ASSESSMENT OF REPRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE AND MAJOR REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH PROBLEMS OF LOCAL AND CROSS BRED DAIRY COWS, IN AND AROUND ADIGRAT CITY, NORTHEN ETHIOPIA

Abstract

This study was conducted to assess reproductive performance and major reproductive health problems in cross and local bred dairy cattle in and around Adigrat city of eastern zone, Tigray Region from January 2024 to December 2024. A total of 138 dairy farm owners were randomly selected in this 384 local and cross bred dairy cows interviewed to obtain information on the reproductive performance and major reproductive problems of dairy cows. In the study area for local and cross bred dairy cows of the average age at first service, age at first calving, calving interval and number of services per conception were 39.02 ± 6.5 months, 48.81± 6.32 months, 27.09±4.73 months and 1.88±.85 times respectively. The cross bred were 25.95 ±6.5 months, 35.62±6.58 months, 16.09±5.64 months and 1.82±.91 times respectively. The reproduction performance the estimated mean of age at first service, age at first calving and calving interval for local bred cows and cross bred cows were significant statistically different (P < 0.05) among the districts of the study sites while the mean of number of service per conception for local bred cows and cross bred cows were not significant statistically different (p>0.05) among the districts of the study areas. In high prevalence in the present study area included anestrus 86 (22.40%), retained fetal membrane 35(9.11%) and repeat breeder 49 (12.76%) and whereas reproductive health problems with lower incidence rate included dystocia 13 (3.39%), uterine prolapse 4(1.04 %), and abortion 11(2.86 %).The reproductive health problems in this study showed statistical significance different (p < 0.05) with respect to breed, body condition, and mating system. However, this finding indicated that occurrence of shows no statistical insignificance different (p>0.05) compared to age, productive system, and feeding system of the dairy cattle. The prevalence of disorders more in local breed (74.42 %) than cross breed dairy cows (48.68 %). In general it is recommended that improvement in management system, appropriate timing of AI for breeding system, and balanced feeding should be corrected to minimize the incidence of reproductive performance and reproductive health problem of associated risk factors in the study area.