[Fertility and fertility problems in some beef herds in Sweden (author's transl)]

The purpose of the study was to investigate the fertility level, some factors affecting fertility and problems of infertility in selected Swedish beef herds. The investigation included 31 herds, 19 of which had Herefords, 13 Charolais, 2 Aberdeen Angus and 1 Limousins. The total number of mature females was 703, including 147 feifers of breeding age. Most data were collected at personal visits to the herds. The results are presented in Tables I--XV and Figures 1--2. The service period coincided roughly with the grazing period and lasted usually 4--5 months. Seventyfive per cent of the females calved during the period February-May. The fertility levels were comparatively good. The percentage of pregnancy at rectal examination performed at the end of the service period was 89.5; however the average calving percentage was only 87.5. The highest calving percentages were recorded for Aberdeen Angus and crossbreds. Also the calf crop, it is the number of calves born alive and surviving 24 hours per mature female was the highest for these two groups; 0.91 and 0.90 respectively. The mean interval from calving to conception was 80.3 days in Herefords, 83.4 days in Aberdeen Angus, 85.6 days in crossbreds and 92.3 days in Charolais. The percentage of animals pregnant within 90 days after calving was on an average slightly more than 50 per cent. The interval from calving to conception rose gradually when the interval from calving to expoure to bull exceeded 40 days. Mean percentages of still born calves were 5.9 in cows and 13.7 in heifers. As far as the fertility level is concerned there does not seem to be any disadvantage in keeping the bull together with the females during the calving period. However, in this case the next calvings will occur over an extended period of time. If the intention is to concentrate 50 per cent of the calvings within the period of one month then the females should be exposed to the bull from 41--60 days after calving at the earliest. In case the females were exposed to the bull from 41--60 days after calving and onwards, 95 per cent of the females finally pregnant had conceived at the end of a 3 months service period. Under such conditions a bull may be able to serve two groups of females within the same grazing period. Cows calving during July-September had the lowest pregnancy rate and those calving during October-December the highest at the following service period. The incidence of ovarian cysts was very low. About 1/3 of those buls serving at least 10 females each obtained calving percentages less than or equal to 80. Herds recording low calving percentages had to a great extent used young bulls, 12--15 months of age at the beginning of the service period. Only for two groups of females out of eleven which had been served by young bulls calving percentages greater than 80 were noted. A more efficient control of the fertility of the bulls could markedly improve the fertility of some herds.