The low reproductive rate of female dogs has always been one of the important factors that affect the rapid development of China’s dog breeding industry, and it is also one of the urgent issues that dog breeding industry practitioners hope to solve. This article fully combines the author’s years of work experience to propose several comprehensive techniques to improve the reproductive rate of female dogs, hoping to provide references for dog breeding practitioners.
Strengthen selection work and improve the breeding level of breeding dogs
The reproductive rate is closely related to the breed of dogs to a large extent. In the process of breeding, male and female dogs with high reproductive rates should be selected for breeding. Dogs should be observed for a certain period of time, and individuals with low reproductive rates should be eliminated. Special attention should be paid to individuals with genetic defects, such as male dogs with habitual miscarriage, oligospermia, and congenital azoospermia. In the process of selecting and reserving dogs, we should not only look at the weaning weight and physical appearance of puppies, but also at the number of puppies produced, so as to fully ensure that excellent individuals with high reproductive traits of parents are selected and reserved as reserve dogs. Gradually replace them to ensure that the quality and quantity of breeding dogs are fully improved.
Optimize the ecological structure of the dog farm
2.1 Air quality
To a certain extent, the resistance of dogs to diseases is closely related to the air quality of their living environment. Poor air quality can lead to adverse reactions such as tearing and coughing in dogs, and even hinder the estrus of female dogs. Therefore, it is necessary to fully ensure the air circulation in the dog farm and effectively control the content of harmful gases such as hydrogen sulfide, carbon dioxide, and ammonia in the dog farm.
2.2 Environmental temperature
Dogs are very sensitive to heat, so the temperature of the dog farm should be maintained at 20℃~25℃ to avoid reproductive disorders caused by heat stress in dogs. Especially under the high temperature of more than 30℃, it will seriously affect the reproductive function of female dogs. According to relevant reports, a temperature of 32℃ may cause miscarriage in female dogs. Therefore, in the actual management process of the dog farm, if the indoor temperature exceeds 30℃, the nutrition level of the dog population should be correspondingly improved to fully ensure that the dogs have sufficient anti-stress substances such as vitamins and electrolytes in their bodies. In addition, spraying measures can be adopted appropriately to effectively improve the internal microclimate of the dog farm and minimize the occurrence of heat stress in the dog population. When breeding female dogs in summer, it should be carried out at night or in a relatively low-temperature environment.
2.3 Light intensity and light time
Female dogs should be ensured to have more than 16 hours of light time during lactation, with a light intensity of 3~6 watts. After autumn, artificial light should be appropriately supplemented in the dog house, and the light bulbs should be replaced in time to ensure that the reproductive rate of female dogs is fully improved.