Scientists from Kenya and Ireland have co-authored a research paper on, “Gestation length and its associations with calf birth weight, calf perinatal mortality, and dystocia in dairy cattle.” The paper was selected as Editor’s Choice in the August 2025 issue of the American Dairy Science Association’s Journal of Dairy Science.
The objective of the study was to quantify how non-genetic factors associate with gestation length; also of interest were the associations between gestation length and calving performance.
This study was led by researchers from the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) and Teagasc – the Agriculture and Food Development Authority in Ireland. It was supported by the Embassy of Ireland in Kenya through the Dairy Ireland Kenya Project with additional support from Science Foundation Ireland and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, of the Government of Ireland.
The paper provides valuable insights for predicting expected calving dates by considering key factors associated with gestation length; the model solutions can easily be incorporated into decision support tools that predict herd calving patterns. Knowledge of these factors can help producers optimize herd average gestation length within the context of an overall breeding strategy, avoiding the potential pitfalls of extremely short gestation and the repercussions of same.
Ireland is proud to support research that strengthens sustainable agriculture and supports smallholder livelihoods in Kenya.
Read the paper here.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Embassy of Ireland, Kenya.
