title: Reproductive performance of crossbred dairy cows reared under traditional low input production system in the eastern Himalayas.
abstract: Reproductive performance of crossbred cows reared under traditional low input production system was assessed. A total number of 160 farmers were surveyed and traditional fodders were evaluated for proximate composition. Total protein, albumin and cholesterol concentrations in blood serum were analyzed. The age at first service, age at first calving, calving interval, calving to first service and calving to conception interval were calculated from records of 261 crossbred dairy cows. The crude protein, crude fiber, nitrogen free extract, ether extract and total ash content varied from 7.2 to 13.9, 18.2 to 34.4, 39.1 to 59.2, 2.1 to 4.1 and 7.2 to 17.9%, respectively. The total protein and albumin concentrations in blood serum were 7.6 +/- 0.3 and 4.3 +/- 0.3 g/dl, respectively. The cholesterol concentration was 221.1 +/- 8.2mg/dl. The mean age at first service and age at first calving was 28.6 +/- 1.0 and 40.7 +/- 1.1months, respectively. The mean values for calving to first service and calving to conception intervals were 182 +/- 14.5 and 224 +/- 9.0days, respectively. The conception rate was significantly high among the cows that showed typical fern pattern of cervical mucus (56.6%). The conception rate based on 1(st) insemination was 44.4%. The incidence of repeat breeders and anestrus among the crossbred cows were 12.8 and 14.1%, respectively.
authors.affiliation: Animal Reproduction/ Gynaecology, ICAR Research complex for NEH Region, Barapani, Umiam, Meghalaya-793 103, India. ogkumaresan@rediffmail.com
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kumaresan
authors.forename: P P
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Prabhakaran
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Bujarbaruah
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Pathak
authors.forename: Bijoy
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chhetri
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Ahmed
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000821:Animal Feed / Q000032:analysis* / Q000592:standards; D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D002417:Cattle / Q000097:blood / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D003433:Crosses, Genetic; D003612:Dairying / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D007194:India; D011247:Pregnancy; D018873:Pregnancy Rate; D012098:Reproduction / Q000502:physiology*; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000032:analysis; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D001798:Blood Proteins; D012709:Serum Albumin; D002784:Cholesterol