Post-partum reproductive performance of Sanga cattle in smallholder peri-urban dairy herds in the Accra plains of Ghana

The reproductive performance of 76 Sanga cows was studied from February 199 5 to July 1996 in smallholder peri-urban dairy systems in the coastal savan na zone of the Accra plains of Ghana. The interval from calving to resumpti on of cyclic ovarian activity was 101 +/- 7 days; that from calving to conc eption was 152 +/- 4 days; gestation length was 292 +/- 16 days; and the ca lving interval was 444 +/- 16 days. The effects of location, season of calv ing, parity, body condition score and sex of calf were studied. Calving to cycling interval was significantly shorter in the dry season than in the we t season, and decreased significantly with increasing body condition score. Calving to conception interval was affected only by location. Gestation le ngth was not affected by any of the variables studied. Calving interval was affected by location, season of calving, parity and body condition score. It is concluded that long post-partum anoestrus leads to prolonged calving intervals and poor reproductive performance. Feed supplementation to improv e the nutritional status and body condition score of cows and early weaning of calves could be introduced to enhance reproductive performance.