A Descriptive Analysis of Breeding Soundness Evaluation Study in Mpwapwa Breed Bulls Based on Established Criteria for the Use of Semen in Artificial Insemination Programmes

The goal of this study was to conduct a descriptive analysis of a BSE study in Mpwapwa breed bulls at TALIRI Mpwapwa research centre based on established criteria for the use of semen in Artificial Insemination (AI) programmes. In the Tanzanian cattle breeding system, breeding soundness evaluation (BSE) is not considered as a common strategic breeding tool that can be used to evaluate bulls’ fertility and improve herd reproductive performance and productivity. Despite of being a synthetic dual purpose breed kept for meat and milk production in the arid and semi-arid areas of Tanzania, the potential of Mpwapwa cattle has never been properly realised. The breed had tremendously contributed to the progress of some of the pastoralists and agro-pastoralists in the Tanzanian beef industry, through upgrading of the Tanzania Short horned Zebu ecotypes via crossbreeding. The results from this study indicate that: in most observations, SC for younger bulls were closely similar to SC for older bulls; milk and cream were the highest and lowest recorded colour; and ++ and + were the highest and lowest recorded mass activity/gross motility; 20% and 90% were the highest and lowest recorded individual motility; 50% and 90% were the highest and lowest recorded morphology; and 966 sperm/mL (x106) and 57 sperm/mL (x106) were the highest and lowest recorded concentration. Therefore, observed diverse variations particularly in age, SC and semen qualities suggest that Mpwapwa bulls with the best BSE outcomes on SC and semen qualities should be selected for use during the breeding season. Keywords Mpwapwa breed cattle, Breeding soundness evaluation, Artificial insemination programme and Reproductive performance.