Analysis of the calving interval and reproductive efficiency in beef cattle breeds
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.61308/GLDM3400Keywords:
beef cattle breeds, calving interval, reproductive efficiency, age at first calvingAbstract
The objective of the present study was to analyze the calving interval (CI) and reproductive efficiency in beef cattle breeds. An analysis was conducted on the calving interval length of 793 cows from various beef breeds born between 2018 and 2021. The animals were categorized by breed, with the primary groups including: Aberdeen Angus (317 cows), Hereford (291 cows), and Limousin (185 cows). The study analyzed the following key zootechnical and reproductive indicators: mean age of the animals in the herd (months); age at first calving (AFC); calving interval (CI); and CI dynamics by year, tracking changes in the duration of the period relative to the year of birth (2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021). Primary data processing was performed using specialized statistical analysis software (SPSS Statistics 19), while graphical representation was managed via Excel.
The established mean age at first calving for Aberdeen Angus, Hereford, and Limousin cows was 35.56, 42.62, and 41.16 months, respectively. The length of the calving interval for Aberdeen Angus, Hereford, and Limousin cows was 16.22, 15.24 and 14.10 months, respectively. A significant reduction of 108 days in the CI (reaching 403 days in 2021) was observed in Hereford cows during the study period. There is a need to optimize reproductive management by intensifying fertility monitoring and reducing the service period. The goal is to minimize non-productive days and achieve an optimal calving interval that ensures maximum genetic progress and high reproduction intensity within the herd.
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