(a) Justify the statement that "Maintenance of sires in good condition is essentially required for the success of breeding…

(a)(i) Why sires must be kept in good condition

• The sire is half the herd's genetics: a bull or ram contributes half the genes of every offspring but, unlike a female, it breeds many animals: one bull covers 50–60 cows a year by natural service, while one AI bull can produce 10,000–20,000 frozen doses a year. Most genetic gain in dairy herds comes through the sire paths (sires of bulls and sires of cows), so a sire's condition decides how fast the programme progresses.
• Semen quality and fertility: poor nutrition, obesity, heat stress, lameness or illness lower sperm output, motility and normal morphology, and depress libido. A sub-fertile sire means repeat breeding, longer calving intervals, fewer calves and fewer replacements, even when the cows are healthy.
• Disease transmission: a diseased sire spreads brucellosis, trichomoniasis, campylobacteriosis, IBR or BVD to every female it serves, and through frozen semen to far-off herds.
• Progeny testing and selection: progeny testing takes 5–6 years, so the proven bull must remain fertile and productive long enough to be used widely; losing it early wastes the investment.
• Economics: conception rate, calving interval and the value of each dose depend on the sire. This is why the Rashtriya Gokul Mission and the Minimum Standard Protocol for semen stations set strict health and semen standards for bulls.

(a)(ii) Management of breeding males

• Nutrition: keep bulls in moderate condition (body condition score about 3–3.5 of 5), neither fat nor thin. A 500 kg bull needs about 25–30 kg green fodder with some legume, 5–6 kg dry fodder, 2–3.5 kg concentrate (about 14–16% crude protein), 50 g mineral mixture and salt, and clean water. Vitamin A, vitamin E and selenium, and zinc support spermatogenesis; avoid gossypol-rich cottonseed cake. Young bulls still growing need extra protein.
• Exercise: walk bulls for about one hour daily or use a bull exerciser to keep feet, legs and libido sound.
• Housing: individual pens of about 12 m² covered area with an attached paddock, a non-slippery floor, shade and cooling (sprinklers or fans) in summer, since high scrotal temperature damages sperm; a strong, safe handling area and a nose ring for control.
• Hoof and body care: trim hooves, groom, and check the scrotum, prepuce and penis regularly.
• Health: test bulls for brucellosis, tuberculosis, paratuberculosis (Johne's disease), IBR, BVD, campylobacteriosis and trichomoniasis before entry and at regular intervals; vaccinate against FMD, haemorrhagic septicaemia and black quarter (not brucellosis vaccine for bulls); deworm and control ticks.
• Breeding soundness and use: carry out a breeding soundness examination (scrotal circumference, semen evaluation, libido test) before each season; use mature bulls for 2–3 services a week, or two collections a week at semen stations, and rest them in very hot weather.
• Records and handling: keep records of semen output, conception rates and health; handle bulls calmly by the same trained attendant, and never allow them to run loose.

(b) Methods of oestrus detection in sheep The ewe is a seasonal short-day breeder with an oestrous cycle of about 16–17 days and oestrus of 24–36 hours. Signs are mild, ewes rarely mount each other, and the first ovulation of the season is often silent (without oestrus), so detection relies mostly on the ram.

• Behavioural observation: the ewe in oestrus seeks the ram, stays near him, wags her tail, turns her head towards him and stands to be mounted; the vulva may be slightly swollen and moist.
• Teaser rams: vasectomised rams, or intact rams fitted with an apron that prevents mating, are run with the flock at about 1 teaser to 40–50 ewes and checked twice daily, morning and evening.
• Raddle or crayon harness: a harness with a coloured crayon on the ram's brisket, or coloured paste smeared on it, marks the rump of each ewe mounted. Changing the colour every 14–17 days shows ewes that return to oestrus, and hence failed conception.
• Vaginal mucus and cytology: clear, stringy mucus and cornified epithelial cells in a vaginal smear indicate oestrus.
• Hormonal methods: low blood progesterone (below about 1 ng/mL) confirms the follicular phase; used mainly in research.
• Synchronisation: progestagen sponges (such as FGA or MAP) left in the vagina for 12–14 days, with eCG at removal, bring most ewes into oestrus 36–48 hours later, so they can be inseminated at a fixed time.

(c)(i) Natural calamities faced by livestock rearers

1. Floods (Assam, Bihar, Kerala 2018).
2. Drought and fodder scarcity (Rajasthan, Marathwada, Bundelkhand).
3. Cyclones and storm surge (Odisha and Andhra coasts).
4. Earthquakes (Gujarat 2001).
5. Landslides and cloudbursts in hill states.
6. Heat waves.
7. Cold waves and snowfall (Ladakh, Himachal).
8. Hailstorms, lightning and forest fires.

(c)(ii) Feeding and management strategies during calamities

• Before the calamity (preparedness): map vulnerable villages and identify high-ground shelters; build fodder banks of hay, silage and urea-molasses-mineral blocks (UMMB); vaccinate against haemorrhagic septicaemia and black quarter before the monsoon; tag animals and insure them under the National Livestock Mission; follow the NDMA guidelines and the state disaster plan for livestock.
• Floods and cyclones: move animals to raised platforms or relief camps, untie tethered animals rather than leaving them to drown, and provide clean water (chlorinated) and dry fodder instead of contaminated grazing. Feed stored hay, straw, UMMB and concentrate. Treat wounds, foot rot and diarrhoea, and watch for haemorrhagic septicaemia, anthrax and fascioliasis after the water recedes.
• Drought: reduce herd size by selling unproductive animals first and keep the breeding stock; set up cattle camps and fodder depots supported by state disaster funds; feed crop residues enriched with urea (4% urea treatment of straw), UMMB, tree loppings (khejri, subabul, neem) and Prosopis pods, and unconventional feeds such as sugarcane tops and molasses; give priority rations to pregnant and lactating animals; ensure water and prevent overgrazing.
• Heat waves: provide shade, sprinklers or fans, cool drinking water and electrolytes; feed in the cooler hours; add bypass fat and reduce fibre to lower heat load.
• Cold waves and snow: provide shelter and bedding, cover young animals, increase the energy ration (jaggery, concentrates) and give warm water.
• Earthquakes: rescue animals from collapsed sheds, treat injuries, provide temporary shelter and feed.
• After the calamity: dispose of carcasses safely by deep burial with lime; disinfect sheds; run veterinary camps, deworming and vaccination; restock through government schemes and insurance claims. Measures that protect feed, water and health in time keep animals producing, and prevent the loss of breeding stock that takes years to rebuild.