Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-mlc7c Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-14T03:25:47.208Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Genetic relationship between milk urea nitrogen and reproductive performance in Holstein dairy cows

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 August 2010

Navid Ghavi Hossein-Zadeh  and
Mehrnaz Ardalan
Navid Ghavi Hossein-Zadeh*
Affiliation:
Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Animal Science, University of Guilan, Rasht, PO Box 41635-1314, Iran
Mehrnaz Ardalan
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Science, University College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, PO Box 31587-77871, Iran
*
†E-mails: [email protected], [email protected]
Get access

Abstract

The objective of this study was to describe the genetic and phenotypic relationship between milk urea nitrogen (MUN) and reproductive traits in Iranian Holstein dairy cows. Test-day MUN data obtained from 57 301 dairy cows on 20 large dairy herds in Iran between January 2005 and June 2009. Genetic parameters for MUN and reproductive traits were estimated with a five-trait model using ASREML program. Random regression test-day models were used to estimate heritabilities separately for MUN from first, second and third lactations. Regression curves were modeled using Legendre polynomials of order 3. Herd-year-season along with age at calving was included as fixed effects in all models for reproductive traits. Heritabilities for MUN and reproductive traits were estimated separately for first lactation, second lactation and third lactation. The estimated heritabilities for MUN varied from 0.18 to 0.22. The heritability estimate was low for reproductive traits, which ranged from 0.02 to 0.06 for different traits and across parities. Except for days open, phenotypic and genetic correlations of MUN with reproductive performance traits were close to zero. Genetic correlations between MUN and days open were 0.23, 0.35 and 0.45 in first, second and third lactation, respectively. However, the phenotypic correlation between MUN at different parities was moderate (0.28 to 0.35), but the genetic correlation between MUN at different parities was high and ranged from 0.84 to 0.97. This study shows a limited application of MUN for use in selection programs to improve reproductive performance.

Keywords

milk urea nitrogenfertilitygenetic correlationdairy cow
Type
Full Paper
Information
animal , Volume 5 , Issue 1 , January 2011 , pp. 26 - 32
Copyright
Copyright © The Animal Consortium 2010

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

Andersen-Ranberg, IM, Klemetsdal, G, Heringstad, B, Steine, T 2005. Heritabilities, genetic correlations, and genetic change for female fertility and protein yield in Norwegian dairy cattle. Journal of Dairy Science 88, 348–355.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Broderick, GA, Clayton, MK 1997. A statistical evaluation of animal and nutritional factors influencing concentrations of milk urea nitrogen. Journal of Dairy Science 80, 2964–2971.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Butler, WR, Calaman, JJ, Beam, SW 1996. Plasma and milk urea nitrogen in relation to pregnancy rate in lactating dairy cattle. Journal of Animal Science 74, 858–865.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Carlsson, J, Pehrson, B 1993. The relationships between seasonal variations in the concentration of urea in bulk milk and the production and fertility of dairy herds. Journal of American Veterinary Medicine Association 40, 205–212.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ghavi Hossein-Zadeh, N 2010. The effect of twinning on milk yield, dystocia, calf birth weight and open days in Holstein dairy cows of Iran. Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition (in press). DOI:10.1111/j.1439-0396.2009.00963.x.Google Scholar
Ghavi Hossein-Zadeh, N, Nejati-Javaremi, A, Miraei-Ashtiani, SR, Kohram, H 2008. An observational analysis of twin births, calf stillbirth, calf sex ratio, and abortion in Iranian Holsteins. Journal of Dairy Science 91, 4198–4205.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ghavi Hossein-Zadeh, N, Nejati-Javaremi, A, Miraei-Ashtiani, SR, Kohram, H 2009. Estimation of variance components and genetic trends for twinning rate in Holstein dairy cattle of Iran. Journal of Dairy Science 92, 3411–3421.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gianola, D 1982. Theory and analysis of threshold characters. Journal of Animal Science 54, 1079–1096.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gilmour, AR, Gogel, BJ, Cullis, BR, Welham, SJ, Thompson, R 2002. ASReml user guide release 1.0. VSN International Ltd., Hemel Hempstead, UK.Google Scholar
Godden, SM, Lissemore, KD, Kelton, DF, Leslie, KE, Walton, JS, Lumsden, JH 2001. Relationships between milk urea concentrations and nutritional management, production, and economic values in Ontario dairy herds. Journal of Dairy Science 84, 1128–1139.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
González-Recio, O, Alenda, R 2005. Genetic parameters for female fertility traits and a fertility index in Spanish dairy cattle. Journal of Dairy Science 88, 3282–3289.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Guo, K, Russek, E, Cohen, M, Varner, A, Kohn, RA 2004. Effects of milk urea nitrogen and other factors on probability of conception of dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science 87, 1878–1885.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hojman, D, Kroll, O, Adin, G, Gips, M, Hanochi, B, Ezra, E 2004. Relationships between milk urea and production, nutrition, and fertility traits in Israeli dairy herds. Journal of Dairy Science 87, 1001–1011.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Jamrozik, J, Schaeffer, LR 1997. Estimate of genetic parameters for a test day model with random regressions for yield traits of first lactation Holsteins. Journal of Dairy Science 80, 762–770.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Jamrozik, J, Fatehi, J, Kistemaker, GJ, Schaeffer, LR 2005. Estimates of genetic parameters for Canadian Holstein female reproduction traits. Journal of Dairy Science 88, 2199–2208.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Jonker, JS, Kohn, RA, Erdman, RA 1998. Using milk urea nitrogen to predict nitrogen excretion and utilization efficiency in lactating dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science 81, 2681–2692.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Jorritsma, R, Wensing, T, Kruip, TAM, Vos, PLAM, Noordhuizen, JPTM 2003. Metabolic changes in early lactation and impaired reproductive performance in dairy cows (review). Veterinary Research 34, 11–26.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kadarmideen, HN, Thompson, R, Coffey, MP, Kossaibati, MA 2003. Genetic parameters and evaluations from single- and multiple-trait analysis of dairy cow fertility and milk production. Livestock Production Science 81, 183–195.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
König, S, Chang, YM, v.Borstel, UU, Gianola, D, Simianer, H 2008. Genetic and phenotypic relationships among milk urea nitrogen, fertility, and milk yield in Holstein cows. Journal of Dairy Science 91, 4372–4382.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Leroy, JLMR, Opsomer, G, Van Soom, A, Goovaerts, IGF, Bols, PEJ 2008. Reduced fertility in highyielding dairy cows: are the oocyte and embryo in danger? Part I – The importance of negative energy balance and altered corpus luteum function to the reduction of oocyte and embryo quality in high-yielding dairy cows. Reproduction in Domestic Animals 43, 612–622.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Liu, Z, Jaitner, J, Reinhardt, F, Pasman, E, Rensing, S, Reents, R 2008. Genetic evaluation of fertility traits of dairy cattle using a multiple-trait animal model. Journal of Dairy Science 91, 4333–4343.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Luo, MF, Boettcher, PJ, Schaeffer, LR, Dekkers, JCM 2001. Bayesian inference for categorical traits with an application to variance components estimation. Journal of Dairy Science 84, 694–704.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Meijering, A, Gianola, D 1985. Linear versus nonlinear methods of sire evaluation for categorical traits: a simulation study. Genetics Selection Evolution 17, 115–132.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Melendez, P, Donovan, A, Hernandez, J 2000. Milk urea nitrogen and infertility in Florida Holstein cows. Journal of Dairy Science 83, 459–463.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Miglior, F, Sewalem, A, Jamrozik, A, Bohmanova, J, Lefebvre, DM, Moore, RK 2007. Genetic analysis of milk urea nitrogen and lactose and their relationships with other production traits in Canadian Holstein cattle. Journal of Dairy Science 90, 2468–2479.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Misztal, I, Gianola, D, Foulley, JL 1989. Computing aspects for a nonlinear method of sire evaluation for categorical traits. Journal of Dairy Science 72, 1557–1568.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mitchell, RG, Rogers, GW, Dechow, CD, Vallimont, JE, Cooper, JB, Sander-Nielsen, U, Clay, JS 2005. Milk urea nitrogen concentration: heritability and genetic correlations with reproductive performance and disease. Journal of Dairy Science 88, 4434–4440.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Nousiainen, J, Shingfield, KJ, Huhtanen, P 2004. Evaluation of milk urea nitrogen as a diagnostic of protein feeding. Journal of Dairy Science 87, 386–398.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Oltner, R, Wiktorsson, H 1983. Urea concentrations in milk and blood as influenced by feeding varying amounts of protein and energy to dairy-cows. Livestock Production Science 10, 457–467.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rajala-Schultz, PJ, Saville, WJA, Frazer, GS, Wittum, TE 2001. Association between milk urea nitrogen and fertility in Ohio dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science 84, 482–489.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ramirez-Valverde, R, Misztal, I, Bertrand, JK 2001. Comparison of threshold vs. linear and animal vs. sire models for predicting direct and maternal genetic effects on calving difficulty in beef cattle. Journal of Animal Science 79, 333–338.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ranberg, IMA, Heringstad, B, Klemetsdal, G, Svendsen, M, Steine, T 2003. Heifer fertility in Norwegian dairy cattle: variance components and genetic change. Journal of Dairy Science 86, 2706–2714.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Řehák, D, Rajmon, R, Kubešová, M, Štípková, M, Volek, J, Jílek, F 2009. Relationships between milk urea and production and fertility traits in Holstein dairy herds in the Czech Republic. Czech Journal of Animal Science 54, 193–200.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rhoads, ML, Rhoads, RP, Gilbert, RO, Toole, R, Butler, WR 2006. Detrimental effects of high plasma urea nitrogen levels on viability of embryos from lactating dairy cows. Animal Reproduction Science 91, 1–10.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Spicer, LJ, Francisco, CC, Jones, D, Waldner, DN 2000. Changes in milk urea nitrogen during early lactation in Holstein cows. Animal Science Research Report 2000, 169–171.Google Scholar
Stoop, WM, Bovenhuis, H, Van Arendonk, JAM 2007. Genetic parameters for milk urea nitrogen in relation to milk production traits. Journal of Dairy Science 90, 1981–1986.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Tempelman, RJ 1998. Generalized linear mixed models in dairy cattle breeding. Journal of Dairy Science 81, 1428–1444.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Vallimont, JE, Rogers, GW, Holden, LA, O’Connor, ML, Cooper, JB, Dechow, CD, Clay, JS 2003. Milk urea nitrogen and fertility: a population study using test day records. Journal of Dairy Science 81(Suppl. 1), 239 (Abstr.).Google Scholar
Weigel, KA, Rekaya, R 2000. Genetic parameters for reproduction traits of Holstein cattle in California and Minnesota. Journal of Dairy Science 83, 1072–1080.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wood, GM, Boettcher, PJ, Jamrozik, J, Jansen, GB, Kelton, DF 2003. Estimation of genetic parameters for concentrations of milk urea nitrogen. Journal of Dairy Science 86, 2462–2469.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed