PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS ON GESTATION LENGTH, AGE AT FIRST CALVING AND BIRTH WEIGHT OF MUTURU CATTLE

Abstract

The gestation length, age at first calving and birth weight of muturu cattle were studied in a small herd of Muturu hiefers maintained at the Research Farm. The animals were grazed twice daily from 0830hr to 1200 hr and 1430 hr to 1800 hr either in open natural grassland mixture of guinea grass (Panicum maximum) and giant star grass. (Cynodon dactylon). During the dry season, all animals received nutritional  supplementation consisting of a mixture of brewer’s spent grain and palm kernel cake in a ratio of 3:1. When the heifers were between the age of 16 and 18 months, a mature, fertile Muturu bull was introduced into the herd and the mating activity of the animals was closely monitored daily. No attempt was made to limit the number of services which a heifer on heat received from the bull. Results showed that gestation length average 280.0 ± 2.34 days, mean age of first calving was 29.39 ± 1.5 months and mean birth weight was 11.3 ± 0.68 kg. There were no significant differences (P > 0.05) in the gestation length and birth weight of  male and female calves.