Abstract
The results of a 6-year study of cow reproductive traits in an agro-pastoral system in semi-arid central Mali are reported. Age at first calving was 1505 days (49.5 months). Calving intervals averaged 665 days with a standard deviation of 202 days, but these showed a bimodal distribution centred on 13–16 and 23–26 months. Least squares analysis indicated that parturition number had a significant effect on the calving interval. Some 56% of calves were born in the period April to June, there being a very highly significant correlation between these births and rainfall 9 and 10 months previously. The average number of calves produced per cow in the herd was 2.9. Nutritional stress appears to be the main cause of low reproductive rates and of the seasonal pattern of births and mitigation of this stress would lead to higher calving percentages.
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