Author(s):

SS Parikh, TK Patbandha, BD Savaliya, RB Makwana, RJ Raval and PS Kapadiya

Abstract: The present study was designed to associate the behavioral signs of estrus and properties of cervical mucus with fertility in Gir cows. Cardinal signs of estrous, cervical mucus properties and gynaecological observations were recorded in forty seven estruses. Estrous was detected by visual observations and rectal palpation, and were inseminated using good quality frozen semen by trained inseminator. Pregnancy diagnosis was performed on 60^th day post-insemination. Majority of cows exhibited various cardinal signs of estrous (standing to be mounted, mounting to herdmates, chin resting, sniffing/licking of vulva, tail raising, navel twitching, micturition, ear play and restlessness/ aggressiveness) with moderate intensity (65.91-87.23%). Cervical mucus properties like quantity of mucus discharge was less in majority of estruses (48.94%) and 51.06% estruses had thin consistency of mucus. However, 51.06% estruses had cloudy appearance of mucus and 48.94% had spinnbarkeit value of 8-16cm. About 46.81% estruses had arborisation pattern either typical or atypical. Conception rate increased with increase in intensity of ear play activity (c2=7.27, df=2, P=0.02). Estrous cows with clear appearance of mucus (c2=3.81, df=1, P=0.05), higher spinnbarkeit value (c2=6.24, df=2, P=0.04) and typical arborization pattern (c2=8.13, df=2, P=0.01) had higher conception rate. The results indicated that estrus cows having more ear play activity as well as clear mucus, higher spinnbarkeit value and typical fern pattern has higher conception rate.

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