Effect of insemination timing and body condition score on    pregnancy rate in crossbred dairy cows

Fakhar Zaman Khan; Ihsan Ullah; Fasih Ullah; Fath Ullah; Faheem Ullah Khan; Muhammad Ishtiaq Khan; Ihsan Ullah Khan; Asif Nawaz; Muhammad Asif; Muhammad Idrees Khan; Ihtesham; Aamir Khan

Effect of insemination timing and body condition score on pregnancy rate in crossbred dairy cows

Authors

Fakhar Zaman Khan Department of Livestock Management Breeding and Genetics, Faculty of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Sciences. The University of Agriculture, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Peshawar, Pakistan.
Ihsan Ullah Department of Livestock Management Breeding and Genetics, Faculty of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Sciences. The University of Agriculture, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Peshawar, Pakistan.
Fasih Ullah Livestock and Dairy Development Department (Extension), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.
Fath Ullah Livestock and Dairy Development Department (Extension), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.
Faheem Ullah Khan Department of Poultry Science, Faculty of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Sciences. The University of Agriculture, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Peshawar
Muhammad Ishtiaq Khan Livestock and Dairy Development Department (Extension), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.
Ihsan Ullah Khan Livestock and Dairy Development Department (Research), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.
Asif Nawaz Livestock and Dairy Development Department (Extension), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.
Muhammad Asif Livestock and Dairy Development Department (Research), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.
Muhammad Idrees Khan Livestock and Dairy Development Department (Extension), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.
Ihtesham Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Science, Gomal University, D.I.Khan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.
Aamir Khan Livestock and Dairy Development Department (Extension), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.

Keywords:

Artificial insemination, Body condition score, Crossbred, Estrus, Fertility, Parity, Pregnancy

Abstract

The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship in crossbred dairy cows between the timing of artificial insemination (AI) relative to the onset of estrus and body condition. 120 clinically healthy cows were selected from local farms for procedures of AI. Cows in the trial were categorized into two groups, A and B, each comprising 60 animals. Group A had a body condition score of 3–3.5, while Group B had a BCS of 2–2.5. Each group was subdivided into three treatment subgroups based on the AI timing following the onset of estrus: T1 (12–18 hours), T2 (18–24 hours), and T3 (24–30 hours). Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS version 16.0, with the chi-square test employed to assess differences between groups, and for calculation of frequency distributions. The results revealed that cows in group A (BCS 3–3.5) subjected to AI in the T_III interval (24–30 hours post-estrus) achieved a significantly higher pregnancy rate of 80% (P>0.05) compared to 45% in those inseminated during T_I (12–18 hours). Similarly, cows in group B (BCS 2–2.5) inseminated at T_III exhibited a significantly higher pregnancy rate of 70% (P<0.05) compared to 35% in cows inseminated during T_I. Although the BCS did not exhibit a statistically significant impact on pregnancy rates across all groups, cows with a BCS of 3–3.5 demonstrated higher pregnancy success compared to those with a BCS of 2–2.5. Additionally, while parity was not significantly correlated with pregnancy outcomes, a numerically higher pregnancy rate was observed in cows of third parity, followed by second-parity animals. In conclusion, optimizing the timing of artificial insemination to estrus onset, combined with consideration of body condition score, can enhance fertility outcomes in crossbred dairy cows.

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