Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-7cvxr Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-27T19:10:23.541Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Effects of nutrition pre-partum and post partum on subsequent productivity and health of N’Dama cows infected with Trypanosoma congolense

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 August 2016

J. J. Bennison ,
O. O. Akinbamijo ,
J. Jaitner ,
L. Dempfle ,
C. R. C. Hendy  and
J. D. Leaver
J. J. Bennison*
Affiliation:
Natural Resources Institute (NRI), Central Avenue, Chatham Maritime, Chatham, Kent ME4 4TB
O. O. Akinbamijo
Affiliation:
International Trypanotolerance Centre (ITC), MB 14, Banjul, The Gambia
J. Jaitner
Affiliation:
International Trypanotolerance Centre (ITC), MB 14, Banjul, The Gambia
L. Dempfle
Affiliation:
International Trypanotolerance Centre (ITC), MB 14, Banjul, The Gambia
C. R. C. Hendy
Affiliation:
Natural Resources Institute (NRI), Central Avenue, Chatham Maritime, Chatham, Kent ME4 4TB
J. D. Leaver
Affiliation:
Wye College, University of London, Wye, Ashford, Kent TN25 5AH
*
†Present address: Agrimin Ltd, The Flarepath, Elsham Wold Industrial Estate, Brigg, North Lincs, DN20 0SP.
Get access

Abstract

This experiment studied the effects of body condition, long- and short-term levels of nutrition and trypanosomosis infection on the productivity of N’Dama cows using a 2 x 2 × 2 factorial cross-over design. Pre-partum, 23 cows received supplements for 6 months (H), the other group of 20 for 2 months (L). Both groups grazed native pastures. Two days post partum, half the cows from each group were placed on a basal (B) or supplemented (S) plane of nutrition. The diet of concentrate, groundnut hay and andropogon hay was the same, only the quantities differed. Four weeks post partum half the animals in each group were inoculated with T. congolense organisms (I), the others acted as controls (C). The trial continued for a further 6 weeks.

Pre-partum nutrition (H, L had no effect on dry-matter intake (DMI) but pre-partum feeding (H) improved post-partum productivity, evident by higher dam live weights (P < 0·05), body condition (P < 0·001), calf birth weight (P < 0·05) and calf live-weight gain (P < 0·01). Post-partum nutrition had no effect on productivity. Trypanosomosis infection caused a reduction (P < 0·05) in total DMI. The decline in groundnut hay and concentrate intake was proportionally (P < 0·001) greater in the S-I group than in the B-I group. A low plane of nutrition pre-partum depressed milk yield but increased fat concentration (P < 0·05). Infection significantly reduced milk offtake (P < 0·05). The reduction in milk offtake (P < 0·01) and calf live weight (P < 0·05) were proportionally larger in the B-I than in the S-I group. Infection caused a decline in milk protein concentration (P < 0·05) and protein yield (P < 0·01) which was independent of dietary effects. Infection reduced (P < 0·01) the packed-cell volume but there were no interactions with diet. None of the cows was pregnant 150 days post partum but seven were cycling, 3(5) in the H-S-I group, 2(7) in the H-B-I group, 1(5) in the L-B-I group and 1(5) in the L-S-C group. These results suggest that S-I cows attempted to maintain milk yield at the expense of live weight whereas the B-I cows had insufficient live-weight reserves that could be mobilized. This suggests the nutritional balance and changes in weight at the time of infection might be more important than historical planes of nutrition.

Keywords

cattleN’DamanutritionproductivityTrypanosoma congolense
Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Science , Volume 68 , Issue 4 , June 1999 , pp. 819 - 829
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1999

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

Agyemang, K., Clifford, D. and Little, D. A. 1993. An assessment of the biological and economic efficiency in conversion of milk to growth in N’Dama calves. Animal Production 56: 165–170.Google Scholar
Agyemang, K., Dwinger, R. H., Jeannin, P., Leperre, P., Grieve, A. S., Bah, M. L. and Little, D. A. 1990a. Biological and economic impact of trypanosome infections on milk production in N’Dama cattle managed under village conditions in The Gambia. Animal Production 50: 383–389.Google Scholar
Agyemang, K., Dwinger, R.H., Touray, B. N., Jeannin, P., Fofana, D. and Grieve, A. S. 1990b. Effects of nutrition on the degree of anaemia and live weight changes in N’Dama cattle infected with trypanosomes. Livestock Production Science 26: 39–51.Google Scholar
Agyemang, K., Little, D. A., Bah, M. L. and Dwinger, R. H. 1991. Effects of postpartum body weight changes on subsequent reproductive performance in N’Dama cattle maintained under traditional husbandry systems. Animal Production Science 26: 51–59.Google Scholar
Akinbamijo, O. O., Hamminga, B. J., Wensing, T., Brouwer, B.O., Tolkamp, B.J. and Zwart, D. 1992. The effect of Trypanosoma vivax infection in West African Dwarf goats on energy and nitrogen metabolism. The Veterinary Quarterly 14: 95–100.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bartle, S.J., Males, J.R. and Preston, R.L. 1984. Effect of energy intake on the postpartum interval in beef cows and the adequacy of the cow’s milk production for calf growth. journal of Animal Science 58: 1068–1074.Google Scholar
Laflamme, L.F. and Connor, M.L. 1992. Effect of postpartum nutrition and cow body condition at parturition on subsequent performance of beef cattle. Canadian journal of Animal Science 72: 843–851.Google Scholar
Little, D. A., Dwinger, R. H., Clifford, D. J., Grieve, A. S., Kora, S. and Boj ang, M. 1990. Effect of nutritional level and body condition on susceptibility of N’Dama cattle to Trypanosoma congolense infection in The Gambia. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society 49: 209A (abstr.).Google Scholar
Little, D. A., Riley, J. A., Agyemang, K., Jeannin, P., Grieve, A. S., Badji, B. and Dwinger, R. H. 1991. Effect of groundnut cake supplementation during the dry season on productivity characteristics of N’Dama cows under village husbandry conditions in The Gambia. Tropical Agriculture, Trinidad 68: 259–262.Google Scholar
Little, D. A., Wassink, G. J., Agyemang, K., Leperre, P., Janneh, L. and Badjie, B. 1994. Feed supplementation of lactating N’Dama cows under village husbandry. Tropical Agriculture, Trinidad 71: 223–228.Google Scholar
McSweeney, C. S., Kennedy, P. M., D’Occhio, M.J., Fitzpatrick, L.A., Reid, D. and Entwistle, K. W. 1993. Reducing post-partum anoestrous interval in first calf Bos indicus crossbred beef heifers. II. Responses to weaning and supplementation. Australian journal of Agricultural Research 44: 1079–1092.Google Scholar
Mael, J. H. H., Coulibaly, L., Defly, A., D’leteren, G.D.M., Feron, A., Grundler, G., Hecker, P., Itty, P., Mawuena, K., Morkramer, G., Mulungo, M., Nagda, S. M., Paling, R. W., Pelo, M., Rarieya, J. M., Schuetterle, A., Sheria, M., Thorpe, W. and Trail, J. C. M. 1988. Factors influencing live weight in a range of Network situations. In Livestock production in tsetse affected areas of Africa. Proceedings of a meeting of International Centre for Africa/ International Laboratory for Research on Animal Diseases, Nairobi, Kenya, 1987, pp. 219–230.Google Scholar
Marston, T. T., Lusby, K. S., Wettemann, R. P. and Purvis, H. T. 1995. Effects of feeding energy or protein supplements before or after calving on performance of spring-calving cows grazing native range. Journal of Animal Science 73: 657–664.Google Scholar
Moore, P.C. and da Rocha, C. M. 1983. Reproductive performance of Gyr cows: the effect of weaning age of calves and post-partum energy intake. Journal of Animal Science 57: 807–814.Google Scholar
Murray, C. M., Murray, M., Murray, P. K., Morrison, W. I., Payne, C. and Mclntyre, W. I. M. 1977. Diagnosis of African trypanosomiasis in cattle. Improved parasitological and serological techniques. In Fifteenth meeting of the International Scientific Council for Trypanosomiasis Research and Control Publication no. 116, OAU/STRC, The Gambia, pp. 247–255.Google Scholar
Ørskov, E. R., Reid, G. W. and McDonald, I. 1981. The effects of protein degradability and food intake on milk yield and composition in cows in early lactation. British Journal of Nutrition 45: 547–555.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Pullen, N.B. 1978. Condition scoring of White Fulani cattle. Tropical Animal Health and Production 10: 118–120.Google Scholar
Reynolds, L. and Ekwuruke, J. O. 1988. Effect of Trypanosoma vivax infection on West African dwarf sheep at two planes of nutrition. Small Ruminant Research 1: 175–188.Google Scholar
Richards, M.W., Spitzer, J. C. and Warner, M. B. 1986. Effect of varying levels of postpartum nutrition and body condition at calving on subsequent reproductive performance in beef cattle. Journal of Animal Science 62: 300–306.Google Scholar
Romney, D. L., N’Jie, A., Clifford, D. J., Holmes, P. and Gill, M. 1997. The influence of nutrition on the effects of infection with Trypanosoma congolense in trypanotolerant cattle. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 129: 83–89.Google Scholar
Statistical Analysis Systems Institute. 1994. SAS/STAT guide for personal computers. Version 6.1 for Windows. SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC.Google Scholar
Van Soest, P. J. 1982. Nutritional ecology of the ruminant. O and B Books, Corvallis, Oregon.Google Scholar
Wright, I. A., Rhind, S. M., Whyte, T. K. and Smith, A. J. 1992. Effects of body condition at calving and feeding level after calving on LH profiles and the duration of the postpartum anoestrous period in beef cows. Animal Production 55: 41–46.Google Scholar