Principal Descriptors of Body Condition Score in Holstein Cows

This study investigated the profile of locomotion score and lameness before the first calving and throughout the first (n = 237) and second (n = 66) lactation of 303 Holstein cows raised on a commercial farm. Weekly heritability estimates of locomotion score and lameness, and their genetic and phenotypic correlations with milk yield, body condition score, BW and reproduction traits were derived. Daughter future locomotion score and lameness predictions from their sires' breeding values for conformation traits were also calculated. First-lactation cows were monitored weekly from 6 weeks before calving to the end of lactation. Second-lactation cows were monitored weekly throughout lactation. Cows were locomotion scored on a scale from one (sound) to five (severely lame); a score greater than or equal to two defined presence of lameness. Cows' weekly body condition score and BW was also recorded. These records were matched to corresponding milk yield records, where the latter were 7-day averages on the week of inspection. The total number of repeated records amounted to 12 221. Data were also matched to the farm's reproduction database, from which five traits were derived. Statistical analyses were based on uni-and bivariate random regression models. The profile analysis showed that locomotion and lameness problems in first lactation were fewer before and immediately after calving, and increased as lactation progressed. The profile of the two traits remained relatively constant across the second lactation. Highest heritability estimates were observed in the weeks before first calving (0.66 for locomotion score and 0.54 for lameness). Statistically significant genetic correlations were found for first lactation weekly locomotion score and lameness with body condition score, ranging from −0.31 to −0.65 and from −0.44 to −0.76, respectively, suggesting that cows genetically pre-disposed for high body condition score have fewer locomotion and lameness issues. Negative (favourable) phenotypic correlations between first lactation weekly locomotion score/lameness and milk yield averaged −0.27 and −0.17, respectively, and were attributed to management factors. Also a phenotypic correlation between lameness and conception rate of −0.19 indicated that lame cows were associated with lower success at conceiving. First-lactation daughter locomotion score and/or lameness predictions from sires' estimated breeding values for conformation traits revealed a significant linear effect of rear leg side view, rear leg rear view, overall conformation, body condition score and locomotion, and a quadratic effect of foot angle.

Section: Animals and Datamentioning

confidence: 99%

Profile and genetic parameters of dairy cattle locomotion score and lameness across lactation

Kougioumtzis

Valergakis

Oikonomou

et al. 2014

“…Heifers had ad libitum access to fresh water. Body condition scores (BCS) were assigned to every heifer, before synchronisation protocol, by the same evaluator throughout the experiment using a quarter point scale from 1.0 to 5.0, where 1.0 5 emaciated and 5.0 5 obese (Ferguson et al, 1994). Live body weight (BW) was recorded for every heifer before synchronisation protocol.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The effect of a progesterone (P4) intravaginal device (CIDR) on resynchronisation of oestrus and embryonic loss in previously timed inseminated dairy heifers

Alnimer

2009

A study was done to evaluate the effect of using progesterone (P 4 ) intravaginal device (CIDR: controlled internal drug-releasing dispenser) to synchronise the return to oestrus of previously timed inseminated (TAI) dairy heifers, and to evaluate embryo survival and pregnancy rate (PR) in the return to oestrus heifers. At the onset of the artificial insemination (AI) breeding period (day 29), heifers were randomly assigned into two groups (treated group CGPG, n 5 79) and (control group GPG, n 5 83). Every heifer in both groups was injected with gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist and prostaglandin F2-alpha (PGF 2a ) as follows: GnRH on day 29; PGF 2a on day 22; GnRH and TAI on day 0. Heifers in both groups received TAI within 30 min after the second GnRH injection. Artificial insemination at first breeding was conducted for all heifers during 55 days from day 0. On day 14 after timed insemination, every heifer in the CGPG group received CIDR device for 6 days. Within 3 days after CIDR removal, more heifers in CGPG group showed oestrus within 1.9 days compared to heifers that showed oestrus within 2.9 days in the control. Within 10 days after CIDR removal, more heifers in the CGPG group showed oestrus within 2.4 days compared to heifers that showed oestrus within 6.7 days in the control. PRs on days 30 and 55 were not different between both groups, while PR on day 55 during September were higher ( P 5 0.032) in CGPG group (58.0%) than GPG group (37.0%). In addition, PR from first to second AI was higher ( P 5 0.037) for CGPG group (79.8%) than for GPG group (65.1%) but it was similar after that. Pregnancy losses between days 30 and 55 tended to be lower ( P 5 0.089) for the CGPG group (12.7%) compared to 25.1% for the GPG group. Interval between first and second AI was lower ( P 5 0.052) for the CGPG group (27.5 6 1.6 days) compared to 31.6 6 1.3 days for heifers in the GPG group but no differences were detected for intervals from second to third AI and from third to fourth AI between the two groups. Number of services per pregnancy was not different between CGPG and GPG groups. Results indicate that the CIDR device improved synchronisation to return to oestrus and increased PR to first AI during high temperature months by reducing embryonic losses.

“…The BCS was measured on a five-point scale (Ferguson et al, 1994) during the 1 st week of the dry period, 1 week postpartum and at peak lactation (6 to 7 weeks postpartum). Cows were classified into one of the three categories: fat (BCS > 3.25), normal (2.75 < BCS < 3.25) and thin (BCS ⩽ 2.75), according to their BCS 1 week after calving.…”

Section: Bcsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Short- and long-term effects of high milking frequency during the first 21 days of lactation on production and reproductive performance in high-lactating cows

Shoshani

Cohen

Doekes

2017

We examined short-and long-term effects of high milking frequency (HMF) for the first 21 days of lactation. The study included 122 Israeli Holstein cows -32 pregnant heifers, 40 cows in second lactation and 50 cows in >second lactation. Heifers were paired according to predicted transmitting ability and cows according to energy-corrected milk (ECM) production, age, days in milk and expected calving date. Thin cows (body condition score < 2.75) were not included. One cow from each pair was arbitrarily allocated to a control group milked three times daily (3× milking cows) and the counterpart to an experimental group milked six times daily for the first 21 days of lactation and then three times daily for the rest of the lactation (6× milking cows). During the first 21 days of lactation, 6× milking cows produced 9.3 kg more milk (26.5%) and 7.16 kg more ECM (19%) than the 3× milking cows. The higher milk production persisted throughout the entire lactation (305 days), as reflected by treatment × age interaction showing higher milk production for the first and second (7%) but not >second lactation cows relative to their control counterparts (−0.37%); ECM production was also higher in 6× milking first and second lactation (7.6% and 5%, respectively) but not for >second lactation cows. Furthermore, HMF had long-lasting effects, expressed as significantly higher milk production through the succeeding lactation in the previous first lactation cows (10%); a tendency toward significance in the second lactation cows relative to the controls (4.7%), but a deleterious effect on the >second lactation cows, reflected by lower milk production (−5.25%) than in controls; similar patterns were found for the ECM. For the entire 305 days of lactation, fat and protein yields were higher for first and second lactation cows, whereas protein yield for >second lactation cows was lower in the 6× milking v. control group. Given that HMF during the first 21 days of first or second lactation increases milk and ECM yields throughout the concurrent and successive lactation with no adverse effect on energy balance, mastitis, metabolic diseases or reproduction, it seems to be economically beneficial. However, caution should be paid for >second lactation cows due to absence of significant effect in the entire of the first HMF applied lactation and the deleterious effect in the succeeding lactation.Keywords: frequent milking, milk production, fertility, metabolic status ImplicationsThis work examined the effect of milking six times daily during the first 21 days of lactation on production and reproduction. Increasing milking frequency to six times daily for the first 21 days of lactation increased milk and energycorrected milk (ECM) yields throughout the experimental period and later, during the entire lactation, for first and second lactation cows. This effect persisted in the succeeding lactation. No adverse affect was found concerning energy balance, mastitis, metabolic diseases or reproduction. Collectively, it seems that this practice will ec...