Development of calving ease evaluations for UK Holstein-Friesian cows

Wall, Emma; Mrode, Raphael; Banos, Georgios; Coffey, M.P.

doi:10.1017/s2040470010002128

Cited by 6 publications

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“…The estimated heritabilities for CE, SB and GL, (Table 1) agree with previously published estimates (Norman et al, 2008, ;Wall et al, 2010). Heritabilities differ between parities, being higher for heifers, again consistent with literature.…”

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 90%

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Poster presentations

2011

Advances in Animal Biosciences

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The key to maximising the nutritional value of lignocellulosic materials is in disrupting the plant cell walls to allow complete access to nutrients and not creating extra anti-nutritional factors (Castro et al., 1994). In particular, steam and pressure treatments to disrupt lignocellulosics in a way which allows improved utilisation of cell wall polysaccharides by rumen microbes (Castro and Machado, 1990). Rumen fungi produce a wide range of polysaccharide degrading enzymes and are as primary colonisers of fibrous plant materials that degrade lignin-containing plant cell walls. With the advancement of molecular enumeration methods, in particular 18S rDNA gene probing methods, researchers were able to monitor fungal species within the rumen (Stahl et al., 1998). Quantitative competitive PCR (QC-PCR) techniques play an important role in nucleic acid quantification because of their significant lower cost of equipment and consumables (Franz et al., 2001).The aim of this study was to use QC-PCR to determine the effect of sugarcane pith treated with low temperature steam plus 0.9% H 2 SO 4 on in vitro growth of rumen anaerobic fungi. Material and methods Rumen fungi were isolated from pre-incubated wheat straw in the rumen of fistulated sheep and then method of Joblin (1981) was used to grown under anaerobic conditions at 39ºC for 3 days. These isolates were used (1:9) as a source of fungi inoculum. Serum bottles (four replicate per sample) containing fungi culture medium, 1g of sugarcane pith as untreated (UTP) or treated with low temperature steam (at 135 ºC for 80 min) and 0.9 % H 2 SO 4 (STP) and 1ml antibiotic solution were used to culture the isolated fungi at 39ºC in an incubator. To preparing fungi pure culture, sub-culturing was done three times. Total genomic DNA was isolated from pure culture samples using Guanidine Thiocyanate-Silica Gel method. A universal PCR primer pair GAF (F): 5'-GAG GAA GTA AAA GTC GTT AAC AAG GTT TG-3' and GAF(R): 5'-GAAATT CAC AAA GGG TAG GAT GAT TT-3' was used to amplify a specific region of 18S rDNA from anaerobic rumen fungi. Standard control DNA was constructed to use in the QC-PCR and was shown to amplify under the same reaction condition and the same amplification efficiency as the target DNA. The PCR was performed in a final volume of 25µl sealed in a capillary tip, and thermocycling was carried out in a model 2000 (Biometra). The PCR amplification condition was as follows: denaturation at 94°C for 4min followed by 35 cycles of 94 °C for 30s; 56°C for 30s; and 72°C for 1min followed by a final extension at 72°C for 5min. The PCR products were separated by electrophoresis on agarose gels, stained with ethidium bromide, and visualized by UV transillumination. The relative intensities of PCR products were used to compare fungal biomass under different samples. The signal intensity was quantified by Image J 1.29x and expressed in arbitrary units. The data was analysed using the GLM procedure of SAS for a completely randomized design.

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Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 90%

“…Estimated heritabilities of CE, SB, and GL in UK Holstein heifers are consistent with literature, including UK data (Wall et al, 2010). Direct-maternal genetic correlations within calving traits were not significantly different from zero.…”

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 85%

Poster presentations

2011

Advances in Animal Biosciences

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“…Dystocia, defined as a difficult or prolonged calving, has been classed as one of the most painful conditions that a cow can experience (Huxley and Whay, 2006). Within the United Kingdom, 16% of cows are reported to require calving assistance (Wall et al, 2010), and it is estimated that the worldwide prevalence of dystocia in dairy heifers and cows ranges from 1.5 to 22.6% (Mee, 2008a). To prevent calving difficulties and stillbirth, it is recommended that lategestation cows should be observed frequently for signs of calving.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The behavior of dairy cattle in late gestation: Effects of parity and dystocia

Barraclough

Shaw

Boyce³

et al. 2020

Journal of Dairy Science

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The aim of this study was to objectively assess, using an automated behavioral monitoring system, any behavioral differences between primiparous and multiparous cows before calving, and to quantify any behavioral differences between assisted (dystocic) and unassisted (eutocic) calvings. Data were collected from 32 multiparous and 12 primiparous Holstein dairy cattle to describe normal calving behavior and parity differences. To quantify behavior related to calving difficulty, the data from 14 animals that had dystocia at calving were matched to cows that had an eutocic calving based on parity, locomotion score, calf breed, calf sex, month, and year of calving. An IceQube (IceRobotics Ltd., South Queensferry, United Kingdom) was fitted to the right hind leg of cows 4 wk before their expected calving date. Data for lying time, standing time, number of steps, motion index (total motion), and the total number of standing and lying bouts (postural transitions) were automatically collected and summed into 15-min blocks. Behavioral variables were summarized into 2-h periods and 24-h periods before analyses. Mixed-effect models were used to analyze cow behavior in the last 4 d before calving (d −4 to −1), and on the day of calving. In the 4 d before calving, compared with multiparous cows, primiparous cows lay down an average 2.8 h/d less, had 9.1 more postural transitions/d (37.7 ± 1.2 vs. 27.6 ± 0.7), walked 172 more steps/d, and had a higher motion index (2,673.2 vs. 1,981.5 units/d). There was an effect of 2-h period on all behavioral variables on the day of calving. No indicator of calving difficulty was found on the day of calving, nor the days leading up to calving. These findings suggest that parity should be considered when predicting the day of calving, and changes in cow behavior on the day of calving could be used to identify calving cows, and to predict the time of calving.

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“…A. Woolliams , † and E. Wall * Although the observed genetic variance for CE is low, genetic progress can be made. Consequently, CE is increasingly being introduced as a selection trait; the first CE proofs in the United Kingdom were officially released in 2010 (Wall et al, 2010). A genetic evaluation of CE automatically raises the question of the relationship of CE with existing selection traits.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Direct and maternal genetic relationships between calving ease, gestation length, milk production, fertility, type, and lifespan of Holstein-Friesian primiparous cows

Eaglen

Coffey

Woolliams

et al. 2013

Journal of Dairy Science

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As the emphasis in cattle breeding is shifting from traits that increase income toward traits that reduce costs, national breeding indices are expanding to include functional traits such as calving ease (CE). However, one issue is the lack of knowledge of genetic relationships between CE and other dairy traits. The same can be said about gestation length (GL), a potential novel selection trait with considerable heritabilities and possible genetic relationships with the calving process. This study aimed to estimate the genetic relationships between CE, GL, and other dairy traits of interest using a national data set of 31,053 primiparous cow performance records, as well as to separate direct and maternal genetic effects. Chosen dairy traits included fertility (calving interval, days to first service, nonreturn rate after 56 d, number of inseminations per conception), milk production (milk yield at d 110 in milk, accumulated 305-d milk yield, accumulated 305-d fat yield, accumulated 305-d protein yield), type (udder depth, chest width, rump width, rump angle, mammary composition, stature, body depth), and lifespan traits (functional days of productive life). To allow the separation of direct and maternal genetic effects, a random sire of the calf effect was included in the multi-trait linear trivariate sire models fitted using ASReml. Significant results showed that easily born individuals were genetically prone to high milk yield and reduced fertility in first lactation. Difficult calving primiparous cows were likely associated with being high-producing, wide and deep animals, with a reduced ability to subsequently conceive. Individuals that were born relatively early were associated with good genetic merit for milk production. Finally, individuals carrying their offspring longer were genetically associated with being wide and large animals that were themselves born relatively early. The study shows that it is feasible and valuable to separate direct and maternal effects when estimating genetic correlations between calving and other dairy traits. Furthermore, gestation length is best used as an indicator trait for lowly heritable calving traits, rather than as a novel selection trait. As estimated direct and maternal genetic correlations differ, we can conclude that genetic relationships between CE, GL, and traits of interest are present, but caution is required if these traits are implemented in national breeding indices.

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Development of calving ease evaluations for UK Holstein-Friesian cows

Cited by 6 publications

References 0 publications

Poster presentations

Poster presentations

The behavior of dairy cattle in late gestation: Effects of parity and dystocia

Direct and maternal genetic relationships between calving ease, gestation length, milk production, fertility, type, and lifespan of Holstein-Friesian primiparous cows

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