Abstract
<title>Abstract</title> <p>Pregnancy outcomes following bovine artificial insemination (AI) remain highly variable in peri-urban cattle systems of sub-Saharan Africa, limiting the effectiveness of genetic improvement programmes. This study aimed to identify farm typologies based on reproductive management characteristics and to determine organisational factors associated with pregnancy per AI (P/AI) in peri-urban cattle systems of Burkina Faso. A cross-sectional multi-stakeholder survey was conducted in 52 cattle farms and involved interviews with 52 farmers, 52 resident herders and 12 inseminators across four peri-urban zones surrounding Ouagadougou between November 2025 and May 2026. Data were analysed using multiple correspondence analysis, hierarchical cluster analysis and non-parametric statistical tests. The overall P/AI rate was 42.7 ± 23.7% (95% CI: 36.3–49.2%), ranging from 0 to 90% across farms. Three farm typologies exhibiting contrasting reproductive performances were identified. High-performing farms (n = 17) achieved a mean P/AI of 52.9 ± 16.5% and were characterised by systematic reproductive record-keeping, whereas low-performing farms (n = 6) showed markedly lower P/AI (5.0 ± 12.2%) and limited reproductive monitoring. Intermediate farms (n = 29) achieved a mean P/AI of 44.5 ± 21.7%. Farms maintaining reproductive records had significantly higher P/AI than those without records (48.8% vs 13.4%; P < 0.001). Farmers identified inseminator unavailability (78.8%) as the main operational constraint, whereas inseminators highlighted inadequate oestrus detection by farm personnel (75%). These findings suggest that organisational aspects of reproductive management, particularly reproductive record-keeping, timely AI service delivery and effective oestrus detection, represent important leverage points for improving AI performance in peri-urban cattle systems.</p>