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Effect of management on reproductive performances of the Achai cattle in the Hindu Kush (Northern Pakistan)

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Abstract

This study evaluates the effect of management on the undocumented Achai cattle reproductive performance in transhumant farming systems (TFS) and in sedentary farming systems (SFS) in northwestern Pakistan. Data were collected from 172 households in TFS and 270 households in SFS to analyze the effect of farming systems, parity, and calving season on key reproductive traits. The results show that farming systems significantly affect pubertal age, while parity has no significant effect on any of the key traits. The calving season significantly affects the postpartum anoestrus interval in TFS only. More than 50% of the cows in both systems have postpartum anoestrus intervals and calving intervals within the recommended values for cows in tropical countries. Achai cows have high first-service conception rates (70% and 71% for TFS and SFS, respectively) and require a relatively small number of services per conception (1.53 ± 0.06 and 1.48 ± 0.05 SE for TFS and SFS, respectively). This local breed thus warrants conservation under both farming systems.

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Acknowledgments

This study was conducted within the framework of the Joint Research Partnership funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). It was also conducted within the framework of the Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) North–South: Research Partnerships for Mitigating Syndromes of Global Change. The NCCR North–South is co-funded by SNSF and SDC, and the participating institutions (project TN3RP15).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Directorate General (Extension) Livestock and Dairy Development, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Peshawar, Pakistan

    Muhammad Saleem, Momen Khan & Sher Muhammad

  2. University of Central Asia, NCCR (North–South), Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan and Foundation for Research and Socio-Ecological Harmony, Islamabad, Pakistan

    Inam-ur Rahim

  3. Centre for Development and Environment, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland

    Henri Rueff, Daniel Maselli & Urs Wiesmann

  4. School of Geography and the Environment, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom

    Henri Rueff

  5. University of Central Asia, NCCR (North-South) Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan

    Daniel Maselli

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  1. Muhammad Saleem
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  2. Inam-ur Rahim
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  3. Henri Rueff
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  4. Momen Khan
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  6. Urs Wiesmann
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  7. Sher Muhammad
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Correspondence to Henri Rueff.

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Saleem, M., Rahim, Iu., Rueff, H. et al. Effect of management on reproductive performances of the Achai cattle in the Hindu Kush (Northern Pakistan). Trop Anim Health Prod 44, 1297–1302 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-011-0071-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-011-0071-3

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