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Body Weight, Tick Burden (Boophilus microplus), Physiological Parameters and Reproductive Efficiency of Crossbred Zebu Cattle

Kroppsvikt, fästmginfestation (Boophiius micro-plus), fysiologiska parametrar och reproduktionsförmåga hos Zebukorsningsdjur

Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica volume 30, pages 347–353 (1989)Cite this article

Abstract

Body weight at calving, degree of tick load (Boophilus microplus), rectal temperature, respiratory frequency and heart rate were evaluated and correlated to reproductive efficiency in 63 F1 Brown Swiss x Nellore milked animals reared in the tropical region of Peru. Cows were bred by free natural service, and first ovulation was estimated by progesterone measurements. The physiological parameters were registered at morning milking (04.00 to 06.00) at an average air temperature of 22.4±0.9°C.

The intervals from parturition to first ovulation and conception were significantly affected when the body weight at calving was lower than 400 kg (p < 0.01). The degree of tick burden, rectal temperature (38.4±0.2°C, \(\bar x\) ± s.e.), respiratory rate (25.2±0.3 breaths/min) and heart; rate (66.7±0.4 beats/min) were not related to post-partum reproductive efficiency. The average intervals from parturition to first ovulation and to conception were 56.3±55.5 and 77.7±46.0 days \(\bar x\) ± s.d.), respectively. The fertility rate was 85.7%. The results indicate the F1 cross to be well adapted to the given environment. It remains to be determined whether higher levels of temperate blood can be used without an accompanying decrease in reproductive performande.

Sammenfattning

I försöket ingick 63 stycken F1-mjölkdjur (Brown Swiss x Nell ore) hemmahörande i den tropiska delen av Peru. Kroppsvikt vid kalvning, grad av fästingin-festation (Boophiius microplus), re k ta Item peratur, andnings- och hjärtfrekvens bestämdes och korrelerades till djurens reproduktionsförmåga. Korna betäcktes genom naturlig betäckning. Tidpunkten för första ovulation efter förlossningen bestämdes genom progesteroanalys av mjölk. De fysiologiska parametrarna registrerades vid tidpunkten för morgon-mjölkningen (04.00–06.00). Medeltemperaturen vid denna tidpunkt var 22.4±0.9°C. Kor som vägde mindre än 400 kg vid kalvningen hade en signifikant längre tid från förlossning till första ovulation (p<0.01). Graden av fä st ing in festa ti on, rektaltemperatur (38.4±0.2°C, x ± s.e.), andmngs-(25.2 ±0.3 andetag/min) och hjärtfrekvens (66.7±0.4 slag/min) påverkade inte reproduktions förloppet. Medel in t erva Het från förlossning till första ovulation och till konception var 56.3±55,5 respektive 77.7±46.0 dagar. Fertilitctsprocenten var 85.7%. Resultaten antyder att Fl-korsningsdjuren är väl anpassade till sina levnadsbetingelser. Det återstår au visa om detta också gäller fär djur med högre andelar tempererat (Bos taurus) blod.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Prof. L-E. Edqvist, Dep. of Clinical Chemistry, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences for reviewing the manuscript. The study was supported by research grants from the International Foundation of Science (IFS), Stockholm, Sweden, and from the Joint FAO/IAEA Division, Section for Animal Production and Health, International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, Austria.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Veterinary Institute for Tropical and High Altitude Research (IVITA), University of San Marcos, Apartado 4270, Lima, Peru

    M. Garcia, W. Huanca & A. Chávez

  2. Department of Clinical Chemistry, Swedish University of Agricultural Siences, Uppsala, Sweden

    M. Garcia, W. Huanca & A. Chávez

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  1. M. Garcia
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  2. W. Huanca
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  3. A. Chávez
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Garcia, M., Huanca, W. & Chávez, A. Body Weight, Tick Burden (Boophilus microplus), Physiological Parameters and Reproductive Efficiency of Crossbred Zebu Cattle. Acta Vet Scand 30, 347–353 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1186/BF03548042

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Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica

ISSN: 1751-0147