Influence of bull biostimulation on age at puberty and reproductive performance of Sahiwal heifers

SANJAY CHOUDHARY; M L KAMBOJ; NITIN RAHEJA; NISHANT KUMAR; MAYAMITTA SAINI; S S LATHWAL

doi:10.56093/ijans.v90i1.98172

Authors

SANJAY CHOUDHARY PhD Scholar, ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, Haryana 132 001 India
M L KAMBOJ Principal Scientist, Livestock Production Management Division, ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, Haryana 132 001 India
NITIN RAHEJA PhD Scholar, ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, Haryana 132 001 India
NISHANT KUMAR PhD Scholar, ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, Haryana 132 001 India
MAYAMITTA SAINI PhD Scholar, ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, Haryana 132 001 India
S S LATHWAL Principal Scientist, Livestock Production Management Division, ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, Haryana 132 001 India

https://doi.org/10.56093/ijans.v90i1.98172

Keywords:

Biostimulation, Direct, Fenceline, Pheromones, Ovarian cyclicity, Sahiwal, Social cues

Abstract

Present study was undertaken to compare the effect of biostimulation by exposing the heifers to fenceline bull contact and fenceline + direct contact on age at puberty and reproductive performance of Sahiwal heifers. Pre-pubertal heifers (24) were allotted to 3 groups (8 animals each), i.e. non-bull exposed (NBE), fenceline bull exposed (FBE) and FBE + direct bull exposed (DBE) on the basis of age and body weight. In NBE group, heifers were not exposed to bull; in FBE group, heifers were exposed to the bull through a fenceline contact (24 h) and in FBE+DBE group, heifers were housed in a fenceline contact (24 h) with bull along with direct contact for 6 h through another bull in the heifer shed. Heifers were considered to have attained puberty if progesterone concentration was >1 ng/ml. The mean age and body weight at puberty in FBE (19.33±0.36 months and 226.20±6.35 kg) and FBE+DBE (19.11±0.58 months and 224.19±4.54 kg) heifers were almost similar but significantly lower than NBE heifers (24.13±0.16 months and 262.50±8.50 kg). The average age at first service and first calving was similar in FBE (20.41±0.45 and 30.20±0.73 months) and FBE+DBE (20.78±0.36 and 29.90±0.44 months) heifers but significantly lower than NBE heifers (25.15±0.14 and 34.29±0.53 months). We conclude that biostimulation of heifers by fenceline contact with the bull is as effective as FBE + 6 h of daily direct bull contact in hastening the age at puberty and improving reproductive performance.

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Author Biographies

SANJAY CHOUDHARY, PhD Scholar, ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, Haryana 132 001 India

PhD Scholar,Â ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, Haryana 132 001 India
M L KAMBOJ, Principal Scientist, Livestock Production Management Division, ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, Haryana 132 001 India

Principal Scientist, Livestock Production Management Division,Â ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, Haryana 132 001 India
NITIN RAHEJA, PhD Scholar, ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, Haryana 132 001 India

PhD Scholar,Â ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, Haryana 132 001 India
NISHANT KUMAR, PhD Scholar, ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, Haryana 132 001 India

Senior Scientist, Animal Reproduction Gynecology and Obstetrics Division,Â ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, Haryana 132 001 India
MAYAMITTA SAINI, PhD Scholar, ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, Haryana 132 001 India

PhD Scholar,Â ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, Haryana 132 001 India
S S LATHWAL, Principal Scientist, Livestock Production Management Division, ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, Haryana 132 001 India

Principal Scientist, Livestock Production Management Division,Â ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, Haryana 132 001 India

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