Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-gbm5v Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-18T09:40:42.409Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Relationships between luteal activity, fertility, blood metabolites and body condition score in multiparous Estonian Holstein dairy cows under different management

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 November 2008

Jaak Samarütel ,
Andres Waldmann ,
Katri Ling ,
Hanno Jaakson ,
Tanel Kaart ,
Andres Leesmäe  and
Olav Kärt
Jaak Samarütel*
Affiliation:
Institute of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, 1 Kreutzwaldi St., 51014, Tartu, Estonia
Andres Waldmann
Affiliation:
Institute of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, 1 Kreutzwaldi St., 51014, Tartu, Estonia Institute of General and Molecular Pathology, University of Tartu, 19 Ravila St., 50411, Tartu, Estonia
Katri Ling
Affiliation:
Institute of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, 1 Kreutzwaldi St., 51014, Tartu, Estonia
Hanno Jaakson
Affiliation:
Institute of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, 1 Kreutzwaldi St., 51014, Tartu, Estonia
Tanel Kaart
Affiliation:
Institute of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, 1 Kreutzwaldi St., 51014, Tartu, Estonia
Andres Leesmäe
Affiliation:
Piistaoja Experimental Station, 86801 Piistaoja, Pärnu County, Estonia
Olav Kärt
Affiliation:
Institute of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, 1 Kreutzwaldi St., 51014, Tartu, Estonia
*
*For correspondence; e-mail: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The objective was to compare the relationships between luteal activity and fertility, and relate these parameters to metabolic indices and body condition changes in multiparous Estonian Holstein cows on two commercial dairy farms under different management and levels of production and nutrition (higher, H, n=54 (71 lactations) and lower, L, n=39 (39 lactations)). For statistical analysis cows were categorized according to their milk progesterone (P4) profiles as follows: normal ovarian function; delayed start of cyclicity (DC) (interval from calving to first luteal response (P4⩾5 ng/ml up to and more than 50 d respectively, followed by regular cyclicity); cessation of luteal activity (prolonged interluteal interval, P4<5 ng/ml, with a duration of ⩾14 d between two adjacent luteal phases); prolonged luteal activity (P4 levels ⩾5 ng/ml for ⩾20 d without preceding insemination). The Mixed procedure of the SAS system was used to compare milk production traits, blood metabolites (ketone bodies, non-esterified fatty acids, total cholesterol) and aspartate aminotransferase, body condition scores (BCS) and fertility parameters between the two farms, and also fertility parameters between the farms within P4 categories. Differences in milk fat/protein ratio, ketone body levels and BCS indicated a deeper negative energy balance (NEB) during the first month after calving on farm L. On both farms nearly 50% of the recently calved dairy cows suffered from ovarian dysfunction during the post-partum period. Delayed start of cyclicity was the most prevalent abnormal P4 profile, 25% and 28% on farms H and L, respectively. Prolonged luteal activity accounted for one-third of atypical ovarian patterns on farm H, and cessation of luteal activity on farm L. On farm L, DC cows had lower BCS values from day 10 to day 90 after calving compared with normal cows (P<0·01) and cows lost more BCS (1·2 units) during the 40 d after calving than normal resumption cows (0·75 units; P<0·05). On farm H with moderate NEB the delayed start of ovulation post partum did not impair subsequent reproductive performance.

Keywords

Fertilitymilk progesteronebody condition scoreblood metabolites
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Dairy Research , Volume 75 , Issue 4 , November 2008 , pp. 485 - 490
Copyright
Copyright © Proprietors of Journal of Dairy Research 2008

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

Beam, SW & Butler, WR 1999 Effects of energy balance on follicular development and first ovulation in postpartum dairy cows. Journal of Reproduction and Fertility Supplement 54 411–424Google Scholar
Buckley, F, O'Sullivan, K, Mee, JF, Evans, RD & Dillon, P 2003 Relationships among milk yield, body condition, cow weight and reproduction in spring-calved Holstein-Friesians. Journal of Dairy Science 86 2308–2319Google Scholar
Butler, WR & Smith, RD 1989 Interrelationships between energy balance and post-partum reproductive function in dairy cattle. Journal of Dairy Science 72 767–783CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Canfield, RW & Butler, WR 1991 Energy-balance, 1st ovulation and the effects of naloxone on LH-secretion in early post-partum dairy-cows. Journal of Animal Science 69 740–746Google Scholar
Diskin, MG, Mackey, DR, Roche, JF & Sreenan, JM 2003 Effects of nutrition and metabolic status on circulating hormones and ovarian follicle development in cattle. Animal Reproduction Science 78 345–370CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Edmonson, AJ, Lean, LJ, Weaver, LD, Farver, T & Webster, GA 1989 Body condition scoring chart for Holstein dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science 73 68–78Google Scholar
Garnsworthy, PC 2006 Body condition score in dairy cows: Targets for production and fertility. In: Recent Advances in Animal Nutrition–2006 (Eds Garnsworthy, PC & Wiseman, J) pp. 61–86. Nottingham UK: Nottingham University PressGoogle Scholar
Hayirli, A, Grummer, RR, Nordheim, EV & Crump, PM 2002 Animal and dietary factors affecting feed intake during the prefresh transition period in Holsteins. Journal of Dairy Science 85 3430–3443Google Scholar
Herdt, TH 2000 Ruminant adaptation to negative energy balance: Influences on the etiology of ketosis and fatty liver. Veterinary Clinics of North America: Food Animal Practice 16 387–403Google ScholarPubMed
Heuer, C, Schukken, YH & Dobbelaar, P 1999 Post-partum body condition score and results from the first test day milk as predictors of disease, fertility, yield and culling in commercial dairy herds. Journal of Dairy Science 82 295–304CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Horan, B, Mee, JF, O'Connor, P, Rath, M & Dillon, P 2005 The effect of strain of Holstein-Friesian cow and feeding system on post-partum ovarian function, animal production and conception rate to first service. Theriogenology 63 95–971CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
LeBlanc, S 2006 Monitoring programs for transition dairy cows. In: Proceedings of the World Buiatrics Congress Nice France (Eds Navetat, H & Schelcher, F) pp. 460–471.Google Scholar
Leroy, JLMR, Vanholder, T, Delanghe, JR, Opsomer, G, Van Soom, A, Bols, PEJ, Dewulf, J & de Kruif, A 2004 Metabolic changes in follicular fluid of the dominant follicle in high-yielding dairy cows early post partum. Theriogenology 62 1131–1143Google Scholar
Lumsden, JH 2000 Laboratory test method validation. Revue Médicine Véterinaire 151 623–630Google Scholar
Lutskii, DJ, Žarov, AV & Šiškov, VP 1978 Colorimetric determination of NEFA in the blood serum. In: Pathology of the metabolism of the high productive dairy cows (Ed. Šiškov, VP) pp. 339–340. Moscow, USSR: KolosGoogle Scholar
Mann, GE, Mann, SJ, Blache, D & Webb, R 2005 Metabolic variables and plasma leptin concentrations in dairy cows exhibiting reproductive cycle abnormalities identified through milk progesterone monitoring during the post partum period. Animal Reproduction Science 88 191–202Google Scholar
Nebel, RL & McGilliard, ML 1993 Interactions of high milk yield and reproductive performance in dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science 76 3257–3268Google Scholar
Opsomer, G, Coryn, M, Deluyker, H & de Kruif, A 1998 An analysis of ovarian dysfunction in high yielding dairy cows after calving based on progesterone profiles. Reproduction in Domestic Animals 33 193–204CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Opsomer, G, Gröhn, YT, Hertl, J, Coryn, M, Deluyker, H & de Kruif, A 2000 Risk factors for post-partum ovarian dysfunction in high producing dairy cows in Belgium: a field study. Theriogenology 53 841–857Google Scholar
Patton, J, Kenny, DA, McNamara, S, Mee, JF, O'Mara, FP, Diskin, MG & Murphy, JJ 2007 Relationships among milk production, energy balance, plasma analytes, and reproduction in Holstein-Friesian cows. Journal of Dairy Science 90 649–658CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Reimers, TJ, Smith, RD & Newman, SK 1985 Management factors affecting reproductive performance of dairy cows in the Northeastern United States. Journal of Dairy Science 68 963–972Google Scholar
Royal, MD, Darwash, AO, Flint, APF, Webb, R, Woolliams, JA & Lamming, GE 2000 Declining fertility in dairy cattle: changes in traditional and endocrine parameters of fertility. Animal Science 70 487–501Google Scholar
Samarütel, J, Ling, K, Waldmann, A, Jaakson, H, Kaart, T & Leesmäe, A 2008 Field trial on progesterone cycles, metabolic profiles, body condition score and their relation to fertility in Estonian Holstein dairy cows. Reproduction in Domestic Animals 43 457–463Google Scholar
Siedel, J, Rollinger, W, Röschlau, P & Ziegenhorn, J 1985 Total cholesterol, end-point and kinetic method. In: Methods of Enzymatic Analysis Volume 8 (Ed. Bergmeyer, HU) pp. 139–148. Deerfield Beach FL, USA: WeinheimGoogle Scholar
Trubka, RJ 1974 Methods for diagnosing ketosis in dairy cows. In: Prevention and Treatment of Diseases in Farm Animals (Ed. Kjaune, KJ) pp. 5–11. Zinatne RigaGoogle Scholar
Waldmann, A 1993 Enzyme immunoassay (EIA) for milk progesterone using monoclonal antibody. Animal Reproduction Science 34 19–30Google Scholar
Waldmann, A 1999 Monoclonal antibodies to progesterone: characterization and selection for enzyme immunoassay in bovine milk. Hybridoma 18 289–296Google Scholar
Westwood, CT, Lean, IJ & Garvin, JK 2002 Factors influencing fertility of Holstein dairy cows: a multivariate description. Journal of Dairy Science 85 3225–3237CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Windig, JJ, Calus, MPL & Veerkamp, RF 2005 Influence of herd environment on health and fertility and their relationship with milk production. Journal of Dairy Science 88 335–347Google Scholar