MARDI Res.Bull., (1985)13,2: (141-147)

REPRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE OF IN MALAYSIA

K. MUSADDIN*, O. MOHAMAD ARIEF* andA. MOHD. YUSOFF**

Keywords: Age at first calving, Gestation length, Calving interval, Calving percentage, American Brahman. Malavsia.

RINGKASAN

Kertas kerja ini membentangkankeputusan penilaian prestasipembiakan lembu-lembu betina Brahman Amerika iaitu l4 ekor yang diimport dan 2l ekor yang dilahirkan di Malaysia. Lembu-lembu ini telah dipelihara di ladang Institut Penyelidikan dan Kemajuan Pertanian Malaysia (MARDI) di Serdang sejak Ogos 1972 dan telah dipindahkan ke Kluang pada bulan Ogos 1976. Kematian lembu betina dewasa ialah sebanyak 0.27Vo dan peratus kesusahan beranak didapati rendah. Keguguran, kematian anak lembu sebelum dan selepas dilahirkan ialah 25.2 peratus. Kebanyakan daripada 'weak kematian ini disebabkanoleh serangananjing liar dan calf syndrome'. Purata kelahirandan jarak antara kefahiran di dalam tempoh kajian ini ialah masing-masing63.2Vodan 545.2 hari. Lembu yang diimport beranak kali pertama pada umur yang lebih muda (P<0.001) dibandingkandengan lembu yang 'l'empoh dilahirkan di Malaysia,iaitu masing-masing30.8 dan 52.0 bulan. kebuntinganlembu Brahman ialah 290.7 hari. Pada keseluruhannya,prestasi pembiakan lembu Brahman di Malaysiaadalah kurang memuaskan jika dibandingkan dengan lembu Brahman di Amerika Syarikat dan lembu tempatan Kedah-Kelantan.

INTRODUCTION Hereford, Santa Gertrudis and Shorthorn by government agencies and commercial The cattle production in Malaysia farms. has long been recognized as an important The Malaysian Agricultural Research industry in supplying animal protein and to and Development Institute (MARDI) a lesserextent draught animals. However, imported a herd of Brahman cattle from their contribution towards the national Florida and Louisiana in south-eastern supply of beef has not exceeded 60Vo due to United States in 19'/2. The purpose of this low productivity and increasing beef importation was to evaluatethe adaptability demand. Slow growth rate of the local of Brahman cattle in terms of growth and Kedah-Kelantancattle, poor husbandryand reproduction under the Malaysian environ- low quality feedstuffs provided by small- ment. The decision to evaluate the holders who raise more than 90%o of the American Brahman cattle in Malaysia was in the country are some of the based on the fact that it is a tropically factors that have contributed to their low adapted Bos indicus () type breed. It productivity. has a good thermoregulatory mechanism involving white coat, thick, muscular and One way of improving and accelera- vascularhide, smooth hair, large developed ting the beef cattle production is by import- and pendulous umbilical folds. These ing exotic cattle as' complementary beef factors are associatedwith heat tolerance, breeds that can adapt to the local environ- hardinessand capacityto thrive under warm ment and at the sametime increasethe local climatic condition (CanrwntcHr, 1955; beef production. This policy of the 1970shas BRoDY, 1956;BoNsvn, 1967). resulted in the importation of various beef breeds such as Aberdeen Angus, Bali, The objective of this paper is to , Charolois, , present results on the evaluation of the

*Livestock ResearchDivision, MARDI, Kluang, Johore, West Malaysia. **Livestock ResearchDivision, MARDI, Alor Star, Kedah. West Malaysia

r41 reproductive performance of imported and Cows were culled for unsoundness, locally born American Brahman cows under repeatedreproductive failure or failure to Malaysian conditions. raisea calf. Culling pressurewas light due to scarcityof replacementheifers. MATERIALS AND METHODS RESULTS AND DISCUSSION The research was conducted at ttre MARDI Station, Serdang from August Cow Mortality 1972, when the animals first arrived, till August 1976. The Brahman herd was later The analysis of the calving and breed- moved to MARDI Station, Kluang in ing records is summarized in Table 1. The August, 1976. This analysis was based on mean cow mortality rate of this herd from breeding and calving records of 14 imported 1972to 1983was found to be 0.27 per cent. and 21 locally born Brahman cows from This was rather low considering the fact that 1972 to 1983. American Brahman is an exotic breed in Malaysia. The low mortality rate indicates The handling and general manage- their ability to adapt to the local environ- ment practices of the American Brahman ment. The death of these cows was due to cows at both stations were quite similar. In either suspected poisoning, snake bite or Serdang they were maintained on fertilized sickness. improved pastures consisting of. Brachiaria sp., Panicum maximum and Setaria species. Only one case of dystocia was Concentrate supplements were fed to these recorded during the duration of this study animals during periods of low feed supply and both the dam and calf survived.The low and they had free access to mineral salt incidenceof dystocia confirms earlier work blocks. on American Brahman cattle as reported by WyrHe (1970) in Texas, USA. The Brahman cows were allowed free- grazing on Setaria sp., Panicum maximum Calf Mortality and Cynodon plectostacftyus pasture in the Kluang Station. Cattle pellet supplements A total of 127 calves were born over containing about 10.IVo crude protein were the 1l-year period (Table 1). Of these given to the cows at a rate of l.IVo of their calvings, seven cases of prenatal and 25 body weight during the breeding seasonand post-natal deaths were recorded. The calf during periods of poor pasture condition. mortality or death lossesof 25.2Voover the Ticks were controlled monthly by running 11-year period or an average of 2.3Vo lyr was them through a dipping vat containing higher than those of 4.}Vo (Pnecocx, acricide solution. Kocrn, Krnr, Hooces and WeRNrcK, 1971) and 9.27o (Pr.ecocr, Krnr, Kocan, The Brahman cows were bred CeRpsNreR and Cnocxerr, 1977) reported naturally. At the SerdangStation, cows that from studies conducted in Florida, USA. showed signs of oestrus were served by bulls The comparatively high average death loss picked at random. However, at the Kluang of locally born calves might have been due Station, cows were bred in two 100-day to poor calf management in terms of post- breeding seasonsannually by selectedsires natal health and nutrition. which had good body conformation and temperament. The purpose of the limited Prenatal death losses were based on breeding season was to produce uniform observed abortion and stillbirths. Two cases calves in batches for easier handling and of abortion and five stillbirths were management.Calves were weaned at about recorded in this study. Post-natal deaths six months of age. which accounted for 78.lVo of the calf

142 mortality were due to dog and snake bites, Ohr+F-N weak calf syndrome, poor mothering ability N - and deformity. Dog bite and weak calf syndrome caused more than 507o of the post-natal deaths. The incidence of weak ao cn oo € A crr 3 calf syndrome was in @\c+ agreement with the findings of FRnure, CoN,rss,BuRus and ao t- TuercHeR (1975). N O\6r.- @ tv:,. ar Age at First Calving

The age at first calving € NN of imported Srrl and locally born heifers ranged from 27.2 to 35.9months and 36.0to 78.3months respec- tively. It was also observed that all the oc imported heifers calved within three years L o\h of age while 31.6Vo and 63.2o/cof locally born heifersfirst calved between the agesof I r 5ro two and three, and four and five years Oh respectively.Plnsse, Kocen and WRRNrcrc (1968a) reported that the incidence of first () calvingbetween two and three,and four and ca 6 r roN C 6 6 five years of age was 86.8% and 13.2% respectively, from a studv conducted in Florida involvingnearly 4 000 heifers. r \ccrN F- t- a The average age of first calving of imported and locally born heiferswas 30.ti and 52.0 months respectively(Table 2). The () r dN ttl difference which was highly ' $ significant C) ! (P<0.001), might have been due to slow fi growtb rate and late puberty of locally born ' r heifers. ttl€ Table 2. The reproductive performance of

(.) G the American Brahman cows in MARDI r tv 6\O$ (1e73-1983)

h Brahman cows O Parameter r Imported Locallv born \TN o Age at first calving C) (months) 30.rJ -52.0 l- Gestation length (days) 2{i9.5 293.4 J Calving interval (days) 5-ru..l 558.7 q) Calving percentage(%) a 59.rJ 65.9 t- o

EqL= Size (weight) of heifers is the mosr o yq=x'= O F=! important factor governing the age of a:: ! E aa6av )>)>4. puberty(ScHurrz, 1969).Wrr_reaNr (1962) ddJd& l& found a correlation of -0.77 between post-

143 in somecows resulting in weaning weight gain and age at puberty. ceptiontook place -0.46 gestation length than There was also a correlation of a shorter calculated (b) may havetaken place between 205-dayweaning weight and age at actual, conception the last recorded puberty (Plnsse, WeRNIcr and Kocen' one or more cycles after in a longer calcu- 1968b).Heavier weaning weight and higher breeding date. resulting actual gestation post-weaning gain shorten the age at lated gestationlength than found at the day of puberty. With underfeedingand poor condi- and (c) the calf was not increasein the calcu- tion, puberty is delayed until size is birth, causinga slight attained. Thus, in this context. factors lated gestationlength' affecting weaning weight and post-weaning gain such as nutrition, management' Calving Interval environment and geneticcomposition might have delayed the age at first calving of The calvinginterval includes the gesta- locally born Brahman heifers' These factors tion lengthand the intervalbetween parturl- might have also affected the imported tion and conception' Ninety-twtl calving heifers but in a more subtle manner since intervals were obtained from the herd' they were brought to Malaysia as yearling However. only 77 calving intervals were heifers. consideredfor statisticalanalysis for the remaining l5 intervalswere from cows that ()r tw() calving Gestation Length had lessthan threc calvings intervals. The gestation length of the American intervalsresulting Brahman cows ranged between 279.4 days If all long calving in tlne or morc and 305.2 days and averaged290.7 days from a cow'sfailure ttl calve included. the The data also showed that imported cows consecutive years were which ranged had an averagegestation length of 289'-5 average calving interval dayswas -54-5.2days dayscompared with 293.4days of the localll between302 and I 166 of 173.6days. If born cows. PussP, WnRllcx, REEsEand with a standarddeviatitln were con- KocEn (1968c)reported that the average only consecutivecalving intervals was 4'16.2 gestationlength of Brahmanwas 292.8days sidered.the mean for 42 calvings and 653 days. and ranged between 271 and 310 days from daysand rangedbetween 30-5 in this study research conducted in Southern Florida 1'he averagecalving interval reportedby Other Br.r.sindicus (Zebu\ breeds which was longer than the 414.6days (1968a) rcsearchcon- contributed towards the formation of the Plnsse et al. frclm calving American Brahman breed such as Nellore. ducted in Florida involving 2 924 ifers whict; Gir and Guzerat showed an average gesta- intervals where cows and he about tion lengthof about 292 days(Bnlouer and failed to have a detectableprcgnancy breeding De Asneu, 1949;HnlNEs, 1961). However' two months after the end of the a the American Brahman cows showed a seasonwere culled. In NorthernAustralia. was longergestation length when comparedwith herd of high grade Brahman cattle the 282 days of the local Zebu Kedah- reported to have an even shorter averagc (Lnvorl>. Kelantan cattle (LPe, DevENrlne and calvinginterval of onlv 37-5days had Muruee:eE, 1978). 1973).The localKedah-Kelantan cattle il comparativel; shorter averagc calring was In this study, errors might have been interval than the Brahmans which (Drveltrnn, involvedin determiningthe gestationlength reportedto average45 l.l days Lt'z and of the American Brahman which was based MoHo. NontttN. Hot>c;E, on once a day observationof oestrusunder PnrHIvtRsll-cu,tHl, 1973). field conditions.These errors might have onlY been due to the following sources: (a) It was further observed that present oestrus mav have been observed after con- 13.(la/cof the calvingintervals in the

r44 study were shorter than 366 days and 22.1Vo from 12.57cin 1981to 81.5% in 1977. The shorter than 401 days compared with the low percentagein 1981was observedunder 477o and 647o respectively,given by Plnsse a manipulatedsituation where a trial was et al. (7968a). The longer calving interval conductedto study the effect of nutrition on indicated that a majority (87.0%) of the calvingpercentage. The trial wascarried out Brahman cows were unable to calve once a as poor nutritional level was thought to be year and thus, reflecting therr poor total one of the reasons for the poor calving productivity under the Malaysian percentagesin 1978 and 1979. Two treat- conditions. ment groupswere used, l.e. with and with- out cattlepellet supplementation which con- The averageof the first eight calving tainedhigh levelsof protein and energy.All intervals inclusive of non-consecutive animals were injected with Prostaglandin calvings were found to be 503.2, 509.3, F2 to synchronize their oestrous cycles. 532.5,611.5.680.5. 455.6,450.2 and 386.0 This synchronization or manipulation days respectively. Flowever. the average resulted in a disruption of the cow's normal 'the calving intervals for consecutive calvings reproductive cycle and thus reduces were not analyzedas 54.5Voof the calvings calvingpercentage in that year. occurred alter one or more consecutive years. Transportational stress experienced However, based on calving in the by theseanimals when they were transferred following year, no significant differencesin from Serdangto Kluang could have resulted calving percentagewere observed between in the long calving intervals in the fourth supplementedand non-supplementedcows and fifth calvings.It was further discovered (MoHo. Yusorr', l98l). Thus. other factors that someof the bulls failed to mount open such as animal managementand choice of cows during the breeding season at about sires might have contributed to the poor the sameperiod of time. calving percentagesas Mt)tt.cN4er)ARIEF (1978) had reported that two of the When the Brahman cows were con- imported bulls failedto m()untopen cor,lsin sidered individually, their averagecalving their respectivebreeding gr()ups. interval was 558.4 days and ranged between Analysis of the calving data further 465.3and 715.7days. Further analysisof the showedthat the averagecalving percentage intervals showed that the average calving of imported and locallyborn Brahmancows interval of imported and Iocally born cows of 59.8Vo and 65.9cicrespectively, did not was 538.4and 558.7days respectively (Table differ significantly.Transportational stress 2). The difference between the calving during the relocationof importedcows from intervals was statistically insignificant Serdang to Kluang and the use of low- (P>0.05). Lower averagecalving interval of fertility bulls in 1976and l97tl respectively. the'imported cows was due to the fact that could have resulted in the lower averase most had reached their seventh calving calvingpercentage. compared with locally born cows which had only reachedtheir fourth calving during the analysis. Older age and higher parity CONCLUSION number of the impgrted cows are two of the reasonsfor the shorter calvins intervals. Based on this study, it was observed that the American Brahman cattle can be Calving Percentage raised successfullyin the hot and humid Malaysian environment. However, good The calving percentage of the management practices such as proper American Brahman cows which was calcu- disease and parasite control, adequate lated by dividing the number of cows calved shelter,improved breedingprogramme and by the number of cows bred in a year ranged adeouatenutrition which meet the nutrient

145 requirements for growth, maintenance and Brahman cattle were raised as purebred reproduction, should'be observed. cattle in the smallholder'senvironment becauseof inadequatesupply of highquality The small original herd of 14 imported feed and low level of management.Thus, cows coupled with problems associatedwith unlessbetter feed quality and management late sexual maturity and long calving can be provided,it is very unlikelythat the interval have decelerated the herd size American Brahman cattle will make an expansion of the American Brahman cattle impact towardsincreasing beef cattle pro- in this study. The problems of late sexual ductionin Malaysia. maturity and long calving interval could partially be remedied if optimum level of nutrition and proper breeding management ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS were given. The use of proven bulls coulc partially reduce the long calving interval. The authorswish to thank Mr. Abdul The low reproductive performance of the Rahim Hussinfor compilingthe data, Mr. Brahman cattle can be improved by.crossing ShamsulkamalSafar for his assistancein the the Brahman bulls with the native cows such field,Dr. DahlanIsmail and Mr. Md. Nor as the Kedah-Kelantan cattle. By capitali- Hamid for their veterinaryservices, Mr. sing on hybrid vigour for reproductive per- Chiew Key Szu for analyzingthe data and formance in F1 crosses,improvement in this Ms. KunaeswaryThambirajah for typing important economic trait can be expected. the manuscript.

Under the Present condition, problems may arise if the American

ABSTRACT

This paper reported the evaluationofthe reproductiveperformance of l4 imported and 2l locally born American Brahman cows. These animalswere reared at the MalaysianAgricultural Researchand Development Institute's (MARDI) farm at Serdang since August 1972 but were later transferred to Kluang in August 1976. Cow mortality was observed to be 0.2'77oand the incidence of dystocia was low. Death loss due to pre- and post-natal death was about 25.2 per cent. Most of these deaths were due to dog bite and weak calf syndrome. The average calving percentage and calving interval of these cows during the duration of the study was 63.2Vo and 545.2 days respectively. Imported cows calved at a younger age (P<0.001) than those born locally, 30.8 and 52.0 months respectively. The gestation length of the Brahman was 290.7 days. In general, the reproductive performance of the American Brahman in Malaysia was lower than those in the USA and the local Kedah-Kelantan cattle.

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Acceptedfor publication on 3rd July, 1985 r47