College of Veterinary Sciences

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    A Thesis Submitted to the College of Veterinary Science, Mekelle University, in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Veterinary Reproduction and Obstetrics
    (Mekelle University, 2025-01-25) Kiros Abrha
    Reproductive disorders significantly impact the reproductive performance and economic efficiency of dairy cows. A cross-sectional study was conducted with the objectives to investigate major reproductive disorders and their impact on reproductive performance in dairy cows, to identify the reproductive performance of dairy cows in the study area, assessing the associated risk factors and investigating the seroprevalence of brucellosis in association with reproductive disorders in Enderta district from January 2024 to December 2024. Total of 384 dairy cows, 267 cross and 117 local, were sampled from randomly selected farms. The study found that 68.23% (n=262) of dairy cows were affected by reproductive disorders, with the most prevalent disorders being retained fetal membranes 26.82%, abortion 17.71%, repeat breeding 10.68%, and anestrus 7.03%. The reproductive performance revealed that the mean age at first service were 38.82±3.43 months and 26.57±2.07 months, the mean age at first calving were 47.71±4.49 months and 35.20±6.20 months, mean calving interval were 16.02±1.76 months and 14.15±1.45 months, the mean days open were 132.11±6.83 and 118.88±3.09 days, additionally, the number of services per conception of dairy cows were 1.85±0.55 and 1.70±0.71 for local and crossbreed respectively. Bovine brucellosis was tested using the Rose Bengal Plate Test on 384 serum samples, and the results were negative for brucellosis prevalence. The study also found reproductive disorders were significantly associated with the production system, age, body condition score, hygiene, and mating system (p<0.05). Furthermore, reproductive performance was significantly poor in cows affected by the reproductive disorders compared to the normal cows. This study showed that reproductive disorders significantly affected reproductive performance of cows. Finally, improved management practices, including better heat detection, veterinary care, balanced feeding, hygiene and awareness creation for dairy owners are crucial for enhancing reproductive health and performance.