Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-fscjk Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-23T18:05:56.703Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Reproductive performance in Holstein-Friesian cows in relation to genetic merit and level of feeding when grazing pasture

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 August 2016

W. J. Fulkerson ,
J. Wilkins ,
R. C. Dobos ,
G. M. Hough ,
M. E. Goddard  and
T. Davison
W. J. Fulkerson*
Affiliation:
University of Sydney, Camden, New South Wales 2570, Australia
J. Wilkins
Affiliation:
Agricultural Research Institute, Wagga Wagga, New South Wales 2650, Australia
R. C. Dobos
Affiliation:
NSW Agriculture, Armidale, New South Wales 2351, Australia
G. M. Hough
Affiliation:
Bunbury, Western Australia 62305, Australia
M. E. Goddard
Affiliation:
University of Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia
T. Davison
Affiliation:
Dairy Research and Development Corporation, Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia
*
†E-mail:[email protected]
Get access

Abstract

One hundred and eight Holstein-Friesian cows in six herds were run on six separate farmlets over a 5-year period from 1995 to 1999 at Wollongbar Agricultural Institute, on the subtropical north coast of New South Wales, Australia. Three of the herds comprised high genetic merit (HGM) cows — Australian breeding value (ABV) of +49·1 kg for milk fat (F) plus protein (Pr) and three herds comprised low genetic merit (LGM) cows-ABV of 2·3 kg. Within genetic merit groupings, one herd was given 0·34 t (l), one herd was given 0·84 t (m) and one herd 1·71 t (h), of concentrate per cow per lactation. Within each genetic merit group, cows were matched for milk yield and live weight, and over all groups for time of calving and age at the commencement of the study. The 30 paddocks within each farmlet were matched between farmlets for pasture type and pasture growth rate and soil fertility. Half the cows within each herd calved over a 3-month period in spring and the other half in autumn. Strict management criteria ensured that there was no bias towards particular treatment groups.

HGM cows were ‘open’ (days from calving to conception) for 8 days longer than the LGM cows (99 v. 91 days). The lHGM cows took 11 days longer to commence luteal phase activity and 21 days longer to first observed oestrus post calving than hLGM cows (P < 0·001), with the other groups being intermediate.

After 24 days of mating, 22% of lHGM cows were pregnant, and this was less than half of the rate of the best herd-mLGM. After 9 weeks of mating, the chances of an LGM cow being pregnant was 87% greater than an HGM cow. After 12 weeks of mating, 70% of lHGM cows were pregnant compared with a mean pregnancy rate of 87% for the LGM cows.

The number of cows treated for abnormal ovarian activity (anoestrus, cystic) was highest (P < 0·001) in the HGM herds given ‘l’ and ‘m’ levels of concentrate compared with the remaining herds (0·24 v. 0·12 treatments per cow mated, respectively).

There was a significant positive relationship between live-weight change from 4 weeks before, to the start of, the mating period and the chances of a cow being pregnant at 24 days (P < 0·05) and at 6 and 9 weeks after the commencement of mating.

There was a significant negative relationship (P < 0·001) between the change in daily F plus Pr yield, from the start to 4 weeks after mating began, and pregnancy rate at 9 weeks. The change in F plus Pr yield was +63 g/day for cows pregnant at nine weeks as opposed to +154 g/day for cows not pregnant.

The results of the present study indicate that the reproductive performance of HGM cows, with a mean of 61% North American (NA) genes, is lower than LGM cows (22% NA genes) under a predominantly pasture-based system of farming. The influence on reproduction was possibly due to genes favouring partitioning of energy to milk yield rather than body-condition maintenance in the HGM cows and when food intake was inadequate, then being more willing to use body reserves.

These reproductive problems may be reduced by more intensive reproductive management. However, such practices are costly and time consuming. Another approach may be to ensure that live-weight loss over the mating period is minimized by strategic supplementary feeding.

Keywords

concentratescowsgenetic meritHolstein-Friesianreproduction.
Type
Breeding and genetics
Information
Animal Science , Volume 73 , Issue 3 , December 2001 , pp. 397 - 406
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 2001

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Anonymous. 1996. Annual statistics 1996. Royal Dutch Cattle Syndicate, Arnhem, The Netherlands.Google Scholar
Baishya, N., Morant, S. V., Pope, G. S. and Leaver, J. D. 1982. Rearing of dairy cattle. 8. Relationships of dietary energy intake, changes in live weight, body condition and fertility. Animal Production 34: 63–70.Google Scholar
Berger, P. J., Shawks, R. D., Freeman, A. E. and Laben, R. C. 1981. Genetic aspects of milk yield and reproductive performance. Journal of Dairy Science 64: 114–122.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bonczek, R. R., Richardson, D. O. and Moore, E. D. 1992. Correlated responses in reproduction accompanying selection for milk yield in Jerseys. Journal of Dairy Science 75: 1154–1160.Google Scholar
Buttler, W. R. and Smith, R. D. 1989. Interrelationships between energy balance and post-partum reproductive function in dairy cattle. Journal of Dairy Science 72: 767–783.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Buttler, W. R., Everett, R. W. and Coppock, C. E. 1981. The relationships between energy balance, milk production and ovulation in post-partum Holstein cows. Journal of Animal Science 53: 743–748.Google Scholar
Earle, D. J. 1976. The objective score for measuring body condition. Journal of Agriculture, Victoria 74: 228–231.Google Scholar
Fonseca, F. A., Britt, J. H., McDaniel, B. T., Wilk, J. C. and Rakes, A. H. 1993. Reproduction traits of Holstein and Jerseys. Effects of age, milk yield and clinical abnormalities on involution of cervix and uterus, ovulation, oestrous cycles, detection of oestrus, conception rate, and days open. Journal of Dairy Science 66: 1128–1147.Google Scholar
Fulkerson, W. J. 1985. Reproduction in dairy cattle: effect of age, cow condition, production level, calving to first service interval and the ‘male’. Animal Reproduction Science 7: 305–314.Google Scholar
Fulkerson, W. J., Slack, K., Hennessy, D. W. and Hough, G. M. 1998. Nutrients in ryegrass (Lolium spp.), white clover (Trifolium repens) and kikuyu (Pennisetum clandestinum) pastures in relation to season and stage of regrowth in a sub-tropical environment. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 38: 277–340.Google Scholar
Grainger, C., Davey, A. W. F. and Holmes, C. W. 1985. Performance of Friesian cows with high and low breeding indexes. 1. Stall feeding and grazing experiments and performance during the whole lactation. Animal Production 40: 379–388.Google Scholar
Gröhn, Y. T., Hertl, J. A. and Harman, J. L. 1994. Effect of early lactation milk yield on reproductive disorders in dairy cows. American Journal of Veterinary Research 55: 1521–1528.Google Scholar
Hafs, H. D. and Manns, J. G. 1975. Onset of oestrus and fertility of dairy heifers and suckled beef cows treated with prostoglandin F2a. Animal Production 21: 13.Google Scholar
Harrison, R. O., Ford, S. P., Young, J. W. and Conley, A. J. 1990. Increased milk production versus reproductive and energy status of high producing dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science 73: 2749–2758.Google Scholar
Harrison, R. O., Young, J. W., Freeman, A. E. and Ford, S. P. 1989. Effects of lactational level on reactivation of ovarian function, and interval from parturition to first visual oestrus and conception in high-producing Holstein cows. Animal Production 49: 23–28.Google Scholar
Henry, M., Figueiredo, A. E. F., Palhares, M. S. and Coryn, M. 1987. Clinical and endocrine aspects of the oestrous cycle of a donkey (Equus asinus). Journal of Reproduction and Fertility, Supplement 35: 297–303.Google Scholar
Hillers, J. K., Sengers, P. L., Darlington, R. L. and Fleming, W. N. 1984. Effects of production, season, age of cow, days dry, and days in milk on conception to first service in large commercial dairy herds. Journal of Dairy Science 67: 861–873.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hoekstra, J., Lugt, A. W. van der, Weif, L. H. J. van der and Ouweltjes, W. 1994. Genetic and phenotypic parameters for milk production and fertility traits in upgraded dairy cattle. Livestock Production Science 40: 225–232.Google Scholar
King, J. O. L. 1971. Nutrition and fertility in dairy cows. Veterinary Record 89: 492–494.Google Scholar
Lindsay, D. R. 1991. Environment and reproductive behaviour. Animal Reproduction Science 42: 1–12.Google Scholar
McClure, T. J. 1961. An apparent nutritional lactational stress infertility in dairy herds. New Zealand Veterinary Journal 9: 107.Google Scholar
McGowan, M. R., Veerkamp, R. F. and Anderson, L. 1996. Effects of genotype and feeding system on the reproductive performance of dairy cattle. Livestock Production Science 46: 33–40.Google Scholar
McMillan, K. L., Lean, I. J. and Westwood, C. 1996. The effects of lactation on fertility of dairy cows. Australian Veterinary Journal 73: 141–146.Google Scholar
Mayne, C. S. and Gordon, F. J. 1995. Implications of genotype ✕ nutrition interactions for efficiency of milk production systems. In Breeding and feeding the high genetic merit dairy cow (ed. Lawrence, T. L. J., Gordon, F. J. and Carson, A.), British Society of Animal Science occasional publication no. 19, pp. 67–77.Google Scholar
Moate, P. J. and Harris, D. J. 1983. A survey to determine the influence of cow condition, condition score, calving to service interval, age and milk yield on cow fertility in dairy production. In Dairy production report, pp. 106–108. Dairy Research Institute, Ellinbank, Australia.Google Scholar
Nebel, R. L. and McGillard, M. L. 1993. Interactions of high milk yield and reproductive performance in dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science 76: 3257–3268.Google Scholar
Pryce, J. E. and Lovendahl, P. 1999. Options to reduce vulnerability to metabolic stress by genetic selection. In Metabolic stress in dairy cows (ed. Oldham, J. D., Simm, G., Groen, A. F., Nielsen, B. L., Pryce, J. E. and Lawrence, T.L. J.), British Society of Animal Science occasional publication no. 24, pp. 119–127.Google Scholar
Rauw, W. M., Kanis, E., Noordhuizen-Stassen, E. N. and Grommers, F. J. 1998. Undesirable side effects of selection for high production efficiency in farm animals: a review. Livestock Production Science 56: 15–33.Google Scholar
Royal, M. D., Darwash, A. O. and Lamming, G. E. 1999. Trends in the fertility of dairy cows in the United Kingdom. Proceedings of the British Society of Animal Science, 1999, p. 1.Google Scholar
Sawyer, G. J. and Fulkerson, W. J. 1981. The effectiveness of steers and heifers treated with oestrogen and testosterone to detect oestrus in cattle. Animal Reproduction Science 3: 259–269.Google Scholar
Seykora, A. J. and McDaniels, B. T. 1983. Heritabilities and correlations of lactation yields and fertility for Holsteins. Journal of Dairy Science 66: 1486–1493.Google Scholar
Simm, G. 1998. Genetic improvement of cattle and sheep. Farming Press, Ipswich.Google Scholar
Spicer, L. J., Tucker, W. B. and Adams, G. D. 1990. Insulinlike growth factor 1 in dairy cows: relationship among energy balance, body condition, ovarian activity and oestrus activity. Journal of Dairy Science 73: 329–335.Google Scholar
Veerkamp, R. F., Simm, G. and Oldham, J. D. 1994. Effects of interaction between genotype and feeding system on milk production, feed intake, efficiency and body tissue mobilisation in dairy cows. Livestock Production Science 39: 229–241.Google Scholar
Villa-Godoy, A.T, Hughes, T. L., Emery, R. S., Chapin, L. and Fogwell, R. L. 1998. Association between energy balance and luteal function in lactating cows. Journal of Dairy Science 71: 1063–1072.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Whitemore, H. L., Tyler, W. J. and Casida, L. E. 1974. Effects of early post-partum breeding in dairy cattle. Journal of Animal Science 38: 339.Google Scholar
Youden, P. G. and King, J. O. L. 1977. The effect of bodyweight changes on fertility during the post-partum period in dairy cows. British Veterinary Journal 133: 635.Google Scholar