Effect of body condition score at mating on the rate of pregnancy in buffalo

SAMPEDRO, D.; CRUDELI, G.; BARBERA, P.; KONRAD, J.L.; LLANO, D.

Cartagena de Indias

Congreso; 11th World Buffalo Congress; 2016

Asociación Colombiana de Criadores de Búfalos

In North East of Argentina, buffaloes breeding take place in waterlogged grasslands with low quality forage, especially in winter. Between weaning in December up to the beginning of the mating season in April, the female buffaloes must retrieve body reserves, so that this variable does not influence on the rate of pregnancy. The objective was to determine the relationship between the body condition at mating and the rate of pregnancy. The experience was made in 2014 and 2015, with 217 lactating buffaloes Murrah, Mediterranean and their crosses, belonging to three herds. The influence of the body condition score (BCS: scale 1 to 5) at mating on the pregnancy rate, was determined by Chi square and regression analysis. The BCS at mating had a significant effect on the pregnancy of the buffaloes (p < 0.0001). The equation, y = 136 ? 169/x, where y = % pregnancy, x = BCS, explains the variations in the rate of pregnancy in response to body condition. The body condition 3.5 gets a pregnancy of 86%, so this could be considered the value threshold reproductive success in the adult buffalo. Although, buffalo is adapted to low-quality rangelands, the need for appropriate nutritional management is important before mating season. It is concluded that body condition at mating, is a variable that explains the reproductive efficiency of adult buffalo. The highest rates of pregnancy are accomplished with a body condition equal to or greater than 3.5.