Relationships between Lactational Incidence of Displaced Abomasum and Milk Production Traits in German Holstein Cows

Abstract

The objective of this study was to analyse the heritabilitiy of the lactational incidence of displaced abomasum (DA) and the relationships of DA with milk production traits in German Holstein cows. Data were recorded between February 1999 and January 2000 in cooperation with five veterinary practitioners. Their veterinary practices were located in the northern part of Lower Saxony. The investigation included 160 dairy farms under the official milk-recording scheme with 9,315 cows. The lactational incidence of the left abomasal displacement amounted to 1.21%, and of the right abomasal displacement to 0.41%, respectively. The linear heritability estimates for the lactational incidences of left and right DA were h(2) = 0.05 +/- 0.012 and h(2) = 0.004 +/- 0.005, respectively. Using the Dempster-Lerner-transformation the corresponding heritabilities were h(2) = 0.53 and 0.09, respectively. Milk losses for the lactation when DA was diagnosed were significant and reached 1016 kg milk, 41 kg fat, 36 kg protein and 0.07% protein. Fat content significantly increased by 0.18%. The analysis could not show significant differences between cows diagnosed with DA and cows not diagnosed with DA in the 305-day milk production traits of the lactation preceding the diagnosis of DA. There was also no indication for an unequal distribution of breeding values for milk performance traits between cows with and without DA. The additive genetic correlations between 305-day milk performance and left DA were low. The results indicated that cows with a high milk production and superior breeding values for milk performance were not exposed to an increased risk for DA.

Genetic parameters of subclinical macromineral disorders and major clinical diseases in postparturient Holstein cows

“…This is higher than other estimates from linear models reported by Lyons et al (1991), Appuhamy et al (2009), and Koeck et al (2013). Moreover, Wolf et al (2001) and Hamann et al (2004) with the use of threshold models reported heritability estimates above 0.50. The moderate to high heritability estimates of the present study can be attributed to a more accurate recording of the displacement made by the veterinarian and to the binary nature of the trait that posed no ambiguity of the severity of the disease and thus of the certainty of the diagnosis.…”

Genome-wide association analysis identifies loci for left-sided displacement of the abomasum in German Holstein cattle

“…The main factors reported to precede LDA are a disturbed motility of the abomasum and an insufficient transport of gas (Van Winden and Kuiper, 2003). In GH, the prevalence for LDA was estimated at 1.2 to 2.6% (Wolf et al, 2001;Hamann et al, 2004) and can reach up to 7.5% in single herds (Poike and Fürll, 2000). The genetic component has a large effect on the incidence of LDA, as heritabilities have been estimated between 0.2 and 0.5 (Wolf et al, 2001;Hamann et al, 2004).…”

“…In GH, the prevalence for LDA was estimated at 1.2 to 2.6% (Wolf et al, 2001;Hamann et al, 2004) and can reach up to 7.5% in single herds (Poike and Fürll, 2000). The genetic component has a large effect on the incidence of LDA, as heritabilities have been estimated between 0.2 and 0.5 (Wolf et al, 2001;Hamann et al, 2004). Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) provide a step toward the identification of the underlying candidate genes for LDA and may open possibilities for selection against this disease.…”

Transcription Factor Binding Site Polymorphism in the Motilin Gene Associated with Left-Sided Displacement of the Abomasum in German Holstein Cattle

“…However, the heritability of LDA reported in various studies ranged between 20% and 50% [1], [2] and thus is much higher than in any other common cattle disease.…”