Phenotypic effects of calving ease on the subsequent fertility and milk production of dam and calf in UK Holstein-Friesian heifers.

نویسندگان

  • S A E Eaglen
  • M P Coffey
  • J A Woolliams
  • R Mrode
  • E Wall
چکیده

The effect of calving ease on the fertility and production performance of both dam and calf was studied in approximately 50,000 and 10,000 UK Holstein-Friesian heifers and heifer calves, respectively. The first objective of this study was to estimate the effect of a difficult calving on the subsequent first-lactation milk production by estimating lactation curves using cubic splines. This methodology allows the estimation of daily milk, protein, and fat yields following calvings of differing degrees of difficulty. Losses in milk yield after a difficult calving have been quantified previously; however, estimates are generally restricted to the accumulated yields at specific days in lactation. By fitting cubic splines, gaps (in which the shape of the lactation curve can be merely guessed) between estimations were avoided. The second objective of this study was to estimate the effect of a difficult birth on the subsequent performance of the calf as an adult animal. Even though the calving process is known to involve cooperation between dam and calf, the effect of a difficult calving has, until now, only been estimated for the subsequent performance of the dam. Addressing the effects of a difficult birth on the adult calf strengthens the importance of calving ease as a selection trait because it suggests that the benefit of genetic improvement may currently be underestimated. The effect of calving ease on the subsequent reproductive performance of dam and calf was analyzed using linear regression and with calving ease score fitted as a fixed effect. Dams with veterinary-assisted calvings required 0.7 more services to conception and 8 more days to first service and experienced a 28-d longer calving interval in first lactation compared with dams that were not assisted at calving. Effects of calving ease on the reproductive performance of the adult calf in first lactation were not detected. Losses in milk yield of the dam were significant between d 9 to 90 in milk subsequent to a veterinary-assisted calving, creating a loss of approximately 2 kg of milk per day, compared with a nonassisted calving. Calves being born with difficulties showed a significant reduction in milk yield in first lactation, demonstrating the lifelong effect of a difficult birth. Compared with nonassisted calves, veterinary-assisted calves showed a loss of 710 kg in accumulated 305-d milk yield, which was significant from 129 to 261 d in milk. This suggests that from birth to production, physiological effects of a bad calving are not negated. Results furthermore suggest a beneficial effect of farmer assistance at calving on the milk yield of both dam and calf, when moderate difficulties occurred.

برای دانلود متن کامل این مقاله و بیش از 32 میلیون مقاله دیگر ابتدا ثبت نام کنید

ثبت نام

اگر عضو سایت هستید لطفا وارد حساب کاربری خود شوید

منابع مشابه

Evaluation of Fertility and Calving Ease of Small Holder Indigenous Cattle Herds in Semi-Arid Zone of Nigeria

This study had the objective of determining the fertility and calving ease of small holder indigenous cattle herds inseminated with imported semen from proven sires. Sixty one indigenous cows of different breed origin (Bunaji, Sokoto Gudali and Rahaji) were selected from different herds across Jigawa state-Nigeria, and were used for this study. The selected dams were inseminated with semen from...

متن کامل

Association between growth rates, age at first calving and subsequent fertility, milk production and survival in Holstein-Friesian heifers

Age at first calving (AFC) affects the profitability of dairy enterprises. This study examined the relationships between AFC and subsequent fertility, milk production and survival up to third calving in UK Holstein-Friesian heifers; Study 1 comprised 134 consecutively born heifers from the same herd (AFC 764 ± 8 days) and Study 2 contained 445 heifers born on 17 farms (AFC 796 ± 6 days). Growth...

متن کامل

Reproductive Performance of Friesian-Holstein Cows at Sebele Research Station in South Eastern Botswana

Retrospective data from Sebele Dairy Farm were analysed for reproductive performance of Friesian/Holstein cows. Three hundred records from 1989 to 1995 were used. The herd was zero grazed and the data was analysed for age at first calving (AFC), calf birth weights (BW), calving interval (CI), days open (DO), calving rate (CR), reproductive wastage (RW) and calving difficulty (CD); dystocia, aft...

متن کامل

مقایسه ارزیابی گاوهای هلشتاین برای تولید شیر با استفاده از مدل‌های روز آزمون و 305 روز

A total of 179,460 monthly test-day milk records (thrice a day milking) obtained from 17,946 Iranian Holstein heifers distributed in 287 herds and calved from 1986 to 2001 were used to predict breeding value of animals. Monthly test-day milk production was analysed by applying a covariance function in which the effects of herd-year-season of production (HYSOP), age at test day (covariate), addi...

متن کامل

مقایسه ارزیابی گاوهای هلشتاین برای تولید شیر با استفاده از مدل‌های روز آزمون و 305 روز

A total of 179,460 monthly test-day milk records (thrice a day milking) obtained from 17,946 Iranian Holstein heifers distributed in 287 herds and calved from 1986 to 2001 were used to predict breeding value of animals. Monthly test-day milk production was analysed by applying a covariance function in which the effects of herd-year-season of production (HYSOP), age at test day (covariate), addi...

متن کامل

ذخیره در منابع من


  با ذخیره ی این منبع در منابع من، دسترسی به آن را برای استفاده های بعدی آسان تر کنید

برای دانلود متن کامل این مقاله و بیش از 32 میلیون مقاله دیگر ابتدا ثبت نام کنید

ثبت نام

اگر عضو سایت هستید لطفا وارد حساب کاربری خود شوید

عنوان ژورنال:
  • Journal of dairy science

دوره 94 11  شماره 

صفحات  -

تاریخ انتشار 2011