scholarly journals Adding wheat to a pre-partum diet of Holstein cows favours post-partum protein utilization and benefits calcium status

2020 ◽  
Vol 50 (4) ◽  
pp. 588-599
Author(s):  
H.M. Alamouti ◽  
H. Amanlou ◽  
K. Rezayazdi ◽  
M. Vazirigohar ◽  
M.Z. Ihsan ◽  
...  

This study evaluated the effects of replacing corn with wheat on the lactation performance, ruminal fermentation, plasma metabolites and hormonal profiles of multiparous Holstein cows. Thirty-four multiparous cows were divided into two equal groups, based on parity, body condition score, and bodyweight. The basal diet was supplemented with 186 g/kg corn or wheat, and was offered from day -28 (±7) relative to the date of expected calving. After calving, all cows received the same diet for four weeks (day +28). The wheat diets increased (P <0.05) the body condition score in the peri-parturient period and caused greater changes in dry matter intake and bodyweight post-partum, with no differences in energy balance compared with the corn diets. Further, the wheat increased (P <0.05) the concentration of propionate in the rumen, thus reducing the ratio of acetate to propionate, and produced (P <0.05) more milk and milk protein, but had reduced levels of urea nitrogen in the milk and serum. Similarly, the wheat diets increased (P <0.05) the plasma concentrations of albumin and glucose, and reduced (P <0.05) triglycerides with no effect (P >0.10) post partum on insulin, cortisol, β-hydroxybutyric acid and aspartate aminotransferase. The replacement of corn with wheat increased (P <0.05) plasma calcium and reduced non-esterified fatty acids around calving (day 0±1) and post-partum (days 0 to +28), and reduced urinary pH during the last week relative to the date of expected calving.Keywords: calving, energy balance, grain source, peri-parturient period

2019 ◽  
Vol 61 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rasmus Bovbjerg Jensen ◽  
Lucca Louise Rockhold ◽  
Anne-Helene Tauson

Abstract Background The main objectives of this study were to evaluate the accuracy of different body weight formulas for estimating body weight of Icelandic and Warmblood horses, as well as to assess the associations between the variables cresty neck score, body condition score, and plasma concentrations of leptin, insulin and cortisol. A total of 81 adult (≥ 4 years of age) horses (43 Icelandic and 38 Warmblood horses) was included in this study. The following morphological measurements were collected by two examiners simultaneously; body weight; height at withers; neck length; 0.5 neck length; neck circumference; umbilical circumference, two different heart girths, as well as two different body length measurements. The horse’s body weights were measured on a weight scale, and cresty neck scores were rated along with body condition scores using both the 0 to 5 and the 1 to 9 systems. Results In general, the concordance correlation coefficient was high for most formulas, but the mean bias and slope bias deviations varied between formulas. Some simple formulas using only heart girth, or heart girth and length can be used to estimate body weight of Icelandic and Warmblood horses as good as more complex formulas using four morphometric measurements. Plasma concentrations of leptin and insulin were higher (P < 0.001) for the Icelandic than the Warmblood horses, probably reflecting higher body fat content as suggested by the differences in body condition score. Conclusions Body weight formulas only give an estimate of body weight and not a completely correct determination. Some simple and more complex formulas can be used for Icelandic horses even though they are not developed for this breed. Complex formulas using four morphometric measurements were accurate, but simple formulas using only heart girth, or heart girth and length can be used to estimate body weight and thereby be applied to weight tapes and used to estimate the body weight of both Icelandic and Warmblood horses.


Author(s):  
Petra Puklová ◽  
Jan Šubrt ◽  
Dušan Skrip ◽  
Radek Filipčík

The objective of our research was to evaluate the effect of some factors on the embryonic mortality of Holstein-Friesian dairy cows in a herd. Monitoring was conducted in the course of three years (2006–2009) at a level of (9330–8970) kg/dairy cow per lactation. We monitored the reproduction parameters of 209 dairy cows (1st to 8th lactation). Ultrasonography was used to diagnose gravidity, and/or embryonic mortality, in each cow 6 times, at regular 4-day intervals between days 22 and 42 after insemination. We analysed the effect of 3 factors on embryonic mortality: age, body condition score and season of the year at the time of insemination. Embryonic mortality relative to the age of the female was significantly the lowest (20.69 %) in cows aged 42 to 47 months (3.5–3.9 years); high embryonic mortality (45.46 %) was recorded in the youngest females of 24 to 29 months of age (2.0–2.4 years). The results indicated that the body condition score of the cow at the time of insemination had a statistically significant (P > 0.01) effect on embryonic mortality (EM). Embryonic mortality was the lowest when the body condition of the cow was “ideal”, i.e. 5 points of the BCS (at the most 9 points). The season of the year when insemination was carried out had a positive effect on embryonic mortality.


2013 ◽  
Vol 93 (2) ◽  
pp. 287-292 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diego Andres Velasco Acosta ◽  
Luiz Francisco Machado Pfeifer ◽  
Eduardo Schmitt ◽  
Augusto Schneider ◽  
Pedro Augusto Silva Silveira ◽  
...  

Acosta, D. A. V., Pfeifer, L. F. M., Schmitt, E., Schneider, A., Silveira, P. A. S., Jacometo, C. B., Brauner, C. C., Rabassa, V. R., Corrêa, M. N. and Del Pino, F. A. B. 2013. Effect of prepartum somatotropin injection in late pregnant Holstein heifers with high body condition score on metabolic parameters, resumption of ovulation and milk production. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 93: 287–292. In the early post-partum period of dairy cows the duration and intensity of negative energy balance, the level of body condition score (BCS) loss and the milk yield are strongly associated with the timing of the first ovulation. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of pre-partum injections of somatotropin in dairy heifers with high BCS on the metabolism, resumption of ovarian activity and milk production. Holstein heifers (n=20) with high BCS, were divided randomly into two groups: somatotropin (n=10), which received two doses of somatotropin (500 mg) at −28 and −14 d from calving and Control (n=10), which received placebo. Blood samples were collected for evaluation of β-hydroxybutyrate (BHBA) and non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) concentrations. Follicular development was also monitored via ultrasound. Somatotropin had no effect on plasma NEFA (P=0.35 and P=0.46) or BHBA (P=0.20 and P=0.44,) concentrations in the pre-partum and post-partum period, respectively. Milk production was not different between control (17.53±0.66 kg cow−1 d−1) and somatotropin groups (16.13±0.67 kg cow−1 d−1) (P=0.14). Pre-partum somatotropin administration did not affect (P=0.28) the time of the first post-partum ovulation. The proportion of cows ovulating the first post-partum follicular wave was not different between groups (P=0.49). In conclusion, pre-partum somatotropin treatment in dairy heifers with high body condition score seems not to have any effect on markers of energy balance, milk production or development of the first follicular wave in the early post-partum period.


Author(s):  
Edir Torres ◽  
Miguel Mellado ◽  
Carlos Leyva ◽  
José Eduardo García ◽  
Francisco Gerardo Véliz ◽  
...  

Abstract: The objective of this work was to identify the serum metabolites and the body condition score (BCS) of Holstein cows associated with the occurrence of periparturient diseases, when under heat stress. Blood samples were collected from 181 cows one week after calving, and the BCS was recorded at calving. Cows with β-hydroxybutyrate (BHBA) concentration ≥ 0.8 mmol L-1 were 2.2 times more likely to develop metritis and 4.4 times more likely to develop clinical endometritis (CE). Cows with serum creatinine levels ≥ 2.0 mg dL-1 showed 2.2 and 4.5 greater risk (p ≤ 0.05) of suffering from metritis and CE, respectively, during the current lactation. The odds of metritis and CE occurrence were 2.7 and 4.6 times greater (p < 0.01) in cows with serum total protein (TP) ≥ 5.0 mg dL-1. Cows with serum glucose levels ≤ 70 mg dL-1 and non-esterified fatty acids (NEFAs) ≥ 0.5 had 9.4 and 8.8 times greater odds of developing clinical ketosis, respectively, than cows with lower glucose and NEFA blood levels. The strategic use of metabolic tests to monitor transition Holstein cows, aiming to prevent some postpartum diseases due to heat stress, should focus on blood BHBA, NEFAs, glucose, creatinine, and TP. Additionally, the BCS ≤ 3.2 should be avoided to prevent endometritis.


Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 1674
Author(s):  
Ilona Strączek ◽  
Krzysztof Młynek ◽  
Agata Danielewicz

A significant factor in improving the performance of dairy cows is their physiological ability to correct a negative energy balance (NEB). This study, using Simmental (SIM) and Holstein-Friesian (HF) cows, aimed to assess changes in NEB (non-esterified fatty acid; body condition score; and C16:0, C18:0, and C18:1) and its effect on the metabolic efficiency of the liver (β-hydroxybutyrate and urea). The effects of NEB on daily yield, production at peak lactation and its duration, and changes in selected milk components were assessed during complete lactation. Up to peak lactation, the loss of the body condition score was similar in both breeds. Subsequently, SIM cows more efficiently restored their BCS. HF cows reached peak lactation faster and with a higher milk yield, but they were less able to correct NEB. During lactation, their non-esterified fatty acid, β-hydroxybutyrate, C16:0, C18:0, C18:1, and urea levels were persistently higher, which may indicate less efficient liver function during NEB. The dynamics of NEB were linked to levels of leptin, which has anorectic effects. Its content was usually higher in HF cows and during intensive lactogenesis. An effective response to NEB may be exploited to improve the production and nutritional properties of milk. In the long term, it may extend dairy cows’ productive life and increase lifetime yield.


Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 1414
Author(s):  
Ramūnas Antanaitis ◽  
Vida Juozaitienė ◽  
Dovilė Malašauskienė ◽  
Mindaugas Televičius ◽  
Mingaudas Urbutis ◽  
...  

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.


2011 ◽  
Vol 24 (5) ◽  
pp. 610-615 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takeshi Yamazaki ◽  
Hisato Takeda ◽  
Akiko Nishiura ◽  
Youji Sasai ◽  
Naoko Sugawara ◽  
...  

1985 ◽  
Vol 41 (2) ◽  
pp. 167-175 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. J. Ducker ◽  
Rosemary A. Haggett ◽  
W. J. Fisher ◽  
S. V. Morant

ABSTRACTData from a large controlled experiment to investigate the effect of level of nutrition on reproductive performance were used to assess the value of production and blood measures as indicators of energy status in lactating dairy heifers. Live-weight change showed the strongest and most consistent relationship to mean energy balance (the difference between metabolizable energy intake and that used for milk production and maintenance) (P < 0·01 to P < 0·001). Body-condition score at a particular time was more closely related to mean energy balance in the preceding 4-week period (P < 0·05) than current energy balance. There was also a lag in the relationship between energy balance and live-weight change and mean body-condition score. Ultrasonic back fat measurements were significantly correlated with both loin and tailhead body-condition score (P < 0·001) but were more strongly related to mean energy balance in the preceding period (P < 0·05 to P < 0·001) than the body-condition scores.Blood samples were taken from all heifers 2 weeks before calving and 1, 5, 9, 13 and 18 weeks after calving and were analysed for 13 constituents. Concentrations of blood metabolites did not show consistently strong correlations with mean energy balance. The only blood metabolite to be measurably affected by the nutritional treatments applied in lactation was β-hydroxybutyrate.At best, combinations of production measures and blood metabolites were only able to predict the mean daily energy balance with a 95% confidence interval of ±20 MJ for an individual animal although this confidence interval was reduced to ±3 MJ for 100 animals.


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