Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-rdxmf Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-26T06:03:19.293Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Environmental and social cues can be used in combination to develop sustainable breeding techniques for goat reproduction in the subtropics

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 July 2010

J. A. Delgadillo
J. A. Delgadillo*
Affiliation:
Centro de Investigación en Reproducción Caprina, Departamento de Ciencias Médico Veterinarias, Universidad Autónoma Agraria Antonio Narro, Periférico Raúl López Sánchez y Carretera a Santa Fe, C.P. 27054, Torreón, Coahuila, Mexico
*
†E-mail: [email protected]
Get access

Abstract

Goat breeds from subtropical latitudes show different annual reproductive cycles. Some of them display large seasonal variations in their annual breeding season, while others display a moderate seasonality or sexual activity all year round. This reproductive seasonality causes seasonality of milk, cheese and meat productions and, as a consequence, induces wide variation in producer incomes. To solve this problem and provide methods allowing producers to breed animals during the anestrous period and stabilize production all year round, it is necessary to have a deep knowledge of their annual sexual activity and to identify the environmental factors controlling the timing of the annual reproductive cycle. Then, it is possible to build on these knowledge sustainable breeding techniques adapted to the environmental, economic and social characteristics of the local breeding system. In this review, I will illustrate this strategy through the example of our experiments in subtropical goats. First, we determined the characteristics of the annual breeding season in both male and female goats. Second, we identified the photoperiod as the major environmental factor controlling the timing of this annual breeding season. Third, we used the photoperiod to stimulate indirectly the sexual behavior of does. Indeed, we used photoperiodic treatments to stimulate the sexual activity of bucks during the non-breeding season. These sexually active male goats were then used to induce and synchronize the estrous behavior and ovulatory activity of anestrous females in confined or grazing conditions by using the ‘male effect’. Under subtropical conditions, these results constitute an original manner to control the reproductive activity of local goats using the photoperiod combined with the ‘male effect.’

Keywords

caprinereproductive seasonalityphotoperiodmelatoninmale effect
Type
Full Paper
Information
animal , Volume 5 , Issue 1 , January 2011 , pp. 74 - 81
Copyright
Copyright © The Animal Consortium 2010

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Aboul-Naga, AM, Aboul-Ela, MB, Hassan, F 1992. Manipulation of reproductive activity in subtropical sheep. Small Ruminant Research 7, 151–160.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Amoah, EA, Gelaye, S, Guthrie, P, Rexroad, CE Jr 1996. Breeding season and aspects of reproduction of female goats. Journal of Animal Science 74, 723–728.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bedos, M, Flores, JA, Fitz-Rodríguez, G, Keller, M, Malpaux, B, Poindron, P, Delgadillo, JA 2010. Four hours of daily contact with sexually active males is sufficient to induce fertile ovulation in anestrous goats. Hormones and Behavior, doi:10.1016/j.yhbeh.2010.05.002 (accepted for publication).CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Chang-yong, C, Jung-Gon, K, Sang-Rae, C, Dong-Soo, S, Young-Keun, K, Balasubramanian, S, Sang-Yong, C, Gyu-Jin, R 2006. Influence of season, extenders, slow and rapid freezing on seminal characters in Korean native bucks. Reproduction in Domestic Animals 41, 55–60.Google Scholar
Chemineau, P, Normant, E, Ravault, JP, Thimonier, J 1986. Induction and persistence of pituitary and ovarian activity in the out-of-season lactating dairy goats after a treatment combining a skeleton photoperiod, melatonin and the male effect. Journal of Reproduction and Fertility 78, 497–504.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Chemineau, P, Daveau, A, Maurice, F, Delgadillo, JA 1992. Seasonality of estrus and ovulation is not modified by subjecting female Alpine goats to a tropical photoperiod. Small Ruminant Research 8, 299–312.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chemineau, P, Malpaux, B, Brillard, JP, Fostier, A 2007. Seasonality of reproduction and production in farm fishes, birds and mammals. Animal 1, 419–432.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Chemineau, P, Pellicer-Rubio, MT, Lassoued, N, Khaldi, G, Monniaux, D 2006. Male-induced short oestrous and ovarian cycles in sheep and goats: a working hypothesis. Reproduction, Nutrition and Development 46, 417–429.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Delgadillo, JA, Chemineau, P 1992. Abolition of seasonal release of luteinizing hormone and testosterone in Alpine male goats (Capra hircus) by short photoperiodic cycles. Journal of Reproduction and Fertility 94, 45–55.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Delgadillo, JA, Canedo, GA, Chemineau, P, Guillaume, D, Malpaux, B 1999. Evidence for an annual reproductive rhythm independent of food availability in male Creole goats in subtropical northern Mexico. Theriogenology 52, 727–737.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Delgadillo, JA, Cortez, ME, Duarte, G, Chemineau, P, Malpaux, B 2004. Evidence that the photoperiod controls the annual changes in testosterone secretion, testicular and body weight in subtropical male goats. Reproduction, Nutrition and Development 44, 183–193.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Delgadillo, JA, Gelez, H, Ungerfeld, R, Hawken, PAR, Martin, GB 2009. The “male effect” in sheep and goats: revisiting the dogmas. Behavioural Brain Research 200, 304–314.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Delgadillo, JA, Carrillo, E, Morán, J, Duarte, G, Chemineau, P, Malpaux, B 2001. Induction of sexual activity of male creole goats in subtropical northern Mexico using long days and melatonin. Journal of Animal Science 79, 2245–2252.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Delgadillo, JA, Flores, JA, Véliz, FG, Duarte, G, Vielma, J, Hernandez, H, Fernandez, IG 2006. Importance of the signals provided by the buck for the success of the male effect in goats. Reproduction, Nutrition and Development 44, 391–400.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Delgadillo, JA, Flores, JA, Véliz, FG, Hernández, HF, Duarte, G, Vielma, J, Poindron, P, Chemineau, P, Malpaux, B 2002. Induction of sexual activity of lactating anovulatory female goats using male goats treated only with artificial long days. Journal of Animal Science 80, 2780–2786.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
De Santiago-Miramontes, MA, Malpaux, B, Delgadillo, JA 2009. Body condition is associated with a shorter breeding season and reduced ovulation rate in subtropical goats. Animal Reproduction Science 114, 175–182.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
De Santiago-Miramontes, MA, Rivas-Muñoz, R, Muñoz-Gutiérrez, M, Malpaux, B, Scaramuzzi, RJ, Delgadillo, JA 2008. The ovulation rate in anoestrous female goats managed under grazing conditions and exposed to the male effect is increased by nutritional supplementation. Animal Reproduction Science 105, 409–416.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Donovan, A, Boland, MP, Roche, JF, O’Callaghan, D 1994. The effect of supplementary long days, a subcutaneous melatonin implant and exposure to a ram on the onset of the breeding season in ewes. Animal Reproduction Science 34, 231–240.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Duarte, G, Flores, JA, Malpaux, B, Delgadillo, JA 2008. Reproductive seasonality in female goats adapted to a subtropical environment persists independently of food availability. Domestic Animal Endocrinology 35, 362–370.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Duarte, G, Nava-Hernández, MP, Malpaux, B, Delgadillo, JA 2010. Ovulatory activity of female goats adapted to the subtropics is responsive to photoperiod. Animal Reproduction Science 120, 65–70.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fitz-Rodríguez, G, De Santiago-Miramontes, MA, Scaramuzzi, RJ, Malpaux, B, Delgadillo, JA 2009. Nutritional supplementation improves ovulation and pregnancy rates in female goats managed under natural grazing conditions and exposed to the male effect. Animal Reproduction Science 116, 85–94.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Flores, JA, Véliz, FG, Pérez-Villanueva, JA, Martínez de la Escalera, G, Chemineau, P, Poindron, P, Malpaux, B, Delgadillo, JA 2000. Male reproductive condition is the limiting factor of efficiency in the male effect during seasonal anestrus in female goats. Biology of Reproduction 62, 1409–1414.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Forcada, F, Abecia, JA 2006. The effect of nutrition on the seasonality of reproduction in ewes. Reproduction, Nutrition and Development 46, 355–365.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gebbie, FE, Forsyth, IA, Arendt, J 1999. Effects of maintaining solstice light and temperature on reproductive activity, coat growth, plasma prolactin and melatonin in goats. Journal of Reproduction and Fertility 116, 25–33.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Greyling, JPC 2000. Reproduction traits in Boer goat doe. Small Ruminant Research 36, 171–177.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hanif, M, Williams, HL 1991. The effect of melatonin and light treatment on the reproductive performance of yearling Suffolk rams. British Veterinary Journal 147, 49–56.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Henniawati, , Restall, BJ, Scaramuzzi, RJ 1995. Effect of season on LH secretion in ovariectomized Australian cashmere does. Journal of Reproduction and Fertility 103, 349–356.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Karsch, FJ, Bittman, EL, Foster, DL, Goodman, RL, Legan, SJ, Robinson, JE 1984. Neuroendocrine basis of seasonal reproduction. Recent Progress in Hormone Research 40, 185–232.Google ScholarPubMed
Lincoln, GA, Short, RV 1980. Seasonal breeding: nature’s contraceptive. Recent Progress in Hormone Research 36, 1–52.Google ScholarPubMed
Malpaux, B, Migaud, M, Tricoire, H, Chemineau, P 2001. Biology of mammalian photoperiodism and the critical role of the pineal gland and melatonin. Journal of Biological Rhythms 16, 336–347.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
McNeilly, AS 1994. Suckling and control of gonadotrophin secretion. In The physiology of reproduction (ed. E Knobil and JD Neill), pp. 1179–1212. Raven Press Ltd, New York, USA.Google Scholar
Mohammad, WA, Grossman, M, Vatthauer, JL 1984. Seasonal breeding in the United States dairy goats. Journal of Dairy Science 67, 1813–1822.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Morello, H, Alvarez, H, Medina, V, Bogado, M, Quintana, M, Venturino, A, Aisen, E 2004. Artificial photoperiodic cycles for semen collection from male Angora goats during the non-breeding season. Reproduction Fertility and Development 16, 503–526.Google Scholar
Murata, K, Wakabayashi, Y, Kitago, M, Ohara, H, Watanabe, H, Tamogami, S, Warita, Y, Yamagishi, K, Ichikawa, M, Takeuchi, Y, Okamura, H, Mori, Y 2009. Modulation of gonadotrophin-releasing hormone pulse generator activity by the pheromone in small ruminants. Journal of Neuroendocrinology 21, 346–350.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Pellicer-Rubio, MT, Leboeuf, B, Bernelas, D, Forgerit, Y, Pougnard, JL, Bonné, JL, Senty, E, Chemineau, P 2007. Highly synchronous and fertile reproductive activity induced by the male effect during deep anoestrus in lactating goats subjected to treatment with artificially long days followed by natural photoperiod. Animal Reproduction Science 98, 241–258.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Pérez-Clariget, R, Forsberg, M, Rodríguez-Martínez, H 1998. Seasonal variation in live weight, testes size, testosterone, LH secretion, melatonin and thyroxine in Merino and Corriedale rams in a subtropical climate. Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica 39, 35–47.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Peters, AR, Lamming, GE 1990. Lactational anoestrus in farm animals. Oxford Reviews of Reproductive Biology 12, 245–288.Google ScholarPubMed
Poulton, AL, Robinson, TJ 1987. The response of rams and ewes of three breeds to artificial photoperiod. Journal of Reproduction and Fertility 79, 609–626.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ramadan, TA, Taha, TA, Samak, MA, Hassan, A 2009. Effectiveness of exposure to longday followed by melatonin treatment on semen characteristics of Damascus male goats during breeding and non-breeding seasons. Theriogenology 71, 458–468.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ramírez, RG, Loyo, A, Mora, R, Sanchez, EM, Chaire, A 1991. Forage intake and nutrition of range goats in a shrubland in northeastern Mexico. Journal of Animal Science 69, 879–885.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Restall, BJ 1992. Seasonal variation in reproductive activity in Australian goats. Animal Reproduction Science 27, 305–318.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ritar, AJ 1991. Seasonal changes in LH, androgens and testes in the male Angora goat. Theriogenology 36, 959–972.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rivas-Muñoz, R, Fitz-Rodríguez, G, Poindron, P, Malpaux, B, Delgadillo, JA 2007. Stimulation of estrous behavior in grazing female goats by continuous or discontinuous exposure to males. Journal of Animal Science 85, 1257–1263.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Rivera, GM, Alanis, GA, Chaves, MA, Ferrero, SB, Morello, HH 2003. Seasonality of estrus and ovulation in Creole goats of Argentina. Small Ruminant Research 48, 109–117.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Robinson, JE, Karsch, FJ 1987. Photoperiodic history and a changing melatonin pattern can determine the neuroendocrine response of the ewe to daylength. Journal of Reproduction and Fertility 80, 159–165.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Santa Maria, A, Cox, J, Muñoz, E, Rodríguez, R, Caldera, L 1990. Estudio del ciclo sexual, estacionalidad reproductiva y control del estro en la cabra Criolla en Chile. Final Research Co-ordination Meeting’. FAO, Bogotá, Colombia, 19–23 September 1988, pp. 363–385. International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, Austria.Google Scholar
Sáenz-Escárcega, P, Hoyos, FG, Salinas, GH, Espinoza, AJ, Guerrero, BA, Contreras, GE 1991. Establecimiento de módulos caprinos con productores cooperantes. In Evaluación de Módulos Caprinos en la Comarca Lagunera (ed. S Flores), pp. 24–34. Matamoros, Coahuila, México.Google Scholar
Sweeney, T, Donovan, A, Roche, JF, O’Callaghan, D 1997. Variation in the ability of a long day followed by a short day photoperiod signal to initiate reproductive activity in ewes at different times of the year. Journal of Reproduction and Fertility 109, 121–127.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Vielma, J, Chemineau, P, Poindron, P, Malpaux, B, Delgadillo, JA 2009. Male sexual behavior contributes to the maintenance of high LH pulsatility in anestrous female goats. Hormones and Behavior 56, 444–449.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Walkden-Brown, SW, Restall, BJ 1996. Environmental and social factors affecting reproduction. In 6th International Conference on Goats (ed. PJ Host), vol. 2, pp. 762–775. International Academic Publishers, Beijing, China.Google Scholar
Walkden-Brown, SW, Bocquier, F 2000. Nutritional regulation of reproduction in goats. In 7th International Conference on Goats (ed. L Gruner and Y Chebert), vol. 1, pp. 389–395. Institut de l’elevage and INRA, Paris, France.Google Scholar
Walkden-Brown, SW, Restall, BJ, Norton, BW, Scaramuzzi, RJ, Martin, GB 1994. Effect of nutrition on seasonal patterns of LH, FSH and testosterone concentration, testicular mass, sebaceous gland volume and odour in Australian cashmere goats. Journal of Reproduction and Fertility 102, 351–360.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Zamiri, MJ, Heidari, AH 2006. Reproductive characteristics of Rayani male goats of Kerman province in Iran. Animal Reproduction Science 96, 176–185.CrossRefGoogle Scholar