scholarly journals Effect of temperament on performance of primiparous dairy cows

2017 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 863-872 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Sawa ◽  
Mariusz Bogucki ◽  
Wojciech Neja ◽  
Sylwia Krężel-Czopek

Abstract This study was designed to analyse the effect of milking behaviour (temperament) of primiparous dairy cows on their milk and reproductive performance as well as survival to the second lactation. Milk performance, reproductive performance and culling data on 12028 Polish Holstein-Friesian primiparous dairy cows were acquired from the SYMLEK database. Using the methodology of the Polish Federation of Cattle Breeders and Dairy Farmers, the temperament of the cows was assessed as: 1 - calm, 2 - normal, 3 - excitable or aggressive. Primiparous cows from the analysed population were characterized by averagely normal temperament and optimal milking speed. Daily and lactation yield depended (P≤0.01) on the temperament of cows. Excitable (aggressive) cows had higher daily and lactation yield compared to normal and calm cows. The temperament trait was found to correlate (P≤0.01) also with functional traits such as milking speed, survival to the second lactation, and culling level. As milking speed increased, the proportion of cows with calm temperament decreased and that of excitable (aggressive) primiparous cows increased. As the temperament score increased, so did the proportion of primiparous cows sold for further breeding. Excitable (aggressive) primiparous cows had the lowest chance of survival to the second calving.

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 1959
Author(s):  
Jolanta Różańska-Zawieja ◽  
Stanisław Winnicki ◽  
Joanna Zyprych-Walczak ◽  
Alicja Szabelska-Beręsewicz ◽  
Idzi Siatkowski ◽  
...  

The study attempted to estimate the lactation curves of primiparous dairy cows in relation to their feeding management. Therefore, the first aim of the study was to determine and compare the lactation curves of primiparous dairy cows using Wood’s model and to estimate the association between the lactation curves and feeding management. The second objective was to investigate the effect of the culling rate on improvement in the milk yield of primiparous dairy herds. The study was conducted on four commercial dairy farms of Polish Holstein–Friesian cows using different feeding systems (TMR—total mixed ration and PMR—partial mixed ration) and management (T1—one TMR throughout lactation; P1—one PMR throughout lactation; T2 and T3—three feed periods such as FRESH, TMR I and TMR II according to days in milk). The data used for the study were obtained from monthly milk performance evaluations of 1662 primiparous cows conducted by the Polish Federation of Cattle Breeding and Dairy Farmers throughout the year 2015. Wood’s lactation model was used to plot curves for milk yield, fat and protein content, lactose content, and milk urea contents. The highest milk yield for the whole lactation and in the peak lactation phase was recorded for cows in herd T1. This herd reached peak lactation on day 105 of milking, with an average milk yield of 42.1 kg, which was about 5 kg more milk than in the other herds. The study showed that the culling of primiparous cows in herd T1 after 30, 60 and 90 days of lactation prevented a significant reduction in milk yield in a 305-day lactation. It also increased average milk production by 1586.9 kg per primiparous dairy cow.


2015 ◽  
Vol 58 (1) ◽  
pp. 193-197 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. Neja ◽  
A. Sawa ◽  
M. Jankowska ◽  
M. Bogucki ◽  
S. Krężel-Czopek

Abstract. The aim of this study was to analyse the effect of the temperament of cows on their lifetime production efficiency. Data on milk performance, longevity and culling reasons of 11 629 Polish Holstein-Friesian cows were extracted from the SYMLEK database. Using the methodology of the Polish Federation of Cattle Breeders and Dairy Farmers, cow temperament was assessed as follows: 1 – calm; 2 – normal; and 3 – excitable or aggressive. Most cows showed a normal temperament (89.52 %). Over successive years of the evaluation, there were increases in the proportion of cows with a calm (from 2.98 to 6.85 %) and excitable temperament (from 7.50 to 8.27 %). Temperament was found to have a highly significant effect on first lactation milk yield, first lactation daily milk yield, milk yield per day of age, and milk yield per day of productive life. In cows with a calm temperament, first lactation milk yield was 621 kg higher than in cows with a normal temperament and 329 kg higher compared to excitable (aggressive) cows.


2002 ◽  
Vol 50 (2) ◽  
pp. 231-234 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gy. Gábor ◽  
J. P. Kastelic ◽  
S. Pintér ◽  

Lactating crossbred Holstein-Friesian dairy cows (n = 331) were started on an Ovsynch regimen 68 ± 8.2 days after calving; 200 µg GnRH intramuscularly (i.m.) on Days 0 and 9, and 35 mg prostaglandin F2a i.m. on Day 7. Thirty-eight and 31 cows (11.5 and 9.4%, respectively) were in oestrus on Days 0 to 6 and 7 to 8, respectively, and inseminated, and the remainder were fixed-time inseminated (on Day 10). For these three groups, pregnancy rates (60-65 days after breeding) were 31.6, 38.7 and 34.0%, respectively (P = 0.82) and calving rates were 100, 100 and 89.9% (P = 0.23). In a preliminary trial, twelve lactating cows (45 to 60 days postpartum) with inactive ovaries were given 1500 IU eCG i.m.; 10 were in oestrus within 10 days after treatment (and inseminated) and eight of these were pregnant (30 days after breeding). The Ovsynch program resulted in acceptable reproductive performance in cyclic cows and eCG treatment has considerable promise for inducing oestrus in anoestrous cows.


2007 ◽  
Vol 2007 ◽  
pp. 98-98
Author(s):  
O. M. Onyiro ◽  
S. Brotherstone

As a major health problem facing dairy farmers worldwide with substantial economic, production and welfare consequences, lameness has attracted much attention over the last two to three decades (Boelling, 1999). Lameness as a linear type trait is measured by locomotion scoring as there is a high genetic correlation between lameness and locomotion score. Studies have included locomotion (as a predictor of lameness) and have associated lameness with no effect, an increase and sometimes a decrease in milk production of cows. Several reasons have been given for these differences and the need still arises for estimates of the effect of lameness on milk yield in herds with current dairy management. The objective of this study was to quantify the effect of lameness on the daily milk yield (DMY) of dairy cows.


2009 ◽  
Vol 2009 ◽  
pp. 12-12
Author(s):  
H S Gilmore ◽  
F J Young ◽  
R A Law ◽  
A R G Wylie ◽  
D C Patterson ◽  
...  

Poor fertility is a major problem on dairy farms. On-farm studies indicate than pregnancy rates to first service have declined from approximately 55% between 1975 and 1982 to 39% between 1995 and 1998 (Royal et al., 2000), illustrating a decline of approximately 1% per year during this period. The cause is multifactorial and influenced by many factors including genetics, management and nutrition. Previous studies have reported improved fertility through nutritional modification in early lactation (Gong et al., 2002). The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of nutritional strategy in early lactation on reproductive performance.


2003 ◽  
Vol 2003 ◽  
pp. 28-28
Author(s):  
L.R. McNaughton ◽  
G.A. Verkerk ◽  
T.J. Parkinson ◽  
B. Dow ◽  
K.A. Macdonald ◽  
...  

In pasture-based dairying systems it is important to maintain a 365-day calving interval, which requires that cows have a rapid resumption of postpartum ovulatory activity and high conception rates. The major form of infertility in New Zealand (NZ) dairy cows is an extended postpartum anovulatory interval (ppai; Macmillan, 2002), a problem that can be exacerbated by low body condition score (BCS) at calving (McDougall, 1995). Furthermore, Holstein cows, originating from North American genetic strains (Overseas; OS), which have been widely used in NZ in recent years, have longer intervals to first mating and conceive later than do NZ strains, suggesting a possible delay in the initiation of postpartum cyclicity (Harris and Winkleman, 2000). Worldwide, there is concern over an apparent decline in the fertility of Holstein-Friesian dairy cattle (Butler et al., 1995; Royal et al., 2000). The purpose of this trial was to determine whether there was a difference in ppai and BCS between NZ and OS Holstein Friesians that may affect reproductive performance.


Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 50
Author(s):  
Robert Mikuła ◽  
Marcin Pszczola ◽  
Katarzyna Rzewuska ◽  
Sebastian Mucha ◽  
Włodzimierz Nowak ◽  
...  

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of the rumination time on milk yield and composition as well as methane emission during lactation in high-yielding dairy cows fed a partial mixed ration based on maize silage without pasture access. A total of 365 high-yielding Polish Holstein-Friesian multiparous dairy cows were included in the study covering 24 to 304 days of lactation. Methane emission, rumination time, and milk production traits were observed for the period of 12 months. Next, the data from the cows were assigned to three groups based on daily rumination time: low rumination up to 412 min/day (up to 25th rumination percentile), medium rumination from 412 to 527 min/day (between the 25th and 75th percentile), and high rumination above 527 min/day (from the 75th percentile). Rumination time had no effect on milk yield, energy-corrected milk yield, or fat and protein-corrected milk yield. High rumination time had an effect on lower fat concentration in milk compared with the medium and low rumination groups. The highest daily CH4 production was noted in low rumination cows, which emitted 1.8% more CH4 than medium rumination cows and 4.2% more than high rumination cows. Rumination time affected daily methane production per kg of milk. Cows from the high rumination group produced 2.9% less CH4 per milk unit compared to medium rumination cows and 4.6% in comparison to low rumination cows. Similar observations were noted for daily CH4 production per ECM unit. In conclusion, a longer rumination time is connected with lower methane emission as well as lower methane production per milk unit in high-yielding dairy cows fed a maize silage-based partial mixed ration without pasture access.


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