Reproductive Performance in Dairy Cattle: Determinants of Conception Rate and Economic Consequences in Bangladesh

Reproductive efficiency plays an important role in determining milk production and overall farm profitability, particularly in smallholder systems with limited resources. Poor fertility can lead to substantial economic losses. This study investigated factors associated with conception rate and evaluated the economic consequences of reproductive inefficiency in dairy farms across five randomly selected districts in Bangladesh. A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 120 dairy farms and 569 cows, including local, crossbred and Holstein Friesian (HF) breeds. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data on herd structure, breeding practices, veterinary costs, reproductive performance and associated economic losses. The results revealed a significant interaction between breeding method and location, affecting herd composition, reproductive performance and economic outcomes (p < 0.05). The conception rates for crossbred (68.45%) and HF cows (67.27%) were higher than those of the local breed (64.34%). The average number of cows per farm was 4.75, and the average economic loss was 3407 BDT ≈30 USD due to reproductive inefficiency per farm. A strong positive correlation was observed between repeat breeding and economic loss (r = 0.771, p < 0.01), indicating that increased repeat breeding results in higher economic loss. A multiple linear regression analysis showed that indicators of reproductive performance and veterinary costs were significant predictors of economic loss, explaining 81.6% of the variation in economic loss (R² = 0.816, p < 0.001). Improved breeding management, efficient artificial insemination services and effective veterinary support may improve reproductive success in smallholder dairy systems.