Institute for Rural Development
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Browsing Institute for Rural Development by Author "Bhebhe, E."
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Item Embargo Impact of an artificial insemination programme on reproductive efficacy and the cross-breeding if indigenous South African goats with Boer goats in Vhembe District(2025-05-16) Nethengwe, Luvhengo Dakalo; Bhebhe, E.; Manjoro, M.; Fushai, F.To date, no attempt has been made to establish animal-assisted reproduction centres designed to facilitate controlled goat breeding, from which efficient oestrous synchronization and artificial insemination (AI) protocols can be administered in the communal farming areas of Vhembe district. The first study aimed to determine the socioeconomic dynamics associated with establishing assisted reproduction centres designed and equipped to facilitate effective artificial insemination (AI) service to improve South African indigenous goat production in the Vhembe district. A total of 140 communal goat farmers participated in the study. In-depth one-on-one interviews and focus group discussions were conducted to collect qualitative data. Questionnaires were used to collect quantitative data. Most (89.3 %) farmers accepted AI, and the use of the Boer goat to upgrade the indigenous goat, and to combat inbreeding through AI. Seventy per cent of the respondents showed interest in pen feeding and in separating does from bucks during oestrous synchronization and AI, while the remaining 30% could not afford to pen feed and separate their animals, though they were receptive to being part of the AI program. The farmer disposition to the proposed interventions, and the level of participation justified continuation of the research into animal assisted reproductive technology centres, to address the technical constraints to implementing AI, and advance the socio-economic development. The second study focused on affordable and effective spermatozoa extenders and preservation methods. Experiment 1 aimed to evaluate the motility, velocity, morphology properties and viability of Boer goat sperm stored at 5°C for 168 hours. A total of 48 ejaculates were collected from four Boer goat bucks twice a week for 6 weeks. Only uncontaminated ejaculates containing spermatozoa with >80% progressive motility rate and concentration >1.0 x 109 spermatozoa/ml were used. Tris extender-based bovine amniotic fluid of 10, 13 and 18 cm head-tail length fetus (60, 70 and 80 days pregnancy, respectively), denoted (BAF10, BAF13 and BAF18, respectively) were tested. Ejaculated spermatozoa samples were pooled and homogenized before dilution at a ratio of 1:4 with TEY, TBAF10, TBAF13 and TBAF18 extenders. Diluted spermatozoa samples were then stored at 5°C for 168 h and evaluated in a 4 (extenders) X 8 (storage time) factorial experiment replicated 12 times. Total motility was highest in sperm diluted with TBAF18 at 0 h, while progressive motility showed the lowest value in TEY at 96 h. In experiment 2, Boer goat semen was cryopreserved at -196 °C for 7 days in Tris extender-based bovine amniotic fluid and replicated 12 times. The semen samples were loaded into 0.25 ml France straws, sealed, and cooled at 5 °C for 4 h to equilibrate. After equilibration, the straws were frozen in liquid nitrogen (LN2) vapour. The straw was immersed into LN2 and kept at -196 °C for 7 days. After thawing at 37 °C for 60 seconds, the spermatozoa were evaluated for spermatozoa motility, viability, and morphology defects in a randomised design. The results revealed that the highest spermatozoa motility was observed with TBAF18 after the cryopreservation effect. No significant difference was observed between TEY and TBAF13 during refrigeration. Meanwhile, this was again observed for the spermatozoa motility parameters evaluated after freezing. In a third study, four animal-assisted reproduction centres were established to facilitate controlled animal breeding, efficient oestrous synchronization and artificial insemination (AI) with fresh/frozen semen extended and cryopreserved following the protocols which were developed in experiments 1 & 2 in the 2nd study. The inseminated does were released into their routine grazing in the communal land until 42 days, after which pregnancy diagnoses were conducted. The objective of this study was to compare the effects of oxytocin, human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α) treatments at the time of AI using fresh/frozen semen. Oxytocin, PGF2α and hCG showed a significant effect on improving pregnancy rate. A significant effect (P>0.001) was observed in fresh semen diluted in BAF18, with the highest pregnancy rate. Oestrous ovulation-inducing drugs with frozen semen diluted in BAF13, BAF18 and TEY offered approximately equal pregnancy rates (68.8 %, 62.5% & 62.5 %), but the highest percentage was in BAF13. Therefore, there were acceptable beneficial effects of oxytocin, hCG and PGF2α at the time of AI. In conclusion, animal-assisted reproduction centres established to facilitate controlled animal breeding, efficient oestrous synchronization and AI increased the pregnancy rate in South African indigenous goats in the Vhembe District. This will enable goat production to contribute towards generating household cash income and improve the livelihood of rural farmers. Keywords: Artificial insemination; Bovine amniotic fluid, Inbreeding, Livelihood