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A review of factors that impact on the capacity of beef cattle females to conceive, maintain a pregnancy and wean a calf - implications for reproductive efficiency in northern Australia.

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Burns, B.M., Fordyce, G. and Holroyd, R.G. (2010) A review of factors that impact on the capacity of beef cattle females to conceive, maintain a pregnancy and wean a calf - implications for reproductive efficiency in northern Australia. Animal Reproduction Science, 122 (1/2). pp. 1-22.

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Article Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.anireprosci.2010.04.01...

Publisher URL: http://www.elsevier.com

Abstract

A review of factors that may impact on the capacity of beef cattle females, grazing semi-extensive to extensive pastures in northern Australia, to conceive, maintain a pregnancy and wean a calf was conducted. Pregnancy and weaning rates have generally been used to measure the reproductive performance of herds. However, this review recognises that reproductive efficiency and the general measures associated with it more effectively describe the economic performance of beef cattle enterprises. More specifically, reproductive efficiency is influenced by (1) pregnancy rate which is influenced by (i) age at puberty; (ii) duration of post-partum anoestrus; (iii) fertilisation failure and (iv) embryo survival; while (2) weight by number of calves per breeding female retained for mating is influenced by (i) cow survival; (ii) foetal survival; and (iii) calf survival; and (3) overall lifetime calf weight weaned per mating. These measures of reproductive efficiency are discussed in depth. Further, a range of infectious and non-infectious factors, namely, environmental, physiological, breed and genetic factors and their impact on these stages of the reproductive cycle are investigated and implications for the northern Australian beef industry are discussed. Finally, conclusions and recommendations to minimise reproductive inefficiencies based on current knowledge are presented.

Item Type:Article
Corporate Creators:DEEDI
Additional Information:© The State of Queensland (through the Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation)
Keywords:Anoestrus; beef cattle; calves; conception; cows; embryos; fertilization; fetus; genetic factors; grazing; infectious diseases; mating; oestrous cycle; pastures; performance traits; pregnancy rate; puberty; reproduction; reproductive performance; sexual reproduction; survival; weaning; breeding cycle; communicable diseases.
Subjects:Animal culture > Breeding and breeds
Animal culture > Cattle
Live Archive:30 Mar 2011 01:30
Last Modified:03 Sep 2021 16:48

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