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Influence Of Temperature-Humidity Index, Calf Sex, And Parity On Gestation Length In Holstein Cows, Lazoumi Ouarfli, Abdelmadjid Chehma

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

The present study aimed to analyse the gestation length (GL) variability in locally born purebred Holstein dams (n = 1047), in a private farm, under Saharan climate. The overall GL mean was 278.73 ± 6.67 days. A general linear model revealed that the GL was significantly affected by calf sex (p = 0.035) with a minor increase of 0.19% in males, dam parity (p = 0.016) and calving season (p < 0.0001) including the shortest lengths recorded in heifers and during heat stress period. Moreover, a negative regression (-1.96%) in recent years was recorded in GL by the influence (p = 0.01) of years of birth, breeding, and calving of cows. Our findings show that cows that were inseminated and gave birth during the cold season (temperature-humidity index, THI < 74) had 11.54 days longer (p = 0.048) gestation period compared to animals that were inseminated and gave birth during the hot season (THI > 84). Similarly, the association (p = 0.003) between dam parity and calf sex revealed that the GL of multiparous cows that gave birth to male calves was higher (3.07 days) …