Age specific fecundity
Average- Fecundity
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| Figure 3: Average
Fecundity for adult female buffalo over a range
of rainfall |
Taylor (1985) found the average fecundity for adult
female buffalo in Matusadona was 0.7 calves (of both
sexes) per adult female per year. This indicates a
calving interval of 17.2 months, i.e. post-partum
anoestrus lasts for about 6 months. This rate of calving
is very high and implies two calves every three years
(which is in fact what the Matusadona population achieved).
The only higher rate of calving in the literature
is that of 0.8 calves per year (i.e. 4 calves every
5 years) recorded by Sinclair (1977) for the Serengeti
in East Africa. Taylor (1985, p377) gives the results
of several studies of buffalo from different parts
of Africa under rainfall conditions varying from 400-1200
mm per year and concludes that there is a strong relationship
between rainfall and fecundity in arid and semi-arid
areas (Fig.5)
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