Modern concept in optimizing reproductive efficiency of seasonal breeders

Abstract

The control and manipulation of reproduction is the subject of scientific interest for many years. High level of reproductive performance can be achieved under optimum managemental conditions because reproduction is directly affected by various managemental factors. Manipulation of these factors causes changes in reproductive performance. Seasonal breeders are animals that successfully mate during certain times of the year. These times of year allow for births with an optimum condition for the survival of the young. Seasonal breeders like sheep and goat are convenient domestic species for biological investigation and application because these species have diversified products of commercial value. To maximize the production potential of seasonal breeders it is essential to increase the reproductive rate. There are number of factors that affect reproductive efficiency such as climate, stress factors other than heat stress, social environment, nutrition, disease, population density, gonadotropins, photoperiod. Globalised research has generated number of important technological reproductive methods that can be applied to increase the reproductive efficiency of seasonal breeders. Most of the recent developments in optimizing reproductive efficiency are expensive but improve reproductive performance.