Vol. 12, Issue 3 (2023)

Author(s):
K Ananda Rao, A Teja, M Ravi Kumar, G Pravallika, C Gowtham Varma and B Triveni

Abstract:
A twelve years data of buffalo calves born at Buffalo Research Station, Venkataramannagudem was studied to observe the effect of month, season and year on Secondary Sex Ratio, Relative Female Ratio and birth weights. Data from 2011 to 2022 was obtained for the study. September, October and November together accounted for half of the calvings while April, May and June combinedly witnessed less than 5 per cent of total calf crop. Relative Female Ratio was in the range of 0.62 – 1.14 during the months of higher calving rates while the ratio range increased between 0.25 to 2 during the months of low calving rates. Average birth weight of female buffalo calves remained numerically higher for nine years while male calves recorded higher birth weights than female calves during the remaining three years of study period. The numerical differences in the birth weights of males and females remained statistically non-significant. The current study results are of practical value for forecast of calving and milk production for buffalo based dairy farming.