Factors Affecting Reproductive Efficiency in Beef Cows

Author(s):  
A.J.F. Russel ◽  
I.A. Wright ◽  
E.A. Hunter

Successful and timely rebreeding is of major importance to the economics of suckler cow enterprises. Research into the causes of reprodutive failure and extended calving intervals can be difficult, not least because of the need for experiments involving large numbers of animals if statistically significant treatment effects are to be demonstrated. Useful information however, can be obtained from the analysis of data derived from a number of relatively small-scale experiments, not necessarily on reproduction per se, but in which records of reproductive performance are available.This paper deals with the analysis of data on the reproductive performance of beef cows used in a number of experiments on the effects of nutrition during pregnancy and lactation on components of production such as milk yield and composition, calf birth weight and early calf growth rate. The objective of the analysis was to identify the major factors affecting calving interval and to quantify the magnitude of the effects of these factors.

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 01-08
Author(s):  
R. Lalthankhumi ◽  
Joseph Lalmalsawma

Agriculture constitutes one of the major sources of income among the people of Mizoram. The areas used for cultivation in Mizoram are usually slashed and burnt down to ashes and are abandoned for years, the land is used and the same plot is re-use after 3-5 years. More than half of the total population is either directly or indirectly involved in agriculture. However, the income from agriculture is less than 5% of the State Gross Domestic Product (State Economic Report, 2015). In the last few decades Mizoram witnessed several changes in agriculture pattern as many farmers have been shifting from cultivation to small- scale agricultural farming. This paper highlights the transformation of agricultural practices and the major factors affecting agricultural production and attempt is made to examine the prevailing socio- economic aspects associated with farmers with special reference to Lawngtlai Rural Development Block and a questionnaire method was used for collecting relevant information for the purpose. The research found that there exist major transformations of agricultural practices in the last couple of decades. The cycle of shifting agriculture period has been shortened drastically. It is also revealed that farmers are gradually adopting settled farming from shifting agriculture and that government intervention and assistance has been increasing more and more in this field. It is suggested that agricultural practice be transformed from jhuming to settled farming and from cultivating the traditional crops to cash crops with governmental and institutional support for shifting to higher income in agricultural and horticultural crops.


Animals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 2096 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aitor Fernandez-Novo ◽  
Sonia S. Pérez-Garnelo ◽  
Arantxa Villagrá ◽  
Natividad Pérez-Villalobos ◽  
Susana Astiz

Researchers have contributed by increasing our understanding of the factors affecting reproduction in beef, mainly physical health and nutrition aspects, which have been main concerns during decades. Animal welfare is of outmost relevance in all animal production systems and it is strongly associated to stress. Stress responses involve endocrine, paracrine and neural systems and the consequences of this stress on the reproductive efficiency of specifically, beef cattle and bulls, need to be highlighted. We, therefore, describe the fundamentals of stress and its quantification, focusing in beef herds, reviewing the highly valuable pieces of research, already implemented in this field. We examine major factors (stressors) contributing to stress in beef cattle and their effects on the animals, their reproductive performance and the success of reproductive biotechnologies. We include terms such as acclimatization, acclimation or temperament, very relevant in beef systems. We examine specifically the management stress due to handling, social environment and hierarchy or weaning effects; nutritional stress; and thermal stress (not only heat stress) and also review the influence of these stressors on reproductive performance and effectiveness of reproductive biotechnologies in beef herds. A final message on the attention that should be devoted to these factors is highlighted.


2017 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 73 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicholas S Bryner ◽  
Marisa Garcia-Lozano ◽  
Carl Bruch

The destructive impacts of Hurricane Katrina and Superstorm Sandy displaced large numbers of people. While some families were able to return home soon after the disasters, others struggled to do so and remained displaced for extended periods of time. Although much attention has been paid to the immediate response to natural disasters, research on policies and practices regarding long-term return migration has been largely overlooked. This article presents an overview of recent literature that addresses factors affecting displaced individuals’ decision to return home or relocate following these two disasters. It discusses five major factors influencing individual and household decisions regarding whether to return home, relocate, or remain in limbo if unable to achieve either. These include: (1) habitability of homes; (2) affordability of housing; (3) financial burdens; (4) slow restoration of public services and facilities; and (5) sense of place and identity. The article then assesses the types of policies that have been used with varying goals—promoting, discouraging, and, in some cases, prohibiting return. It presents four examples of policy tools that have influenced post-disaster return or relocation after Hurricane Katrina and Superstorm Sandy: (1) tax policies; (2) buyouts; (3) changes to building codes; and (4) revisions to the U.S. National Flood Insurance Program. The article concludes that a better understanding of factors affecting displaced persons can help policymakers meet their objectives of encouraging or inhibiting return to a specific site after a disaster.


Author(s):  
C.M. Minter

One of the major factors affecting the efficiency and profitability of sheep production is the number of lambs reared per ewe. In 1991 lambs reared per ewe accounted for 14% of the difference in gross margin per hectare between top third and average lowland spring lambing flocks (MLC, 1992). The hypothesis was developed that in managing the prolific ewe three possible management systems could be employed; frequent lambing (FL), early annual lambing (EAL), or late annual lambing (LAL). The choice of these lambing systems was based on minimising the problems of the prolific ewe. Of these systems FL (lambing on an eight month cycle), provided the best opportuity for achieving high numbers of lambs sold per ewe.


1982 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 413-420
Author(s):  
N. G. Buck ◽  
D. Light

ABSTRACTThe breeding records of 2710 lactating cows, of the Africander (1208), Tswana (542) and Tuli (960) breeds, were analysed to examine the effects of breed and environment on reconception. The reconception rate of Africander cows (0·56) was significantly lower than that of Tswana and Tuli cows (0·80 and 0·81 respectively) (P<0·01). The environmental effects of ranch, calving year, calving period and age/parity all had significant effects on reconception (P<0·01). Interactions between breed and the other main effects were all significant.The Africander is considered to be a breed of lower fertility than the other two Sanga breeds, the Tswana and Tuli, in Botswana. The results are discussed with respect to determining management interventions to improve cow reproductive performance.


2008 ◽  
Vol 51 (4) ◽  
pp. 318-328 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Pilarczyk ◽  
J. Wójcik

Abstract. The aim of the study was to compare the body weight and the parameters of reproductive performance in beef cows of various breeds following their import to Poland from 1995–1997. The analyses included cows of five beef breeds: Red Angus, Salers, Hereford, Limousin and Simmental. We have compared the body weights and calving intervals during the period from their arrival to Poland in 1995 until 2002, with subsequent calvings included in the analyses. Other aspects included calving difficulty, abortions, stillbirths and twin births. The analysis of the cows’ reproductive performance has revealed that the studied breeds differ in the calving interval. Best results were achieved by Simmental and Limousine cows, while Red Angus cows exhibited the poorest performance. The effect of subsequent calving on the calving interval was also confirmed. We have observed no differences among the mature cows with respect to the body weight and calving ease.


2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 14
Author(s):  
Gabriel Adewunmi Eyinade ◽  
Celestine Ohi Akharume

Much investments have been tailored towards organic farming by several stakeholders in recent years. Reasons for these are poverty mitigation, income generation as well as food security and good dietary diets. Unfortunately, there are no significant improvements in those areas where organic farming has been funded and encouraged. The study aims at identifying factors affecting the perceptions of small-scale organic farmers using ordinary least square regression model (OLS). One hundred and sixty structure questionnaires were administered on 160 small-scale organic farmers in Amathole District Municipality to gather data for the study. The results revealed that gender and educational level are the major factors affecting the perceptions of small-scale organic farmers in South Africa. Nevertheless, to open the prospective of smallscale organic farmers, the study suggested that these farmers should have greater access to extension services and support. This will go a long way in assisting the farmers to diversify and improve their production, thus enhancing livelihoods and creating markets for organic foods.  


2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (2(J)) ◽  
pp. 14-19
Author(s):  
Gabriel Adewunmi Eyinade ◽  
Celestine Ohi Akharume

Much investments have been tailored towards organic farming by several stakeholders in recent years. Reasons for these are poverty mitigation, income generation as well as food security and good dietary diets. Unfortunately, there are no significant improvements in those areas where organic farming has been funded and encouraged. The study aims at identifying factors affecting the perceptions of small-scale organic farmers using ordinary least square regression model (OLS). One hundred and sixty structure questionnaires were administered on 160 small-scale organic farmers in Amathole District Municipality to gather data for the study. The results revealed that gender and educational level are the major factors affecting the perceptions of small-scale organic farmers in South Africa. Nevertheless, to open the prospective of smallscale organic farmers, the study suggested that these farmers should have greater access to extension services and support. This will go a long way in assisting the farmers to diversify and improve their production, thus enhancing livelihoods and creating markets for organic foods.  


2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 1025-1042 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oskar Glowacki ◽  
Grant B. Deane

Abstract. Accurate estimates of calving fluxes are essential in understanding small-scale glacier dynamics and quantifying the contribution of marine-terminating glaciers to both eustatic sea-level rise (SLR) and the freshwater budget of polar regions. Here we investigate the application of acoustical oceanography to measure calving flux using the underwater sounds of iceberg–water impact. A combination of time-lapse photography and passive acoustics is used to determine the relationship between the mass and impact noise of 169 icebergs generated by subaerial calving events from Hansbreen, Svalbard. The analysis includes three major factors affecting the observed noise: (1) time dependency of the thermohaline structure, (2) variability in the ocean depth along the waveguide and (3) reflection of impact noise from the glacier terminus. A correlation of 0.76 is found between the (log-transformed) kinetic energy of the falling iceberg and the corresponding measured acoustic energy corrected for these three factors. An error-in-variables linear regression is applied to estimate the coefficients of this relationship. Energy conversion coefficients for non-transformed variables are 8×10-7 and 0.92, respectively, for the multiplication factor and exponent of the power law. This simple model can be used to measure solid ice discharge from Hansbreen. Uncertainty in the estimate is a function of the number of calving events observed; 50 % uncertainty is expected for eight blocks dropping to 20 % and 10 %, respectively, for 40 and 135 calving events. It may be possible to lower these errors if the influence of different calving styles on the received noise spectra can be determined.


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