficiency of cattle are as follows :
The first limitation on the breeding efficiency of fertility of an animal is the number of functional ova released during each cycle of ovulation. Ovulation is the process of shedding of ovum from the Graffian follicle. In the case of cow, usually a single ovum is capable of undergoing fertilization only for a period of 5-10 hours. Therefore, the time of mating in relation to ovulation is important for effective fertilization.
The second limitation is fertilization of ova. Failure to be fertilized may result from several causes. The spermatozoa may be few or low in vitality. The service may be either too early or too late. So that the sperms and eggs do not meet at the right moment, to result in fertilization.
From the time of fertilization till birth, embryonic mortality may occur due to a variety of reasons. Hormone deficiency or imbalance may cause failure of implantation of fertilized ova which die subsequently. Death may occur as a result of lethal genes for which the embryos are homozygous. Other causes may be accidents in development, over-crowding in the uterus, insufficient nutrition or infections in tile uterus.
Breeding efficiency may be lowered seriously by increasing the age of first breeding. Females bred at a lower age are likely to appear stunted during the first lactation, but their mature size is affected little by their having been bred early.
The breeding efficiency can be greatly enhanced by lowering the interval between successive pregnancies. The wise general policy is to breed for the first time at an early age and to rebreed at almost the earliest opportunity after each pregnancy. In this way the lifetime efficiency is increased. Cows can be rebred in 9-12 weeks after parturition.
The length of life of the parent is an important part of breeding efficiency, because the return over feed cost is greater in increased length of life. Also, it affects the possibility of improving the breed. The longer the life of the parents, the smaller the percentage of cows needed for replacement every year.
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