Animal Molecular Breeding, 2024, Vol.14, No.6, 370-379 http://animalscipublisher.com/index.php/amb 374 non-breeding season (Bustamante-Andrade et al., 2021). Implementing comprehensive disease management and vaccination strategies can significantly contribute to the overall reproductive success of goat herds (Decourt et al., 2019; Souza-Fabjan et al., 2021). 5 Case Study 5.1 Background and selection of study area The study was conducted in the arid lands of Northern Mexico, a region characterized by its challenging climatic conditions and extensive rangeland management systems for goats. This area was selected due to its significant population of dairy cattle managed under intensive production systems, which produce a substantial amount of feed leftovers. These feed leftovers retain high nutritional value and present an opportunity to enhance the reproductive performance of goats managed under marginal-extensive schemes (Figure 2) (Machado-Ramos et al., 2023). Figure 2 Schematic representation of the experimental protocol in of multiparous crossbred/rangeland goats (n = 38) (i.e., extensive system) receiving (S) or not (NS) a nutritional supplementation of feed leftovers from a dairy cow enterprise (i.e., intensive system) in Northern Mexico (Adopted from Machado-Ramos et al., 2023) 5.2 Seasonal breeding practices employed To address the issue of reproductive seasonality in goats, several innovative breeding practices were employed. One approach involved the use of photoperiodic treatments to stimulate the sexual activity of bucks during the non-breeding season. These sexually active male goats were then used to induce and synchronize the estrous behavior and ovulatory activity of anestrous females through the 'male effect'. Additionally, a circular economy approach was implemented, where leftover feed from dairy cows was used as a targeted supplementation strategy for anestrous goats. This supplementation aimed to improve the reproductive outcomes of rangeland-managed goats during the deep-anestrous season. Furthermore, hormonal treatments, such as the administration of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), were used to enhance luteal function and embryo implantation in goats subjected to fixed-time artificial insemination protocols (Bustamante-Andrade et al., 2021). 5.3 Outcomes and observations The implementation of these seasonal breeding practices yielded promising results. The use of photoperiodic treatments combined with the 'male effect' successfully controlled the reproductive activity of local goats, leading to synchronized estrous behavior and ovulatory activity in anestrous females (Delgadillo, 2011). The targeted supplementation with dairy cow feed leftovers significantly improved reproductive outcomes, with higher ovulation rates, multiple ovulations, and pregnancy rates observed in the supplemented group compared to the non-supplemented group. The administration of hCG also enhanced reproductive outcomes, with higher fecundity rates, corpus luteum areas, and embryo implantation efficiency observed in goats treated with higher doses of hCG.
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