Because of difficulties in data collection and analysis, in most breeds there have been limited ways to evaluate fertility in females on a between-herd basis. The objective of this study was to determine the heritabilities (direct and maternal) for CD (calving day) and AFC (age at first calving) in American Angus heifers and to evaluate the potential for using these traits in genetic improvemen...

The hypothesis of a continuous variation in the expression of muscular hypertrophy has been tested using field data. A modification of NEUVY and VISSAC's cularity index method (Culard Index) was assayed. Expression of muscular hypertrophy showed a broad phenotypical variability. Environmental factors affecting expression of muscular hypertrophy characterised by Culard Index were calving season,...

An increase in on-farm mortality (euthanasia and death) in dairy herds has been reported in several countries in the last decade. This does not only imply possible problems with animal welfare, but it also causes economic losses to the farmer. The objective of this study was to evaluate time trends in on-farm dairy cow mortality in Sweden and identify potential herd-level risk factors. Data wer...

Primiparous beef cows produced in 3 calving systems were used in a 2-yr study with a completely random design to measure milk yield throughout a 190-d lactation (2002, n = 20; 2003, n = 24 per calving system). Calving occurred in late winter (average calving date = February 4 +/- 2 d), early spring (average calving date = March 30 +/- 2 d), and late spring (average calving date = May 26 +/- 1 d...

Potential variables for the reproductive success of beef cows were evaluated. Included in model age cow at calving; interval between Julian calving date and end breeding season; body weight conditions calving, 75 days post-partum mean daily variation these dates. Logistic regression was used analysis, with parameters evaluated using odds ratio statistic, estimating chance pregnancy. The rate pr...

Twenty pregnant buffaloes, eight weeks before the expected calving date, were assigned into two homogeneous groups of 10 animals each, according to their season of lactation (2nd to 8th season of lactation); The first group (G1) were fed on a ration consisting of concentrate feed mixture (22% yellow corn, 35% cotton seed meal, 33% wheat bran, 4% rice bran, 3% molasses, 2% limestone and 1% sodiu...

The purpose of this study was to evaluate associations of lactation, somatic cell count score (SCCS) at breeding, milk yield, lactation number, interval from calving to breeding (days open), number of times inseminated, and season of breeding on fetal loss for lactating Holstein females (both first-parity and multiparous cows) and nonlactating Holstein heifers in a hot climate. Females were pal...

________________________________________________________________________________ Abstract Belgian Blue double-muscled (BBDM) heifers (n = 341) were used to investigate the effect of body weight (BW) at first calving at an age of two years (BWC). Females with a birth weight (BWB) <40 kg realized a lower body weight gain (BWG) up to an age of four months and they also had a significant lower BWC....

This study compared the accuracy of several models for obtaining genetic evaluations of calving difficulty. The models were univariate threshold animal (TAM), threshold sire-maternal grandsire (TSM), linear animal (LAM), and linear sire-maternal grandsire (LSM) models and bivariate threshold-linear animal (TLAM), threshold-linear sire-maternal grandsire (TLSM), linear-linear animal (LLAM), and ...