Influence of the sire on the reproductive parameters of Limousin cows

The aim of the study was to examine the reproductive characteristics of 152 Limousin cows, reared in a farm on the territory of Southwest Bulgaria. The records about the reproductive capacity of cows used in the survey comprised the period 2016 - 2024. The cows, whose differences were studied, were born in Bulgaria and France. The Limousin cows, reared in the conditions of our country, had an average service period duration of 85.66 ± 3.51 days, and a calving period of 370.68 ± 3.18 days. The first-calving age was 34.21 ± 0.26 months. The animals achieved optimum service (70.58 9.33 days), and calving (355.85 ± 12.14) periods as early as during their first lactation, which is indicative of a good reproductive capacity. The sire, the origin and the lactation number had a significant influence (p< 0.05) on the length of the service and the calving periods. The sire and the country of birth had a significant influence (p<0.001) on the first-calving age. The daughters of 33% of the sires had a service period of up to 80 days, and 40 % of the sires had daughters with calving periods of up to 368 days. The cows born in Bulgaria, had a service period of 83.71 ± 4.94 days, and a calving period of 368.71 ± 4.05 days. The animals born in France, had 99.80 ± 15.18 service days, and a calving period of 373.01 ± 6.19 days.