31-Title: Non genetic factors affecting gestation length and birth weight in Kankrej cattle

Authors: AK Srivastava, JB Patel, KJ Ankuya, HD Chauhan, AP Chaudhary, JK Patel and JP Gupta

Source: Ruminant Science (2020)-9(1):151-154.

How to cite this manuscript: Srivastava AK, Patel JB, Ankuya KJ, Chauhan HD, Chaudhary AP, Patel JK and Gupta JP (2020). Non genetic factors affecting gestation length and birth weight in Kankrej cattle. Ruminant Science 9(1):151-154.

Abstract

Present study was conducted on 233 records of calving of Kankrej cows maintained at Livestock Research Station of the institute to analyze the effects of non-genetic factors on gestation length (GL) and calf birth weight (BW). The least squares mean with the standard error of gestation length and calf birth weight were 287.020±0.946 days and 21.343 ±0.378 kg. Parity and twinning have a significant effect (P<0.05) on gestation length. Heifers (287.7±1.21) and second parity cows (287.8±1.2) had significantly (P<0.05) shorter gestation lengths (285.5±0.9 day) compared to the third or more parity group cows. The mean gestation length of twin calves was 285.3±1.8 days and was significantly (P<0.05) 3.4 days shorter than the single births. The mean birth weight of calves was 21.343±0.378 kg. Effect of parity, sex of calf and time of calving were not significant on birth weight of the calf. Mean birth weight of twin calves had significantly (P<0.01) lower birth weight by an average of 1.73 kg than single births calves. The ratio of overall males was 11.58% higher than the females. The birth weight of male calf was 21.633±0.390 kg and it was on an average 0.579 kg higher than the females and difference was not significant. The gestation length of the male calf was 0.936 days higher than the females. More calvings were observed during the day (54.51%) than the night period but the difference was not significant. It is concluded that in Kankrej cows the primiparous have longer gestation period than the multiparous cows; twinning reduces the birth weight of calf.  

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