Use of the male effect associated with different durations of mating season in goats in the semiarid of Pernambuco / Uso do efeito macho associado a diferentes durações de estação de monta em caprinos no semiárido pernambucano

ABSTRACT

Background: The goat rearing is practiced mainly in the Northeast region with semiarid climate, since climate conditionsand vegetation are extremely favorable to the species, but it has low productivity due to the low level of technology employed. Management alternatives aimed at maximizing productivity at low cost are essential tools for the reversal of thisframework. Aiming to focus the onset of estrus for females at low cost is common to use the male effect with the breedingseason, representing a practical, inexpensive and efficient methodology for the producer Thus, this study is to evaluate theeffect of different durations of mating season associated with the male effect on reproductive performance of multiparousAlpine goats during the dry and rainy seasons.Materials, Methods & Results: The survey was conducted in the municipality of Serra Talhada-PE from October 2011 toMay 2013. A total of 160 multiparous females aged between 22 and 74 months and four breeders aged between 24 and 38months were used. In the first step, we tested the mating season durations 25 (MS-25) and 45 days (MS-45). In the secondstep, the mating seasons were 25 (MS-25) and 15 days (MS-15) in different climate periods, each experimental groupconsisting of 20 females and one breeder that has been away from females for 15 days before starting the season in orderto stimulate the male effect and thus synchronizing the estrus. The lots were observed at 600 and 1600 pm by qualifiedpersonnel to identify the mated females and after 45 days of the last mating, an ultrasound examination was performed todetect the matrices that had positive pregnancy, assessing the data by the Chi-square test at 5% significance. The estrusresults obtained during the first stage of...