RELATIONSHIPS BODY CONDITION SCORE, MILK YIELD AND REPRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE OF FIRST-CALVING COWS

2019 ◽  
pp. 71-76
Author(s):  
O. Vasileva ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Milk Yield ◽  
Body Condition ◽  
Reproductive Performance ◽  
Body Condition Score ◽  
Condition Score

scholarly journals Effects of feeding treatment on growth rate and performance of primiparous Holstein dairy heifers

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yannick Le Cozler ◽  
Julien Jurquet ◽  
Nicolas. Bedere
Keyword(s):  
Milk Yield ◽  
Body Condition ◽  
Reproductive Performance ◽  
Feed Intake ◽  
Body Condition Score ◽  
Milk Composition ◽  
Production Performance ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Condition Score ◽  
Catch Up

AbstractThe objective of this study was to investigate effects of feeding-rearing programs that aim for first calving at 20-27 months (mo) of age on growth, reproduction and production performance of Holstein cows at nulliparous and primiparous stages. We hypothesised that, in a seasonal autumn-calving strategy, heifers born late in the season could catch up to the growth of heifers born earlier and be inseminated during the same period, at a body weight (BW) of at least 370 kg. This approach would result in first calving age at 21-22 mo of age without impairing their later performance. To test this hypothesis, we studied 217 heifers over 3 years. They were split into three treatment groups: control feeding (SD), an intensive-plane diet (ID1) from birth to 6 mo of age or an intensive-plane diet from birth to one year of age. Heifers in groups SD and ID1 were born from September until the end of November, while those in ID2 were born later. The present study showed that late-born heifers (ID2) could catch up with the growth of the others due to the feeding treatment, although they were still 42 kg lighter than the SD and ID1 heifers at first calving. No difference in reproductive performance was observed among groups. Once primiparous, the cows reared with the ID2 treatment tended to produce less milk than SD and ID1 cows (ca. 400 kg less on a 305 d basis throughout lactation), and no differences in milk composition, feed intake, body condition score or BW were observed among groups. Age at first service (AFS) was classified a posteriori into three classes: 12.5 (AFS12.5), 14.0 (AFS14.0) and 15.5 mo (AFS15.5) of age. Heifers in AFS12.5 grew faster than those in AFS14.0 and AFS15.5. Once primiparous, the AFS12.5 cows tended to produce less milk at peak than AFS14.0 and AFS15.5 cows (ca. 1.5 kg/d less) although no difference in total milk yield during lactation was observed. No differences in milk composition, feed intake, body condition score or BW were observed among groups. These results support the conclusion that the feeding treatment can enable late-born heifers to catch up to the growth of heifers born earlier in the season. This strategy results in an earlier first calving that does not impair their reproductive performance but does decrease milk yield slightly during first lactation. Future studies should investigate long-term effects of this strategy.

scholarly journals Relation of Automated Body Condition Scoring System and Inline Biomarkers (Milk Yield, β-Hydroxybutyrate, Lactate Dehydrogenase and Progesterone in Milk) with Cow’s Pregnancy Success

Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 1414
Author(s):  
Ramūnas Antanaitis ◽  
Vida Juozaitienė ◽  
Dovilė Malašauskienė ◽  
Mindaugas Televičius ◽  
Mingaudas Urbutis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Lactate Dehydrogenase ◽  
Reproductive Success ◽  
Milk Yield ◽  
Body Condition ◽  
Body Condition Score ◽  
The Body ◽  
Time Analyzer ◽  
Condition Score ◽  
Pregnancy Status ◽  
Body Condition Scoring

The aim of the current study was to evaluate the relation of automatically determined body condition score (BCS) and inline biomarkers such as β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), milk yield (MY), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and progesterone (mP4) with the pregnancy success of cows. The cows (n = 281) had 2.1 ± 0.1. lactations on average, were 151.6 ± 0.06 days postpartum, and were once tested with “Easy scan” ultrasound (IMV imaging, Scotland) at 30–35 d post-insemination. According to their reproductive status, cows were grouped into two groups: non-pregnant (n = 194 or 69.0% of cows) and pregnant (n = 87 or 31.0% of cows). Data concerning their BCS, mP4, MY, BHB, and LDH were collected each day from the day of insemination for 7 days. The BCS was collected with body condition score camera (DeLaval Inc., Tumba, Sweden); mP4, MY, BHB, and LDH were collected with the fully automated real-time analyzer Herd Navigator™ (Lattec I/S, Hillerød, Denmark) in combination with a DeLaval milking robot (DeLaval Inc., Tumba, Sweden). Of all the biomarkers, three differences between groups were significant. The body condition score (BCS) of the pregnant cows was higher (+0.49 score), the milk yield (MY) was lower (−4.36 kg), and milk progesterone in pregnant cows was (+6.11 ng/mL) higher compared to the group of non-pregnant cows (p < 0.001). The pregnancy status of the cows was associated with their BCS assessment (p < 0.001). We estimated that cows with BCS > 3.2 were 22 times more likely to have reproductive success than cows with BCS ≤ 3.2.

scholarly journals Genetic Relationships among Body Condition Score, Body Weight, Milk Yield, and Fertility in Dairy Cows

2003 ◽  
Vol 86 (6) ◽  
pp. 2193-2204 ◽  
Author(s):  
D.P. Berry ◽  
F. Buckley ◽  
P. Dillon ◽  
R.D. Evans ◽  
M. Rath ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Weight ◽  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Milk Yield ◽  
Body Condition ◽  
Body Condition Score ◽  
Genetic Relationships ◽  
Condition Score

scholarly journals Relationships among body condition score, milk yield and reproduction in Czech Fleckvieh cows

2008 ◽  
Vol 53 (No. 9) ◽  
pp. 357-367 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Jílek ◽  
P. Pytloun ◽  
M. Kubešová ◽  
M. Štípková ◽  
J. Bouška ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Milk Yield ◽  
Body Condition ◽  
Body Condition Score ◽  
The Body ◽  
Yield Level ◽  
Subsequent Decrease ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Condition Score ◽  
Statistical Program ◽  
Cattle Reproduction

The objective of this study was to confirm the relationship among body condition score at the time around parturition, milk yield in subsequent lactation, reproductive efficiency and BCS development in Czech Fleckvieh dairy cows. The BCS and milk yield were measured once a month and the cows were divided into groups according to their BCS before and after calving. Next, data from the database of cattle reproduction of the Czech Fleckvieh herd book were used. The dataset was analyzed by multifactorial analysis of variance using procedures COOR and GLM of the statistical program SAS. Cows with lower BCS in the 1<sup>st</sup> month after calving showed an increase in both milk yield and fat and protein corrected milk (FPCM) yield. No significant relationship was found between the BCS level before calving and subsequent milk yield. The body condition level in the last month before parturition influenced its subsequent decrease in the first phase of lactation. The group of cows with the highest BCS level before calving retained a high BCS level in the first five months of lactation. Adequately, the group of cows with the lowest BCS in the first month of lactation had the lowest BCS in the next four months. BCS before calving was not related to reproduction indicators, but the significant effect of BCS in the 1<sup>st</sup> month after calving on the length of calving to the first service interval was confirmed. The group of cows with BCS > 3.5 in the 1<sup>st</sup> month after calving had the most favourable reproduction indicators, also when the milk yield level was taken into account.

scholarly journals Effect of dietary-induced increases in circulating insulin concentrations during the early postpartum period on reproductive function in dairy cows

Reproduction ◽  
2002 ◽  
pp. 419-427 ◽  
Author(s):  
JG Gong ◽  
WJ Lee ◽  
PC Garnsworthy ◽  
R Webb
Keyword(s):  
Body Weight ◽  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Milk Yield ◽  
Body Condition ◽  
Reproductive Performance ◽  
Body Condition Score ◽  
Post Partum ◽  
Dietary Treatment ◽  
Genetic Merit ◽  
Selection For

Although it has become increasingly clear that fertility in modern dairy cattle is declining in association with increased milk yields, the underlying mechanism is poorly understood. The first ovulation post partum is delayed in dairy cows undergoing selection for genetic merit for milk yield in association with lower circulating insulin concentrations. The aim of this study was to investigate whether feeding a diet to increase circulating insulin concentrations can overcome this delay in the first ovulation post partum. The experiment was a 2 x 2 factorial design (n = 10 per group) involving diet and genetic merit for milk yield. The dietary treatment started on the day of calving and lasted for 50 days. Plasma samples were collected each day and ovarian ultra-sonography was performed three times a week during the experimental feeding period. Milk yield was recorded each day, and body weight and body condition score were determined each week. Milk samples were collected three times a week from day 50 to day 105 post partum, and reproductive performance data were recorded for all the cows as part of the routine farm practice. The dietary treatment induced significant differences in plasma insulin concentrations in both high and low genetic merit cows. Although high genetic merit cows produced more milk, lost more body weight and had lower body condition scores during the experiment, no significant effect of diet was observed on these measurements. The high insulin inducing diet increased the proportion of cows ovulating within 50 days of calving and reduced the intervals from calving to first ovulation, and tended to reduce the intervals from calving to first service and to conception. These fertility parameters were also more favourable in low than in high genetic merit cows, but no interaction between diet and genetic merit was observed for any of these parameters. Genetic merit, but not diet, also affected the number of services required per conception and the conception rate. In conclusion, these results have confirmed that genetic selection for high milk yield is associated with a decrease in reproductive performance in dairy cows. More importantly, this study has demonstrated that it is possible to alleviate this problem by nutritional manipulation.

The effect of level of nutrition prior to mating on the reproductive performance of ewes of two welsh breeds in different levels of body condition

1991 ◽  
Vol 52 (1) ◽  
pp. 157-163 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. G. Gunn ◽  
T. J. Maxwell ◽  
D. A. Sim ◽  
J. R. Jones ◽  
M. E. James
Keyword(s):  
Body Condition ◽  
Reproductive Performance ◽  
Body Condition Score ◽  
High Surface ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Corpora Lutea ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
Treatment Groups ◽  
Condition Score ◽  
Body Condition Scores

ABSTRACTThe effects of high-low (HL) and low-high (LH) patterns of nutrition during the 5 weeks prior to a synchronized mating were studied on the reproductive performance of 115 Welsh Mountain and 114 Brecknock Cheviot ewes in a range of body condition at the start of treatment. For 2 months prior to treatment imposition, ewes were grazed in a systematic way at different stocking rates on different sward heights to obtain a range of body condition scores. Target score groupings were 2·00 to 2·25, 2·50 to 2·75 and 3·00 to 3·25 and although scores of 1·50 to 3·25 were obtained, most lay in the 2·00 to 2·75 range. Two treatment groups, balanced for live weight and body condition score, received high and low levels of nutrition for 16 days from mid October, achieved, respectively, by a low stocking rate on a sward with a high surface height plus ad libitum concentrate and a high stocking rate on a sward with a low surface height plus 200 g hay per head per day. Treatments were then reversed for the 17 days prior to mating. Live-weight and body condition-score changes were recorded and reproductive performance at first mating was measured from counts of corpora lutea and viable embryos at slaughter either at return to service or at 4 weeks after first mating. There were no differences due to nutritional pattern in live weight or body condition score at mating. The LH treatment significantly increased the rates of ovulation, conception, multiple ova survival and potential lambing per ewe pregnant and per ewe mated in the Welsh Mountain breed but significantly increased only the rates of ovulation and potential lambing per ewe pregnant in the Brecknock Cheviot breed compared with the HL treatment. The relatively poorer response in the latter breed was partially due to a lower ovulation rate potential coupled with non-significantly lower rates of conception and survival of single-shed ova associated with the LH treatment. Much of this relatively poorer reproductive performance in the Brecknock Cheviot breed was in ewes with body condition scores 3= 2·75. Reproductive performance increased with increasing body condition at the start of treatment over the range of scores =≤ 2·25 to 2·50 in both breeds and, while continuing to improve in scores above 2·50 in the Welsh Mountain breed, in the Brecknock Cheviot breed it started to decline. Ewes with a body condition score of 2·50 in both breeds showed the greatest response in potential lambing rate to the LH treatment.

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