Leucaena leucocephala as a feed for dairy cows. Direct effect on reproduction and residual effect on the calf and lactation

1971 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 681 ◽  
Author(s):  
RI Hamilton ◽  
LE Donaldson ◽  
LJ Lambourne
Keyword(s):  
Birth Weight ◽  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Leucaena Leucocephala ◽  
Cycle Length ◽  
Residual Effect ◽  
Gestation Length ◽  
Metabolic Rates ◽  
Lactation Curve ◽  
Thyroid Glands ◽  
The Mean

Leucaena 1ericocc.phala was given for periods of 30 days to 14 months to nonlactating dairy cows in all stages of the reproductive cycle. Similar cows were fed on lucerne for comparison. Leucaena did not affect oestrous cycle length, conception rate, or gestation length. Feeding leucaena to heifers pre partum did not affect the mean yield and composition of milk over the first 9 weeks of lactation when a normal milking ration was used post part~lm, but the shape of the lactation curve was slightly flattened. Some mild incoordination and nervous symptoms occurred briefly during gestation in some cows on leucaena. Mild depilation was seen in several cows and quite extensive depilation in one. Calves from cows fed on leucaena had a significantly lower mean birth weight (19.6 kg) than control calves (25.8 kg) and one cow fed on leucaena had a still-born calf. Calf thyroid glands were enlarged and plasma protein-bound iodine levels elevated, but thyroid gland histology was normal. Basal metabolic rates and growth rates of the calves were the same in the two groups.

scholarly journals Influence of gestation length, seasonality, and calf sex on birth weight and placental retention in crossbred dairy cows

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Estevão Vieira Rezende ◽  
Igor José Reis ◽  
Carla Cristian Campos ◽  
Ricarda Maria Santos
Keyword(s):  
Birth Weight ◽  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Dairy Farm ◽  
Minas Gerais ◽  
Gestation Length ◽  
Retained Placenta ◽  
Lactating Dairy Cows ◽  
Placental Membranes ◽  
The Mean

Abstract The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of gestation length, season at calving (autumn-winter vs. spring-summer) and calf sex on birth weight and incidence of retained placenta (RP) in crossbred lactating dairy cows. A total of 187 parturitions were evaluated in a commercial dairy farm at Alto Paranaiba region, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Cows that did not release the placental membranes within the first 12 hours after calf expulsion were diagnosed with RP. At birth, calf sex was registered, and birth weight was estimated by using a weighing tape. The incidence of RP was 36.89% (69/187). The mean birth weight of the calves (41.73 kg) did not differ among the calf sexes and seasons of the year at birth (P > 0.05), but the cows with below-average gestation lengths (274.4 days) calved lighter calves. Furthermore, the season of the year at calving and calf sex had no influence on RP incidence (P > 0.05), although a higher incidence of RP was observed in cows that had shorter gestation lengths (49.44%) and calves below-average birth weights (51.76%). In conclusion, cows with shorter gestation lengths produce lighter offspring and have a high predisposition to RP.

scholarly journals On designing the average lactation curve at the ascending phase

1962 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 162-168
Author(s):  
Aarne Mäkelä
Keyword(s):  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Milk Yield ◽  
Lactation Period ◽  
Lactation Curve ◽  
The Mean ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Daily Milk Yield ◽  
Daily Milk

Comparisons are made between different methods to find the peak production (maximum daily milk yield) and methods to design the average lactation curve at the ascending phase in dairy cows. It was noted that in order to determine the height and location of the maximal producing capacity of a cow in a known lactation period, it is preferable to choose the peak production as a mean of three subsequent best days. It was also noted that the usual methods for drawing the average lactation curves do not give a true picture of the height and location of the peak. The author suggests a method for determining the average lactation curve at the ascending phase by using the averages of both milk productions and times involved in reaching the peak and known fractions (e.g. 1/8, 1/4, 1/2, 3/4, and 5/4) of it. In this lactation curve the peak production is the mean of the peaks of individual cows, and the time involved in reaching it is the mean of the durations of the ascending phases of the individual cows.

Influence of shearing regime and grass silage quality on the performance of pregnant ewes

1990 ◽  
Vol 51 (3) ◽  
pp. 573-582 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heather J. Black ◽  
D. M. B. Chestnut
Keyword(s):  
Birth Weight ◽  
Weight Change ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Milk Composition ◽  
Gestation Length ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Silage Quality ◽  
Carry Over ◽  
Lamb Growth ◽  
Carry Over Effect

ABSTRACTThe performance of housed ewes, shorn at various stages during pregnancy and offered silages ad libitum made from grass harvested at two contrasting stages of growth, was studied. The mean increase in silage dry matter (DM) intake due to shearing (0·11 kg/day; P > 0·05) was small in comparison with that resulting from offered earlier-cut silage (0·27 kg/day; P < 0·001). The mean increase in twin lamb birth weight from ewes shorn at least 6 weeks before lambing was almost 1 kg per lamb (P < 0·01) with no significant effect on ewe live-weight change. Greatest increase in lamb birth weight (1·11 kg; P < 0·01) was produced by shearing several times during pregnancy, with least response (0·23 kg; P < 0·05) from shearing once only, 4 weeks before lambing. The effect of silage quality on lamb birth weight was not significant, despite the large difference in DM intake of the two silages. This difference in intake was reflected by ewe live-weight change over pregnancy with those ewes offered early-cut silage gaining 5·57 kg while those offered late-cut silage lost 4·53 kg (P < 0·001). There was a marked fall in respiration rate and rectal temperature after each shearing and, compared with shorn ewes, unshorn ewes had a mean gestation length which was 2·04 days shorter (P < 0·01). In terms of lamb growth rates, ewe milk yields and milk composition, the performance on all treatments after turn-out to pasture was satisfactory and no significant carry-over effect of treatments applied during pregnancy were observed during the first 5 weeks of lactation.

The effects of dexamethasone TMA when used to synchronize parturition in monozygous twin dairy cows

1975 ◽  
Vol 15 (76) ◽  
pp. 591 ◽  
Author(s):  
GW Thomas
Keyword(s):  
Birth Weight ◽  
Latent Period ◽  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Intramuscular Injection ◽  
Gestation Length ◽  
Apparent Effect ◽  
Positive Correlation ◽  
Monozygous Twin

Parturition was induced in one member from each of eight sets of monozygous twin dairy cows by intramuscular injection of 20 mg Dexamethasone trimethylacetate. The resulting gestation lengths were less (P < 0.01) than those of the untreated twin counterparts. The actual 'within' twin calving spread was reduced to nil to 32 days (mean � S.D. 9 � 12 days) from an expected range of 22 to 53 days (mean � S.D. 38 � 12 days). The drug had a variable latent period (time from injection to parturition) and had no apparent effect upon the ensuing lactation yield (P > 0.05) or the subsequent return to postpartum oestrus (P > 0.05). The induced calves had lighter birth weights (P <: 0.01) and a higher mortality (6/8) than calves-from untreated cows (no deaths). There was a significant (P < 0.01) positive correlation (r = 0.846) between gestation length and birth weight of the calf.

scholarly journals Sire Effects on Birth Weight, Gestation Length, and Pre-Weaning Growth of Beef-Cross-Dairy Calves: A Case Study in New Zealand

Dairy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 385-395
Author(s):  
Lucy Coleman ◽  
Penny Back ◽  
Hugh Blair ◽  
Nicolas López-Villalobos ◽  
Rebecca Hickson
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Birth Weight ◽  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Dairy Farm ◽  
Dairy Herd ◽  
Dairy Calves ◽  
Phenotypic Correlation ◽  
Gestation Length ◽  
Beef Breed

Production of beef-cross-dairy calves from dairy cows increases the value of non-replacement calves born to the dairy herd. The use of beef-breed sires may impact on calf birth weight, gestation length and pre-weaning growth rate of calves, which in turn influences the profitability of the dairy farm. The aim of this case study was to compare the birth weight, gestation length, and pre-weaning growth of progeny born to mixed-aged dairy cows on a single farm which were artificially bred to a selection of Angus and Hereford bulls, typical of those used over dairy herds in New Zealand. The birth weight, gestation length and pre-weaning growth of 980 calves sired by 65 sires were compared. Mean progeny birth weight (range 33.3–41.4 kg), gestation length (range 276.1–288.6 days), age at weaning (range 70.3–88.3 days) and pre-weaning ADG (range 0.63–0.76 kg/d) differed among sires (p < 0.001). There was a negative genetic correlation (−0.31) and positive phenotypic correlation (0.36) between gestation length and birth weight. Age at weaning was negatively correlated with birth weight (genetic: −0.56, phenotypic: −0.57). Bulls used in this study, and other bulls with similar genetic merit for birth weight and gestation length would be suitable for mating mixed-aged dairy cows in New Zealand.

A note on the differences between geographical areas in the gestation length and birth weight of British Friesian calves

1968 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 125-128 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. K. O'Connor ◽  
P. D. P. Wood ◽  
G. F. Smith
Keyword(s):  
Birth Weight ◽  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Artificial Insemination ◽  
Gestation Length ◽  
England And Wales ◽  
Commercial Farms ◽  
Milk Marketing

The Milk Marketing Board's 23 artificial insemination (AI) centres which provide service in much of England and Wales are grouped into five geographical areas (Figure 1). Analyses of trials on commercial farms to study the effects of crossing Charolais bulls with dairy cows (Edwards et al. 1966), revealed significant differences between these areas in both gestation length and birth weight of crossbred calves. However, the Charolais bulls used in the trials were divided into five teams, each of three bulls, and each team was used only in a single area. Consequently, bull teams and areas were confounded. The purpose of the experiment reported here was to estimate the differences between areas in gestation length and birth weight independent of sire.

Effect of pre- and post- natal nutrition on the growth of beef cattle I. The effect of nutrition and parity of the dam on calf birth weight

1972 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 389 ◽  
Author(s):  
GD Tudor
Keyword(s):  
Birth Weight ◽  
Beef Cattle ◽  
Barley Grain ◽  
Gestation Length ◽  
Rhodes Grass ◽  
Grass Hay ◽  
Calf Mortality ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Length Of Gestation

The influence of submaintenance (low plane) nutrition during the last trimester of pregnancy, and parity of the dam, on calf birth weight was studied in Hereford cows.The submaintenance ration (3.5 kg Rhodes grass hay per head per day) significantly (P < 0.01) reduced the mean calf birth weight by 6.8 kg to 24 1 kg, and the mean length of gestation by 5.4 days to 277.3 days, compared with an above-maintenance (high plane) ration (3.5 kg each of Rhodes grass hay and barley grain per head per day). Dam nutrition, however, did not influence the number of retained placentae, calf mortality, or the incidence of dystocias. Dam parity did not significantly influence calf birth weight or length of gestation, but significantly (P < 0.05) reduced the number of retained placentae of second parity cows. There were no significant differences between sexes in mean birth weight or mean gestation length. The regression of calf birth weight on dam weight just prior to calving was significant (P < 0.05) for high plane cows: y = 20.248 + 0.023x, r = 0.40. The regression of calf birth weight on length of gestation was significant for both high(P < 0.05) and low(P < 0.01) plane cows: y = –28.343 + 0.210x, r = 0.40, and y = -41.015 + 0.235x, r = 0.42 respectively.

scholarly journals Involuntary reduction in vigour of calves born from sexed semen

2016 ◽  
Vol 64 (2) ◽  
pp. 229-238 ◽  
Author(s):  
Radica Djedović ◽  
Vladan Bogdanović ◽  
Dragan Stanojević ◽  
Zsolt Nemes ◽  
András Gáspárdy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Birth Weight ◽  
Sex Ratio ◽  
Artificial Insemination ◽  
Reproductive Traits ◽  
Conception Rate ◽  
Gestation Length ◽  
Stillbirth Rate ◽  
Sexed Semen ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Fertility Traits

The objective of this study was to compare the reproductive traits of heifers and the development characteristics of their calves following artificial insemination (AI) with sexed and non-sexed semen. The analysed characteristics included conception rate, gestation length, calf birth weight, calf vigour, stillbirth rate, and twinning rate. Data of 530 calves produced with sexed and 1,163 calves produced with non-sexed semen were analysed. The General Linear Model (GLM) was applied to assess the influence of semen type, farm, season of insemination, the calf’s sex and the inseminating sire on gestation length and calf birth weight. With the exception of gestation length (P > 0.05), all other traits studied were significantly (P < 0.01) influenced by the type of semen. The conception rate was 55% for conventional and 44% for sexed semen, and the average gestation length was 274.6 and 274.9 days, respectively. The mean calf birth weight was 37.47 kg for non-sexed and 36.75 kg for sexed semen. The stillbirth rate was 6.19% for conventional and 7.54% for sexed semen, while the twinning rate was 3.78% for conventional and 1.13% for sexed semen. The calves produced with non-sexed and sexed semen differed significantly in viability (P < 0.001), the latter having a lower calf vigour score. The use of conventional semen did not affect the ratio of female and male calves (52.7:47.3%; P > 0.05); however, artificial insemination with X-sorted sexed semen significantly altered the sex ratio of calves (85.1:14.9%, P < 0.01). The results obtained in this investigation are in agreement with the majority of studies which compared the fertility traits, sex ratio and calf characteristics depending on the application of artificial insemination with sexed or conventional semen.

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