Relationship between beef cow fertility and maternal immunity

Abstract Immunity plays important role in reproduction. There is evidence that maternal immunity changes from a type 1 to a type 2-biased during pregnancy and lack of such a shift may contribute to unsuccessful pregnancy in animals. The objective of the study was to examine the relationship between relative balance between type 1 and type 2 and fertility in suckled beef cows by characterizing relative quantity ratio of IgG 1 and 2 subclasses (IgG1/IgG2). Angus-Hereford cows (n = 394) were synchronized (d0) with a 5-d CIDR protocol. Estrous behavior was monitored using estrus detection aids and visual observation from d5 until AI (d8). On d8 all cows were inseminated at a fixed time and blood samples were collected form to be examined for type1/type/2 ratio and progesterone (P4). A new rapid blood test (D2Dx) was used to assess the type 1/type 2 immunity balance by measuring the relative quantity ratio of IgG1 and IgG2. Pregnancy was determined by ultrasound 48 to 63 days after AI. Overall pregnancy per AI was 51%. Mean relative quantity of IgG1/IgG2 was different (P < 0.05) between non-pregnant and pregnant cows. There was negative relationship between relative IgG/IgG2 ratio and probability of pregnancy to AI (P < 0.05). As IgG1/IgG2 ratio increased, probability of P/AI decreased. Mean relative IgG1/IgG2 ratio was lesser (P < 0.05) in cows detected in estrus vs non-estural cows. There was no correlation between serum P4 concentrations and IgG1/IgG2 ratio. The results indicate that blood IgG1/IgG2 at the time AI has a potential to be used as a marker for pregnancy prediction in beef cows.

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Effects of Waning Maternal Immunity on Infection Dynamics in Seasonally Breeding Wildlife

EcoHealth ◽

10.1007/s10393-021-01541-z ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Jaewoon Jeong ◽

Hamish McCallum

Keyword(s):

Maternal Immunity ◽

Infection Dynamics ◽

Seasonally Breeding

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Revisiting Cattle Temperament in Beef Cow-Calf Systems: Insights from Farmers’ Perceptions about an Autochthonous Breed

Animals ◽

10.3390/ani11010082 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

pp. 82

Author(s):

Laura X. Estévez-Moreno ◽

Genaro C. Miranda-de la Lama ◽

Morris Villarroel ◽

Laura García ◽

José Alfonso Abecia ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Genetic Selection ◽

Cattle Breed ◽

Focus Group Discussions ◽

Potential Threat ◽

Group Discussions ◽

Beef Cow ◽

Human Safety ◽

Speed Of Response ◽

Cow Calf ◽

Sensory Acuity

Understanding temperament is an important part of cattle production since undesirable temperament may cause serious problems associated with aggression, maternal care, and human safety. However, little is known about how farmers define or assess temperament, especially in autochthonous cattle breeds. The aim of this study was to explore perceptions of farmers about the temperament of the Pyrenean cattle breed with special attention to beef cow-calf systems in Spain. The methodology used to obtain the information was focus group discussions (FGD). Farmers defined temperament as a behavioural response to challenging situations imposed by human handling. Specific terms used were related to active or passive reactions to fear (e.g., “strong”, “aggressive”, “nervous”, “fearful”). The speed of response to stimuli was also important. Female temperament was thought to become more docile with age while bull temperament was more variable. Maternal aggressiveness was highlighted as a potential human safety problem, but also desirable in an extensively bred animal who may need to defend calves against predators. Anatomical characteristics were seen as unreliable predictors of temperament, while behavioural indicators were more widely used, such as “alertness”, which was a general trait of the breed, and “gaze”, which, when associated with an alert expression, suggests a potential threat. Sensory acuity, such as sight and smell, were thought to be related with temperament in some FGDs but there was no overall agreement as to whether different behavioural responses were due to differences in sensory acuity. The results from the study could be useful during training programs or in the development of new genetic selection schemes and evaluation protocols involving cattle temperament.

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PSI-3 Effects of housing cow-calf pairs in drylots vs pasture during the summer on cow performance

Journal of Animal Science ◽

10.1093/jas/skaa054.398 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 98 (Supplement_3) ◽

pp. 228-228

Author(s):

Keiffer Sexton ◽

Megan Myerscough ◽

Wesley Chapple ◽

William T Meteer ◽

Keela Trennepohl ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Milk Production ◽

Milk Fat ◽

Binary Data ◽

Pregnancy Rates ◽

Corn Silage ◽

Fat Percentage ◽

Beef Cow ◽

Dried Distillers Grains ◽

Milk Urea ◽

Cow Performance

Abstract The objective was to evaluate the effects of maintaining cows in drylots vs pasture on beef cow performance. Spring-calving, Simmental × Angus cows (n = 108; 84 ± 11 d postpartum) were stratified by age, BW, BCS, calving date, and sex of calves and allotted to 6 groups. Groups were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 treatments for 110 d: drylot (DL) or pasture (PAST). Drylot cows were limit-fed a ration consisting of corn silage, dried distillers grains, hay, corn stalks, corn, and soybean hulls to meet protein and energy requirements. Cows on pasture were rotationally grazed and offered free-choice mineral. On d 0, cows were artificially inseminated (AI). On d 0, 53, and 110 (weaning), cow BW and BCS were measured. On d 54 milk production was estimated using the weigh-suckle-weigh technique. Data were analyzed using the MIXED procedure of SAS. All binary data were analyzed using the GLIMMIX procedure of SAS. On d 0 and 53, cow BW did not differ (P ≥ 0.73) between DL and PAST. On d 110, DL cows had 74 kg greater (P < 0.01) BW than PAST cows. The BCS did not differ (P ≥ 0.66) between treatments. There was no difference in milk production (P = 0.93); however, drylot cows tended (P = 0.10) to have reduced milk fat percentage and had reduced (P < 0.01) milk urea nitrogen. There was no difference (P ≥ 0.34) in AI or overall pregnancy rates between treatments. There was no difference in foot angle or claw set (P ≥ 0.17) of cows at any time point. There was also no difference (P = 0.17) in foot treatments between DL (39%) and PAST (4%). Housing cows in drylots compared to pasture increased BW, but did not affect BCS, milk production, and pregnancy rates.

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Infant pertussis and maternal immunity: The curious case of Canada

Vaccine ◽

10.1016/j.vaccine.2021.02.050 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Natasha S. Crowcroft ◽

Shelly Bolotin ◽

Ye Li ◽

Helen Campbell ◽

Gayatri Amirthalingam

Keyword(s):

Maternal Immunity

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Movement orders in spontaneous group movements in cattle: 6-year monitoring of a beef cow herd with changing composition

Journal of Ethology ◽

10.1007/s10164-021-00700-7 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Masahiko Hirata ◽

Minamo Hamada ◽

Ikuko Kawagoe ◽

Koki Okamura ◽

Sakura Yuda

Keyword(s):

Beef Cow ◽

Group Movements

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80 Evaluation of extended release eprinomectin efficacy on multiparous beef cow performance

Journal of Animal Science ◽

10.1093/jas/skz397.024 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 98 (Supplement_2) ◽

pp. 11-11

Author(s):

Laine Zammit ◽

Jermey G Powell ◽

Reagan N Cauble ◽

Toby D Lester ◽

Callan Lichtenwalter ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Extended Release ◽

Reproductive Traits ◽

Economic Loss ◽

Beef Cows ◽

Negative Control ◽

Beef Cow ◽

Body Weights ◽

Calving Season ◽

Cow Performance ◽

Fall Calving

Abstract Internal parasitism inevitability prompts economic loss in beef cattle production by decreasing growth performance and reproductive traits. Previous studies have conflicting results on the macrocyclic lactones (ML) efficacy against internal parasitism. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of milbeymycin and avermectin sub groups of ML on cow performance. Multiparous fall calving, crossbred beef cows (n = 106) were allocated randomly to 1 of 3 anthelmintic treatments: 1) Negative control (CON), in which cows did not receive an anthelmintic, 2) Injectable moxidectin (MOX) and 3) Injectable extended release eprinomectin (ERE). Body weights (BW), body condition scores (BCS), and fecal egg counts (FEC) were taken throughout the duration of the calving season to weaning on d0, d80, d162, and d217, with weaning occurring on d217. Performance data were analyzed using the MIXED procedures of SAS, and pregnancy data were analyzed using the GENMOD procedures of SAS. Significance was fixed at P < 0.05 and tendencies were established from 0.05 ≤ P ≤ 0.10. There was no effect of anthelmintic treatment on cow BW (P ≥ 0.57) or cow BCS (P ≥ 0.22) during the 217 d study; however, CON cows tended to have lower BCS (P = 0.08) throughout the duration of the study. Cows treated with ERE had fewer FEC compared to MOX and CON groups (P ≤ 0.001) and tended to improve pregnancy rates (c2 = 0.0546). Calf weaning weight was similar among treatments averaging 216, 225, and 223 kg regarding CON, MOX, and ERE cow treatments, respectively.

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Assessment of ergot (Claviceps purpurea) exposure in pregnant and postpartum beef cows

Canadian Journal of Animal Science ◽

10.1139/cjas-2017-0098 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 98 (4) ◽

pp. 688-700 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

T. Grusie ◽

V. Cowan ◽

J. Singh ◽

J. McKinnon ◽

B. Blakley

Keyword(s):

Ergot Alkaloid ◽

Post Partum ◽

Ergot Alkaloids ◽

Maximum Size ◽

Beef Cows ◽

Plasma Prolactin ◽

Claviceps Purpurea ◽

Ambient Temperatures ◽

Beef Cow ◽

The Impact

Cows were fed ration for 9 wk containing 5, 48, 201, and 822 μg kg−1 ergot alkaloids. The objective was to evaluate the impact of ergot consumption in beef cow–calf operations. Ergot alkaloids up to 822 μg kg−1 did not alter the weight of peripartum and postpartum beef cows (P = 0.93) or nursing calves (P = 0.08), rectal temperature (P = 0.16), or plasma prolactin concentrations (P = 0.30) at moderate ambient temperatures. Ergot did not influence the time (>1 ng mL−1; P = 0.79) or the progesterone concentration (P = 0.38) at the time of first postpartum rise or the size of the first (14 ± 0.6 mm; P = 0.40) and second (13 ± 0.5 mm; P = 0.41) follicles to ovulate. The maximum size of the first postpartum corpus luteum (CL) was 4 mm larger in the 822 μg kg−1 ergot group compared with the control (P = 0.03) for the first ovulation post partum, but not for the second (P = 0.11). There was no effect of ergot exposure on the number of days until the appearance of the first (43 ± 4 d; P = 0.95) or second (52 ± 4 d; P = 0.98) CL post partum. Ergot alkaloid concentrations up to 822 μg kg−1 did not affect pregnancy rates (X2 = 0.36). In conclusion, ergot alkaloid exposure for 9 wk to concentrations as high as 822 μg kg−1 did not alter performance in pregnant and postpartum beef cattle at moderate ambient temperatures.

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