Influence of gestation length, seasonality, and calf sex on birth weight and placental retention in crossbred dairy cows

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of gestation length, season at calving (autumn-winter vs. spring-summer) and calf sex on birth weight and incidence of retained placenta (RP) in crossbred lactating dairy cows. A total of 187 parturitions were evaluated in a commercial dairy farm at Alto Paranaiba region, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Cows that did not release the placental membranes within the first 12 hours after calf expulsion were diagnosed with RP. At birth, calf sex was registered, and birth weight was estimated by using a weighing tape. The incidence of RP was 36.89% (69/187). The mean birth weight of the calves (41.73 kg) did not differ among the calf sexes and seasons of the year at birth (P > 0.05), but the cows with below-average gestation lengths (274.4 days) calved lighter calves. Furthermore, the season of the year at calving and calf sex had no influence on RP incidence (P > 0.05), although a higher incidence of RP was observed in cows that had shorter gestation lengths (49.44%) and calves below-average birth weights (51.76%). In conclusion, cows with shorter gestation lengths produce lighter offspring and have a high predisposition to RP.

Growth Performance and Survival Rate of Fogera and Their Crossbred Calves at Government Ranches in Ethiopia

“…The lower birth weight of the current study that the mentioned authors were due to crossbreeds in other sites was the main activity, while in the study sites it was a secondary objective over the conservation and improvement of the Fogera breed. Significant differences in birth weight between sexes were in agreement with previous findings by Giday (2001), Addisu and Hegde (2003), Aynalem et al (2009), Melaku et al (2011b), Almaz (2012), andAssemu et al (2016) on which male calves are heavier than females due to hormonal differences receiving during gestation (Rezende et al, 2020). Parity had also affected significantly (P < 0.001) calf birth weight, wherein weight increase until parity four and decreased in parity five and above, this might be the merged values of parities above five and decreasing of reproductive tract activities of the cows related to age.…”

“…Significant effect of parity (Habtamu et al, 2010;Almaz, 2012;Bayou et al, 2015) and year of birth (Getinet et al, 2009;Habtamu et al, 2010;Melaku et al, 2011b;Almaz, 2012;Yaylak et al, 2015;Assemu et al, 2016) was reported. Effect of management differences across different years on birth and weaning weight was also reported (Almaz, 2012;Rezende et al, 2020).…”

Analysis of seasonal effect on Korean native cattle (Hanwoo) birth weight

“…The birth weight of spring-, autumn-, and winter-born calves were not significantly different from each other. A previous study from Brazil showed that the mean birth weight of the calves did not differ among the seasons of the year at birth and calf sexes; however, cows with below average lengths of gestation calved lighter calves [14]. A study conducted in Texas reported that year, calf sex, dam age, stocking rate, birth season, birth weight, and weaning age were significant factors affecting weaning weight.…”