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THE AGE OF PUBERTY IN LOCAL BREEDS OF CATTLE IN CENTRAL AFRICA

The timing of puberty in relation to the life-span governs, in part, the total number of young produced and consequently the reproductive potential.

The object of the present study is to determine the age of puberty in the local breeds of cattle under the normal ranching conditions of Central Africa.

The experiment included eighteen Angoni, fifteen Africander, and twenty-three Mashona heifers, and ten Hereford heifers for comparison, born in September, October and November 1967. Observations began when the animals were 9 months of age. The animals were weighed and their ovaries were palpated per rectum every fortnight. Dimensions of the ovaries, presence or absence of follicles and/or corpora lutea (CL) and changes in uterine size and texture were recorded. Oestrus was detected by young, raddled, vasectomized bulls, and animals were observed twice daily