A Field Study Of Management And Husbandry Factors Affecting Reproductive Performance Of Dairy Cows In Malacca Malaysia

Abstract

The problem of poor reproductive per formance and lack of profit from small holders ' dairy cows in Halacca was addressed during the period July 1981 to May 1983 . Performance of 290 cows on 82 farms with varying feeding and management regimes were studied over a period of at least one year. Performance history and physical examination of the cows at repetitive visits provided data which was analysed for significant differences (P < 0. 05) in productive and reproductive performance against variations in husbandry , and population character is tics of cows and farmers. Increasing parity from one to three or greater decreased calving to conception interval mean by 4 . 2, median by 5.5 and for 90% of cows pregnant by 5.6 months at a level of feeding 0.5 NRC recommendations . With full feeding the corresponding figures were 1.8,1.7 and 2.1 ( but between parity one and two 2.7,3.0 and 4.9) . Parity exerted its great est effect between parity one and two . No increase in ( milk ) production peak occurred with increase in parity.