Reproductive Potential of Bali Cows Raised under Palm Oil Plantation in Manokwari Regency, West Papua, Indonesia

Abstract

One of the countries that conducted an integration between cattle and palm oil plantations is Indonesia. The objective of this study was to characterize the reproductive potential of Bali cows kept under palm oil fields after the application of artificial insemination (AI). This study was designed as field research that involved farmers and Bali cows reared under palm oil plantations. A total of 71 heads of Bali cows that have been calving for two consecutive times were used in the present study. The parameters measured were services per conception, length of pregnancy, the interval from calving to the first AI, the interval from calving to conception, and the calving interval. The results of this study showed that the number of services per conception (±SD) at first pregnancy of Bali cows reared under palm oil field had significantly (p<0.01) lower than services per conception at second pregnancy (1.5±0.6 vs. 1.9±0.9) at the average of 1.45±0.58. After the first pregnancy, the average interval from calving to first AI, the interval from calving to conception, and the calving interval were 68.6±39.9 days, 90.6±37.9 days, and 363.8±38.7 days, respectively. The length of pregnancy at first and second calving were 280.1±3.7 and 279.3±4.7 (p>0.05), respectively. It can be concluded that Bali cows raised under palm oil plantations have a good reproductive potential.