Effect of body condition on reproductive efficiency of lactattng dairy cows receiving a timed insemination

Moreira, Frederico Rafael; Risco, C.A.; Pires, Maria de Fátima Ávila; Ambrose, D.J.; Drost, Maarten R.; DeLorenzo, M.A.; Thatcher, W.W.

doi:10.1016/s0093-691x(00)00274-0

Cited by 101 publications

(85 citation statements)

References 33 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…Although favorable reproductive performance was found in Herds C and D, the BCS value in these herds was not in the ideal range, including variation, during lactation. Cows with a lower BCS have lower conception rates and decreased efficiency of heat detection compared with cows with a higher BCS [13]. Recently, it was reported that animals that lose the most body weight during early lactation tend to gain more body weight during late lactation, and these cows have increased risk of poor reproductive performance [4].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluation by Weight Change Rate of Dairy Herd Condition

Kohiruimaki

Ohtsuka

Hayashi

et al. 2006

The Journal of Veterinary Medical Science

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

ABSTRACT. The purpose of this study was to clarify whether weight change rate (WCR) is useful in evaluating herd health. Five herds (A, B, C, D, and E) were examined monthly for approximately 1 year to measure both WCR and BCS. WCR was calculated using the following equation: WCR (%) = (body weight of current month-body weight of the preceding month)/body weight of current month × 100. In addition, blood profiles were performed in each herd before and after calving. The incidence of periparturient diseases was higher in Herds A, B, and C compared with Herds D and E. Reproductive performance in Herds A and B was rather poor compared with Herds C, D, and E. There were significantly lower WCRs in Herd A compared with Herd C during the period of day -30 to day 30 after calving. According to the blood profiles, high levels of non-essential fatty acids (NEFA) were observed during the period of day -30 to -1 and high β-hidroxybutyricacid (BHB) and low levels of glucose were observed at day 30 after calving in Herd A. A marked poor condition in Herd A during the peripaturient period was clearly expressed by low WCR in this experiment. WCR can express body condition of herds and is suggested to be a useful parameter in the determination of herd performance in field experiments. KEY WORDS: dairy herd management, periparturient diseases, reproductive performance, weight change rate.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluation by Weight Change Rate of Dairy Herd Condition

Kohiruimaki

Ohtsuka

Hayashi

et al. 2006

The Journal of Veterinary Medical Science

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…However, significant, positive, effects on conception rate in dairy cows of condition score at the time of insemination (Moreira et al, 2000) and after the period of body mobilisation have been reported (Berry et al, 2008). Berry et al (2008) summarised the literature reporting associations between body reserves and reproduction in terms of both phenotypic and genetic effects.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Nutritional sub-fertility in the dairy cow: towards improved reproductive management through a better biological understanding

Friggens

Disenhaus

Petit

2010

Animal

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

There has been a significant decline in the reproductive performance of dairy cattle in recent decades. Cows, take longer time to return to the oestrus after calving, have poorer conception rates, and show fewer signs of oestrus. Achieving good reproductive performance is an increasing challenge for the dairy producer. In this study we focus on understanding the overall biological phenomena associated with nutritional sub-fertility rather than the underlying multiplicity of physiological interactions (already described in a number of recent studies). These phenomena are important because they represent the natural adaptations of the animal for dealing with variations in the nutritional environment. They can also be used to monitor and modulate reproductive performance on-farm. There is an underlying trade-off between two aspects of reproduction: investment in the viability of the current calf and investment in future offspring. As the investment in, and viability of, the current calf is related to maternal milk production, we can expect that level of milk production per se has effects on subsequent reproductive performance (investment in future offspring). Lactating cows have a lower proportion of viable embryos, which are of poorer quality, than do non-lactating cows. The same applies to high-compared to medium-genetic merit cows. Another important biological property is the adaptive use of body reserves in support of reproduction. Orchestrated endocrine changes in pregnancy and lactation facilitate the deposition of body lipid during pregnancy and mobilisation in early lactation. When the cow fails to accumulate the reserves she needs to safeguard reproduction she delays committing to further reproductive investment. But how does the cow 'know' that she is failing in energy terms? We argue that the cow does this by 'monitoring' both the body fat mobilisation and body fatness. Excessive body fat mobilisation indicates that current conditions are worse than expected. Body fatness indicates the future ability of the cow to safeguard her reproductive investment is compromised. Both delay further reproductive commitment. The relationship between reproductive performance and; milk production as an index of maternal investment, body fatness as an index of ability to safeguard reproductive investment, and body fat mobilisation as an index of the current nutritional environment -are examined. Nutritional strategies that seek to modulate body mobilisation and the endocrine environment by use of glucogenic and lipogenic diets, and the use of in-line progesterone profiles to monitor reproductive status are then discussed in this biological context.

show abstract

“…Recently, various methods for estrous synchronization have been developed, such as single or double injection of PGF 2α [3], ovsynch program (GnRH -PGF 2α -GnRH) [11,13], and intravaginal progesterone with or without combination of other hormones [4,8,9,14]. Single or double injection of PGF 2α effectively regresses CL and induces estrus when injected into cows after d 5 of estrous cycle.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%