Calves Sex Ratio in Artificial and Naturally Bred Cattle at Adami Tulu Agricultural Research Center

Abstract

Breeding and calving records from 2013- 2016  maintained at Adami Tulu Agricultural Research center was used for current study with aim of assessing ratios of calves born and identifying some of the factors affecting ratios of calves born. The data was cleared, arranged, categorized and pulled into years and analyzed by using Statistical Package for Social Science Version 20.0 (SPSS). The probability of a male calf being born was analyzed by chi square test. A threshold significance level was determined at the P <0.05. The result indicated that the overall sex ratio of calves born was i.e. the ratio of male to female is 57.1 to 42.9. Parity of the breeding cow doesn’t have statistically significant effect on the sex ratio of calves born. The statistically analysis also shows that breeding year and season had not have the significant effect the sex ratio of calves born. In addition the sire line with which the animals inseminated has no significant effect. The result also indicted for the presence of significant difference of breeding method on sex ratio of calves born. From this it was concluded that breeding method has a significant effect on sex ratio of calves born in which number of male calves were higher in animals inseminated artificial and vice versa. Modern dairy reproductive technologies which enables to get more number of female calves has to be look into consideration to increase number of female animals for dairy producers in addition to providing efficient artificial insemination service in the country.

Keywords: Calf sex ratio, Breeding method, Adami Tulu

DOI: 10.7176/JBAH/9-1-01