Effect of suckling on reproductive behaviour of buffaloes

Abstract

Six suckled and 9 non-suckled buffaloes of 25-35 days post-partum were studied for reproductive behaviour. Per rectal examination of genialia and plasma progesterone estimations were done at the start of the study and every 7 days thereafter up to 90 days post-partum. None of the buffaloes had shown visual oestrus signs up to the start of the study. However, 66.67% of non-suckled and 50% of suckled buffaloes had already experienced ovulation (plasma progesterone conentration &gt 1.0 ng/ml). Irrespective of progesterone rise, GnRH was injected to each animal on the day of start of experiment. The days to first observed oestrus days to first rise in progesterone and calving to conception interval were significantly prolonged in suckled buffaloes than that in non-suckled buffaloes. The first heat was silent in higher proportion of suckled buffaloes (100%) than that in non-suckled ones (77.78%). it is concluded that suckling suppresses reproductive behaviour in dairy buffaloes.