scholarly journals The influence of calf rearing methods and milking methods on performance traits of crossbred dairy cattle in Thailand – 2. Reproductive performance and cow body weight

2004 ◽  
Vol 47 (4) ◽  
pp. 303-312
Author(s):  
N. Boonbrahm ◽  
K. J. Peters ◽  
W. Intisang
Keyword(s):  
Body Weight ◽  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Reproductive Performance ◽  
Body Weight Change ◽  
Experimental Animals ◽  
Machine Milking ◽  
Holstein Friesian ◽  
Days Open ◽  
Rearing Methods ◽  
Calf Rearing

Abstract. Forty Thai x Holstein-Friesian (HF) crossbred dairy cows (75 % and 87.5 % HF upgrade level) with calves were used in experiments to investigate restricted suckling (RS) versus bucket rearing (BR) and hand versus machine milking in Thailand. Calves were kept indoors and remained with their dams during the first 4 days and were then allocated to the RS or BS treatment. Milking was done twice daily and RS-calves were allowed to suckle for 15 minutes after milking. All experimental animals were fed according to requirements with concentrate supplements, minerals and water ad lib. This paper reports effects on reproductive performance and weight of cows. Calving to first oestrus interval in cows with RS and BR calves were 72.2 ± 2.5 and 54.7 ± 2.5 (p < 0.001), respectively, and days open 114.2 ± 6.68 and 86.5 ± 6.7 (p < 0.01). Milking method (hand or machine) had no effect on days to first oestrus and days open. Primiparous cows had a longer calving to first oestrus interval than multiparous cows (p < 0.001) (72.3 ± 2.8 vs 54.5 ± 2.3) and a longer days open period (p < 0.01) (114.4 ± 7.4 vs 86.2 ± 6.1). Body weight change of cows during the first 2 months of lactation was not affected by any treatment or systematic factor tested.

Improving reproductive performance in lactating dairy cows by synchronising ovulation or inducing oestrus

2002 ◽  
Vol 50 (2) ◽  
pp. 231-234 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gy. Gábor ◽  
J. P. Kastelic ◽  
S. Pintér ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Reproductive Performance ◽  
Fixed Time ◽  
Pregnancy Rates ◽  
Preliminary Trial ◽  
Lactating Cows ◽  
Lactating Dairy Cows ◽  
Considerable Promise ◽  
Holstein Friesian ◽  
Prostaglandin F

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.

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.

Effect of genetic merit on postpartum follicular development, milk production, body weight and, insulin and glucose levels in dairy cows

1998 ◽  
Vol 1998 ◽  
pp. 188-188 ◽  
Author(s):  
S.E.M. Snijders ◽  
K. O'Farrell ◽  
M. P. Boland ◽  
P. Dillon ◽  
M. Diskin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Weight ◽  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Milk Production ◽  
Reproductive Performance ◽  
Body Weight Loss ◽  
Growth Patterns ◽  
Ovarian Activity ◽  
Genetic Merit ◽  
Glucose Levels ◽  
Production Body

Efficient milk production in Ireland in both spring and autumn calving herds is very much dependent on compact calving. This requires an early resumption of ovarian activity, high submission rate, and pregnancy rate to service. Since 1984 there has been an increase in the genetic merit of Irish dairy herds. High genetic merit animals have reduced reproductive performance due to the demands of high milk yield (Nebel and McGilliard, 1993) and the loss of body weight and body condition (Butler and Smith, 1989). However, little comparative data on the reproductive performance of dairy cows of different genetic merit are available. The objective of this study was therefore, to determine the relationship between genetic merit of dairy cows and follicular growth patterns, milk production, body weight loss, insulin and glucose levels in early lactation.

An evaluation of the effect of nutritional strategy in early lactation on reproductive performance of Holstein-Friesian 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 ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Reproductive Performance ◽  
Dairy Farms ◽  
Pregnancy Rates ◽  
Early Lactation ◽  
Nutritional Strategy ◽  
Holstein Friesian ◽  
On Farm

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.

77 REPRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE OF DAIRY COWS DIFFERING IN THE INTERVAL FROM CALVING TO THE FIRST OVULATION IN THE POSTPARTUM PERIOD

2012 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 151
Author(s):  
M. Yamaguchi ◽  
S. Takahashi ◽  
H. Koyama ◽  
O. Dochi
Keyword(s):  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Milk Yield ◽  
Reproductive Performance ◽  
Postpartum Period ◽  
Body Condition Score ◽  
Early Recovery ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Condition Score ◽  
Peripartum Period ◽  
Days Open

In recent years, reproductive performance of dairy cows has declined worldwide. The reproductive characteristics of dairy cows should be evaluated to improve their fertility. Dochi et al. (2010) had reported that dairy cows that exhibited early first ovulation gave a low milk yield, had an early recovery of body condition score (BCS) in the postpartum period and a shorter number of days open. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of BCS on the functional recovery of reproduction after the birth of the calves. In this study, lactating Holstein cows were placed in free-stall housing equipped with an automatic milking system. The data presented in this study were collected from 48 cows that had calved between December 2007 and October 2010 with an average parity of 3.4 (range 2–6). The reproductive performance and the BCS during the different intervals between calving and the first ovulation were analysed using ANOVA. The conception rate at the first service was 38.1%. The average milk yield (305 days) was 12 299 kg. The first ovulation and oestrus were determined by ultrasonography. The results of the different intervals to the first ovulation are presented in Table 1. The average interval from the start of days in milk (DIM) to the first ovulation, first oestrus and first service; the number of days open; the number of services per conception and the milk yield (kg day–1, by 90 DIM) were 37.4, 54.7 and 110.3 days; 168.2 days open; 2.5 times; and 42.1 kg day–1, respectively. The cows that exhibited early first ovulation (≤21 DIM) in the postpartum period had significantly shorter intervals between the start of DIM and the first oestrus (P < 0.01). However, the days to first service, the number of days open, the number of services per conception and the milk yield (kg day–1, by 90 DIM) did not differ significantly. The BCS in the peripartum period of different intervals to the first ovulation decreased from 3.1 to 2.4 by 150 DIM. This study showed that average BCS of preparturient 50–10 DIM is 3.0. Moreover, the average BCS of parturition is declining to 2.5 (parturition from 70 to 150 DIM). The cows became pregnant after an increase in the BCS (>150 DIM). In conclusion, these results suggest that the delay to the first ovulation in the postpartum period tended to have delayed the oestrus expression in the cows. Moreover, the low level of BCS in the peripartum period, regardless of the number of days of the first ovulation and the first oestrus, potentially influenced the prolongation in the number of days open. To improve the fertility of the cows, it is important to elucidate the factors affecting the fluctuations in the BCS during the peripartum period. Table 1.Reproductive performance of dairy cows differing in interval to postpartum first ovulation

Reproductive performance, growth and carcass characteristics of gilts mated at puberty, restricted in food intake during gestation and slaughtered post-partum

1982 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 17-29 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. I. Elliot ◽  
G. A. Lodge ◽  
A. Fortin ◽  
Elizabeth Larmond
Keyword(s):  
Body Weight ◽  
Weight Gain ◽  
Reproductive Performance ◽  
Food Restriction ◽  
Post Partum ◽  
Carcass Characteristics ◽  
Average Weight ◽  
Carcass Quality ◽  
Body Weight Change ◽  
Acceptable Range

ABSTRACTSeventy-four Yorkshire gilts, mated at puberty, were used in three experiments to study the effect of severe food restriction, 0·45 kg/day for either the last 15 or 30 days of gestation, on reproductive performance, body-weight change, and carcass quality and meat acceptability. The objective of the experiments was to assess the feasibility of limiting weight gain during gestation to produce an acceptable carcass post-partum, within the market weight range of 55 to 90 kg. Age and weight at puberty averaged 170·3 days and 99·1 kg respectively. Litter size averaged 9·3 liveborn piglets at an average weight of 1·13 kg. The necessary reduction in weight gain during gestation to bring final carcass weight within the acceptable range was associated with a significant reduction in mean individual birth weight to below 1·0 kg. Sensory evaluation of loin and ham joints from mated and unmated gilts of market weight revealed no differences in juiciness or flavour but both loin and ham joints from maiden gilts were significantly more tender than those from gilts that had farrowed and from unmated controls of the same age as those that had farrowed

scholarly journals The Effect of Body Condition Score on the Biochemical Blood Indices and Reproductive Performance of Dairy Cows

2016 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 129-143 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara Stefańska ◽  
Włodzimierz Nowak ◽  
Ewa Pruszyńska-Oszmałek ◽  
Robert Mikuła ◽  
Daniel Stanisławski ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Body Condition ◽  
Reproductive Performance ◽  
Body Condition Score ◽  
Conception Rate ◽  
Early Lactation ◽  
Blood Indices ◽  
Igf I ◽  
Condition Score ◽  
Days Open

Abstract The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of BCS (Body Condition Score) on the calving day and its decrease during early lactation on the biochemical blood indices and reproductive performance. One hundred and thirty-one Polish Holstein-Friesian cows were divided into three groups according to the North-American body condition score on the calving day (AC≤3.5 point BCS; MID 3.51-3.75 point BCS; FAT>3.75 point BCS) and according to the decrease in BCS during early lactation (HG >0.49 point BCS; WEL 0.49-0.25 point BCS, L<0.25 point BCS). In current study, significant interaction between change of BCS during early lactation and time of blood sampling on BHBA concentration was observed. In the AC group (≤3.5 BCS), the highest concentrations of glucose on 3 and 5 d of lactation compared to the MID and FAT groups and of insulin on 28 d and also IGF-I on 5 and 28 d of lactation compared to the FAT group were recorded. In the FAT group, the highest concentration of NEFA on 3 and 5 d compared to the AC group and of BHBA on 28 d of lactation compared to the MID group was recorded. The body condition score on the parturition day affected the reproductive performance; in the FAT group (>3.75 BCS) the lowest conception rate of the first insemination, insemination index and thereby the longest days open were observed. The highest decreases in BCS (HG >0.49 points) resulted in increased concentrations of NEFA on 3 d and of BHBA on 3 and 5 d. Moreover, in the HG group, the lowest concentration of T3 on 3, 5 and 28 d as compared to the WEL group was recorded. We concluded that the BCS (>3.5 points) on the calving day had a significantly negative effect on the metabolic status of dairy cows in the postpartum period estimated by the concentration of biochemical blood indices characterising carbohydrates (IGF-I, insulin) and lipid (NEFA, BHBA) metabolism and also the reproductive performance such as the conception rate of the first insemination, insemination index, days open. We suggested that the blood serum concentrations of IGF-I and NEFA were the most sensitive biochemical markers of the metabolic status of dairy cows in our study.

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