Breeding seasonality of damascus goats under egyptian conditions [electronic resource].

Includes reference

This study was carried out on a Damascus goats flock raised under Egyptian conditions in El-Rahib farm which belonging to Animal Production Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Menoufia University, Shebin El-Kom, Egypt. The study in Damascus goats started from August 201 O to June 2014 to determine breeding seasonality through analyzing serum progesterone concentration and recording behavioral observations. The overall means of estrous cycle (EC) length was 20.43 ± 2.54 days and ranged from 13 to 26 days. The effect of body weight and parities on EC were significant (p<O. 05), while season and year of mating didn't had any significant effect on estrous cycle. Sixty-one percentages, 22 and 17 % of total estrous occurred in autumn, summer and winter, respectively. Mating season affected serum progesterone level of does (p<0.01). Mean ± SO of serum progesterone concentrations was higher in autumn than in spring (3.35 ± 1. 70 nglml vs. 20 ±0.20nglml). A total number of 45 estrous occurred in does during breeding season were detected using serum progesterone analysis. Teaser buck detected only about 80% of estrous activities observed by analyzing serum progesterone concentrations. Finally, it can be concluded that the breeding seasons in Damascus goats under Egyptian extensive production system were concentrated in summer, autumn and winter while it doesn't appear in spring months.

Summary in arabic.

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