Altai-Sayan maral breed reproduction in the Tyva Republic farms

The reproductive qualities of the Altai-Sayan maral females bred in the Tyva Republic have been studied. The data of a comparative analysis of the marals livestock and herd structure for the period 2014-2020 are presented (since the introduction of the Altai-Sayan marals from the Republic of Gorny Altai to the territory of the Republic of Tyva); physiological features of puberty, pregnancy and calving, fertility of the Altai-Sayan maral female breed in a specialized maral breeding farm on the territory of the Republic of Tyva. The population of marals in this farm currently totals 911 heads, of which 30.2 % are stag marals, 38.4 are marals, 19.6 are young animals, 11.7 % are calves under 1 year old. Among the broodstock, animals of 6-7 years old predominate - about 70 % of queens, 15 % are marals of 10-11 years of age and 14.6 % - 3-5 years of age. At the age of 3 years by the time of full physiological maturity, the live weight of maral females bred on the territory of the republic averages 121.6±1.86 kg and increases by the age of 5-7 to 152±5.86 kg. The average pregnancy duration of maral females in the natural and climatic conditions of the Republic of Tyva is 250 days. The calving period is somewhat extended - from late May to early August. The main part of the offspring (about 80 %) appears until mid-July. The offspring yield during breeding of the Altai-Sayan breed of marals in the Republic has a tendency to increase - from 24.4 % in 2018 to 30.6 % in 2020, largely due to a change in the age structure of the broodstock. In order to increase the fertility of queens, it is necessary to organize artificial regulation of the rut, to strengthen selection and breeding work on the farm, and to complete the broodstock with 7-11-year-old animals.