Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
7
Applied Reproductive Physiology
J. Greyling , PhD
KEY TERMS
Puberty—age at which the female starts cycling and male produces sperm.
Seasonality—trait where animals show sexual activity during certain seasons of the year regulated by photoperiod.
Breeding season—when does and bucks are sexually active and bred to produce offspring.
Estrous cycle—the sexual cycle of the doe, from one estrous period to the next, and the period is on average 21 days.
Ovulation—the shedding of an ovum by a mature ovarian follicle.
Postpartum anestrous period—interval following kidding during which the doe shows no signs of estrus.
Synchronization—hormonal induction of estrus to occur within a limited period of time.
Multiple ovulation and embryo transfer—the induction of superovulation, fl ushing evaluation, and transfer of embryos
to recipients.
Accelerated kidding—when does are managed to breed three times in 2 years.
Dystocia — diffi cult births where assistance must be given.
OBJECTIVES
By completing this chapter, the reader will acquire knowledge on:
￿ The reproductive potential of the goat
￿ The principles and reproductive physiology involved in applied reproduction of goats
￿ The different physiological stages in the doe and factors that play a role
￿ The seasonal sexual activity in the doe and buck
￿ The insight into the reproduction physiology of the male
￿ The principles and the application of certain reproductive technologies in the doe
￿ The pregnancy diagnosis in the female
￿ The most important aspects to be considered in a goat reproduction program
INTRODUCTION
Roughly 95% of the 850 million goats in the world are
found in the developing countries of Asia, Africa, and
South America. These goats are multipurpose animals that
provide a vast range of products, including meat, milk,
skins (leather), and fi ber; and for too long, the role of goats
and their contribution to the livelihoods of people have
been ignored (Peacock et al., 2005). In recent years, the
demand for goat products has also increased in the devel-
oped countries, accompanied by the number of commercial
goat farmers. As reproduction can be seen as the corner-
stone in any animal production chain, its importance
cannot be overemphasized. This is also relevant to the
goat. Thus, to help exploit the restricted goat resources
139
Search WWH ::




Custom Search