Predictive ability of models for calving difficulty in US Holsteins

The performance of alternative threshold models for analyzing calving difficulty (CD) in Holstein cows was evaluated in terms of predictive ability. Four models were considered, with CD classified into either three or four categories and analysed either as a single trait or jointly with gestation length (GL). The data contained GL and CD records from 90 393 primiparous cows, sired by 1122 bulls and distributed over 935 herd-calving year classes.
Predictive ability of each model was evaluated using four criteria: mean squared error of the difference between observed and predicted CD scores; a Kullback-Leibler divergence measure between the observed and predicted distributions of CD scores; Pearson's correlation between observed and predicted CD scores and ability to correctly classify bulls as above or below average for incidence of CD.
In general, the four models had similar predictive abilities. The joint analysis of CD with GL produced little, if any, improvement in predictive ability over univariate models. In light of the small difference in predictive ability between models treating CD with three or four categories and considering that a greater number of categories can provide more information, analysis of CD classified into four categories seems warranted.     

Remote monitoring system as a tool for calving management in Mediterranean Buffalo heifers (Bubalus bubalis)

Buffalo breeding is common in Southern Italy. Dystocia compromises dam's and newborn health and welfare. Difficult parturition could be solved through prompt calving assistance, even if the identification of the beginning of delivery is challenging. Herein, we aimed to evaluate a remote calving alarm system in 15 Mediterranean buffalo heifers. An intravaginal probe was placed close to the external cervical os once premonitory signs of delivery were observed. No vaginal discharge nor signs of discomfort were notified in the days following the insertion of the probe. Heifers calved from 48 to 72 hr after the alarm was activated. The system correctly warned the farm personnel at the beginning of stage II of parturition, except for 2 cases. In the former, the intravaginal probe was expelled but the poor carrier network coverage negatively affected phone's signal quality; in the latter, recurrent vaginal prolapse was responsible for non-retention of the probe. Overall median expulsive phase was 68 ± 8 min, while the expulsion of a female calf took 54 ± 22.0 min and 90 ± 34.0 min in males, with significant difference (p =.02). Deliveries were homogeneously distributed across a 24-hr interval. No retention of foetal membranes nor metritis was identified at postpartum clinical examination. The calving alarm system used in this work was well tolerated in buffalo heifers. The introduction of smart technology in buffalo farming could contribute to the overall farm net return by reducing calf losses, especially for calves born from sexed-sorted semen, and by increasing animal welfare through quick resolution of dystocia. Further studies will be necessary to evaluate the net return in buffalo farms which will implement a remote calving alarm system on a wider population.     

Estimation of ancestral inbreeding effects on stillbirth,calving ease and birthweight in German Holstein dairy cattle

In this study, the effect of different measurements of ancestral inbreeding on birthweight, calving ease and stillbirth were analysed. Three models were used to estimate the effect of ancestral inbreeding, and the estimated regression coefficient of phenotypic data on different measurements of ancestral inbreeding was used to quantify the effect of ancestral inbreeding. The first model included only one measurement of inbreeding, whereas the second model included the classical inbreeding coefficients and one alternative inbreeding coefficient. The third model included the classical inbreeding coefficients, the interaction between classical inbreeding and ancestral inbreeding, and the classical inbreeding coefficients of the dam. Phenotypic data for this study were collected from February 1998 to December 2008 on three large commercial milk farms. During this time, 36 477 calving events were recorded. All calves were weighed after birth, and 8.08% of the calves died within 48 h after calving. Calving ease was recorded on a scale between 1 and 4 (1 = easy birth, 4 = surgery), and 69.95, 20.91, 8.92 and 0.21% of the calvings were scored with 1, 2, 3 and 4, respectively. The average inbreeding coefficient of inbred animals was 0.03, and average ancestral inbreeding coefficients were 0.08 and 0.01, depending on how ancestral inbreeding was calculated. Approximately 26% of classically non‐inbred animals showed ancestral inbreeding. Correlations between different inbreeding coefficients ranged between 0.46 and 0.99. No significant effect of ancestral inbreeding was found for calving ease, because the number of animals with reasonable high level of ancestral inbreeding was too low. Significant effects of ancestral inbreeding were estimated for birthweight and stillbirth. Unfavourable effects of ancestral inbreeding were observed for birthweight. However, favourable purging effects were estimated for stillbirth, indicating that purging could be partly beneficial for genetic improvement of stillbirth.     

Effect of organic and inorganic selenium supplementation on semen quality and blood enzymes in buffalo bulls

The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of organic and inorganic selenium (Se) supplementation on semen quality and blood serum profiles of buffalo bulls. Nine mature buffalo bulls were divided into three groups: control (non‐supplemented); organic Se (10 mg Sel‐Plex®/head twice weekly) and inorganic Se (10 mg sodium selenite/head twice weekly). Semen was collected twice a week for 3 months during Se supplementation. Semen properties were evaluated from fresh ejaculate. Moreover, fructose concentration, aspartate and alanine transaminase (AST and ALT) activities, total protein and total cholesterol were assayed in seminal plasma. Additionally AST, ALT, testosterone and Se levels were determined in the blood serum. Results showed that Se supplementation significantly (P < 0.05) influences the semen parameters during 3 months of treatment. Organic Se significantly (P < 0.05) increased the percentage of viable sperms compared to inorganic Se and the control group. Fructose concentration was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in the seminal plasma of organic Se‐treated bulls. Serum testosterone and Se concentrations were significantly (P < 0.05) increased in the Se supplemented groups than the control group. In conclusion, Se supplementation improved the parameters of buffalo bull semen and more precisely, organic Se was more effective for the improvement of semen quality and some blood components than inorganic Se.     

日粮钙水平对泌乳水牛生产性能的影响

为了探讨日粮钙水平对泌乳水牛生产性能的影响,本试验选用12头胎次、泌乳时间、泌乳量相近的水牛,随机分成4组,每组3头水牛。采用4×4拉丁方试验方法,4组水牛基础日粮中钙含量分别占基础日粮干物质的0.47%、0.62%、0.78%、0.93%,其他营养成分均相同,其中磷占采食干物质比例为0.50%;共4期试验,每一试验期21 d,其中预饲期7 d,正饲期14 d。试验结果表明:1、不同钙水平日粮对泌乳水牛的产奶性能影响不显著(P>0.05),但0.78%钙水平日粮组水牛的产奶量分别比其他3组提高5.4%、5.5%、3.9%,不同钙水平对水牛奶营养成分影响不显著(P>0.05)。2、不同钙水平日粮对水牛血浆中钙含量影响差异显著(P<0.05);随着日粮钙水平的上升,水牛血液甲状旁腺素和1,25二羟基维生素D呈显著下降趋势(P<0.05)。综合各指标,日粮钙占采食干物质的比例为0.78%能进一步提高泌乳水牛产奶量。     

Effects of calving age, breed fraction and month of calving on calving interval and survival across parities in Irish spring-calving dairy cows

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of parity, age at calving, percentage North American Holstein-Friesian and calving date on subsequent calving interval and survival to facilitate the estimation of transition probabilities for month of calving. The economic value of traits that influence calving date, age distribution and survival can be assessed in models using a transition probability matrix. Such a matrix contains the probabilities that a cow of a particular age or breed calving in a particular month will calve in the same, an earlier or later month next year, or be culled. Following editing 1,046,855 calving records in spring-calving herds between the years 1990 and 2004 were analysed. Shorter calving intervals were associated with cows calving later in the calendar year. Age at first calving of < 24 months resulted in longer calving intervals to second calving across all levels of Holstein percentage with cows calving for the first time at 25–26 months of age having the shortest subsequent calving interval. Age at second calving of 37–38 months and third calving of 49–50 months were optimum for shorter subsequent calving intervals. Calving interval increased with Holstein percentage across the first 5 parities. Survival rate decreased with later month of calving and with older parities. When survival rate was measured as the ability of the cow to re-calve within 500 days, the highest survival rate was found in cows calving at 25–26 months of age whereas there was a noticeable reduction in survival across all parities in the 88–100% Holstein percent category.     

Linear–threshold animal model for birth weight, gestation length and calving ease in United Kingdom Limousin beef cattle data

Breeding value evaluation for UK Limousin beef cattle data was carried out by multiple-trait linear–threshold animal model with variance components assumed to be known. Polychotomous calving ease with five categories was analysed with two continuous traits: birth weight and gestation length. Field data consisted of 220,799 animals with observations with every possible combination of traits, and 270,035 animals in the pedigree. The threshold model was solved either with Newton Raphson or Expectation Maximisation algorithm, and solutions were compared to evaluation by a linear model with original and normalised scores. There were insignificant differences in solutions between the two algorithms for threshold model analyses. Furthermore, solutions of the continuous traits were similar by the threshold and linear models. For the categorical trait, correlations for random effects from the threshold and linear models were high. In case of normalised scores (original scores case in brackets) correlations with solutions from the threshold and linear model were 0.97 (0.94) and 0.97 (0.93) for direct and maternal genetic effects and 0.95 (0.89) for permanent maternal effects. Even so, at least one third of the top 1% ranking of bulls differed between the linear and the threshold models. Predictive abilities as correlations between estimated breeding values and pedigree indices were almost equal between the linear and threshold models for both continuous and categorical traits. In conclusion, despite the higher computational demand, the linear–threshold animal model can be seen worthwhile in the genetic evaluation of the national UK beef cattle data set.     

Crossbreeding effects on milk yield traits and calving interval in spring‐calving dairy cows

The aim of the study was to assess crossbreeding effects for 305‐day milk, fat, and protein yield and calving interval (CI) in Irish dairy cows (parities 1 to 5) calving in the spring from 2002 to 2006. Data included 188 927 records for production traits and 157 117 records for CI. The proportion of genes from North American Holstein Friesian (HO), Friesian (FR), Jersey (JE) and Montbéliarde (MO) breeds, and coefficients of expected heterosis for HO×FR, HO×JE and HO×MO crosses were calculated from the breed composition of cows’ parents. The model used to assess crossbreeding effects accounted for contemporary group, age at calving within parity, linear regression on gene proportions for FR, JE and MO, and linear regression on coefficients of expected heterosis for HO×FR, HO×JE and HO×MO, as fixed effects, and additive genetic, permanent environmental and residual as random. Breed effects for production traits were in favour of HO, while for CI were in favour of breeds other than HO. The highest heterosis estimates for production were for HO×JE, with first‐generation crosses yielding 477 kg more milk, 25.3 kg more fat, and 17.4 kg more protein than the average of the parental breeds. The highest estimate for CI was for HO×MO, with first‐generation crosses showing 10.2 days less CI than the average of the parental breeds. Results from this study indicate breed differences and specific heterosis effects for milk yield traits and fertility exist in Irish dairy population.     

Biodiversity in Mediterranean buffalo using two microsatellite multiplexes

The present study was carried out to investigate genetic diversity in Nile-Delta and Southern-Egypt buffalo populations in comparison with the Italian buffalo utilizing two microsatellite multiplexes. A total of 104 animals classified into three groups were used, 28, 38 and 38 representing the Nile-Delta, Southern-Egypt and Italian buffalo, respectively. The 15 studied microsatellites were CSSM38, CSSM70, CYP21, CSSM42, CSSM60, MAF65, BM0922, CSSM19, INRA006, ETH02, BM1706, BMC1013, CSSM47, INRA026 and CA004. All studied microsatellites showed allelic polymorphism. Number of polymorphic alleles ranged between 4 alleles (CSSM38, CSSM70 and CYP21) and 11 alleles (CA004). Pairwise Chi-square test for Nile Delta and Southern Egypt showed significant differences in allelic distribution at five loci, CSSM70, CSSM38, BM0922, ETH02 and BM1706. Italian buffalo showed the lowest percentage of observed heterozygotes (65%), while the Southern Egypt showed the highest (71%). Both the Italian and the Delta populations deviated significantly (P < 0.05) from HW equilibrium. Italian buffalo is relatively the most inbred population while the Southern-Egypt buffalo is the only outbred population. High level of genetic differentiation (F_ST estimates) between the Italian group and each of the Delta and Southern-Egypt group (0.083 and 0.076, respectively) was observed while Southern-Egypt group showed a lower level of genetic differentiation with the Delta group (0.014). Italian buffalo had the greatest genetic distance values with the two Egyptian groups (0.25 and 0.23) while much lower values between the Southern-Egypt and the Delta groups (0.06) was observed. Genetic variation between the Italian buffalo and the Egyptian buffalo was detected in 14 (out of 15) microsatellite loci. While a lower level (than that between Egyptian and Italian) of genetic variation between Southern-Egypt and Delta buffalo populations was expressed by 5 loci. It was concluded that the Southern-Egypt buffalo could be considered as distinct population from the Delta buffalo. In addition, Southern-Egypt group, being the only group with non-significant global deviation from HW equilibrium, the most heterozygous, and the only outbred population as well, is expected to respond more favorably to selection.     

水牛同期发情技术的研究

采用不同药物处理和给药方式,对不同品种水牛在不同季节自然发情和同期发情配种后的受胎效果进行系统研究,以期建立一套稳定的适合水牛同期发情的处理方法。试验选取本地水牛(102头)、摩拉水牛(129头)、尼里/拉菲水牛(98头)和杂交水牛(326头)共655头,分为5个组进行比较试验。结果表明:河流型摩拉水牛和尼里/拉菲水牛的同期发情率和配种受胎率均高于杂交水牛和本地水牛(P<0.05),但同为河流型的摩拉和尼里/拉菲水牛之间没有差异(P>0.05),以本地水牛效果最差,其同期发情率和配种受胎率分别为74.51%和30.39%;应用不同的药物处理时,以GnRH+PGF2α+GnRH效果最好,同期发情率和受胎率分别为88.46%和46.38%,其同期发情率显著高于其他各药物组(P<0.05),而用PGc的效果最差(分别为79.10%和33.21%);用PMSG肌注+PGc灌注法,其同期发情率和受胎率效果最好,显著高于其他各组(P<0.05),其次是PMSG肌注+PGc肌注法,PGc肌注法效果最差;在冬季进行同期发情处理时,同期发情率和受胎率最高(分别为83.75%和43.28%),明显高于其他各季节(P<0.05);水牛自然发情的人工授精受胎率和胚胎移植的受胎率均比同期发情的高,差异显著(P<0.05)。     

The roles of calving migration and climate change in the formation of the weak genetic structure in the Tibetan antelope (Pantholops hodgsonii)

Geographical barriers and distance can reduce gene exchange among animals, resulting in genetic divergence of geographically isolated populations. The Tibetan antelope (Pantholops hodgsonii) has a geographical range of approximately 1600 km across the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau, which comprises a series of tall mountains and big rivers. However, previous studies indicate that there is little genetic differentiation among their geographically delineated populations. To better understand the genetic structure of P. hodgsonii populations, we collected 145 samples from the 3 major calving regions, taking into consideration their various calving grounds and migration routes. We used a combination of mitochondrial sequences (Cyt b, ATPase, D‐loop and COX I) to investigate the genetic structure and the evolutionary divergence of the populations. Significant, albeit weak, genetic differentiation was detected among the 3 geographical populations. Analysis of the genetic divergence process revealed that the animals gradually entered a period of rapid genetic differentiation approximately 60 000 years ago. The calving migration of P. hodgsonii cannot be the main cause of their weak genetic structure because this cannot fully homogenize the genetic pool. Instead, the geological and climatic events as well as the coupling vegetation succession process during this period have been suggested to greatly contribute to the genetic structure and the expansion of genetic diversity.     

Riverine status and genetic structure of Chilika buffalo of eastern India as inferred from cytogenetic and molecular marker-based analysis

The present study aimed at assessing the status of the Chilika buffalo population of eastern India employing cytogenetic and molecular markers. The Chilika buffaloes investigated cytogenetically possess a somatic chromosome count of 50, identical to that of typical riverine buffaloes. Various diversity estimates, viz. observed number of alleles (4.68), effective number of alleles (2.79), and observed (0.487) and expected (0.602) heterozygosity across 25 heterologous microsatellite markers indicated the presence of a moderate level of genetic diversity in Chilika buffaloes, comparable with three other prominent Indian riverine buffalo breeds (Murrah, Nagpuri and Toda) included in this study. Across the four buffalo populations, mean estimates of F -statistics from Jackknifing over loci were significantly different from zero (p < 0.05), with F _IT (total inbreeding estimate) = 0.315 ± 0.038, F _IS (within-population inbreeding estimate) = 0.178 ± 0.038, and F _ST (population differentiation) = 0.166 ± 0.025. Inter-breed analysis reflected Chilika buffaloes to be genetically close to Nagpuri followed by Murrah and Toda buffaloes. Factorial correspondence analysis (FCA) revealed low breed-specific clustering of Chilika and Nagpuri buffaloes. Additionally, the neighbour-joining tree structure of mitochondrial DNA D-loop haplotypes indicated clear grouping of the Chilika haplotypes with the riverine buffalo. Thus the cytogenetic, microsatellite and mitochondrial data analysed in the present study classify Chilika buffalo of eastern India to be of the riverine type and not swamp-type buffalo.     

Calving date and its variability as a potential trait in the breeding objective to account for reproductive seasonality in alpacas

The low fertility and offspring survival indicators in alpacas can be partially due to their particularity seasonal reproduction that reduces the opportunities of the females to become pregnant within a season, with the survival of the offspring concerned by the availability of food and exposure to diseases that depends on the calving date. Optimizing the date of delivery and reducing its variability are shown as eligible criteria that could be used as selection criteria within the genetic improvement programmes in alpacas, the calving date being a much more appropriate trait to measure and optimize fertility unlike of age at first calving and the calving interval, this due to the reproductive seasonality in camelids. For this study, 6,533 birth date records were taken between 2001 and 2018 of Peruvian alpacas, to estimate the genetic parameters. Models assuming heterogeneity in the residuals were fitted besides classical homogeneous models to address, not only the possibility of forwarding or delaying the calving date, but also the trend to have parturitions in similar dates. The heritability and repeatability ranged from 0.07 to 0.20 for a homogeneity model and from 0.08 to 0.23 for a heterogeneity model, and suggest the possibility of advancing or delaying the calving date. It should be taken into account that the gestation length of camelids makes it difficult to adapt many reproductive traits, and trying to centre the calving date could delay it. It was concluded the feasibility to genetically select the calving date, also in the production of camels and dromedaries, which have the same reproductive characteristics as alpacas. This selection can be combined with other traits. The heterogeneity model was shown to provide a better fit.     

Accuracy of fetal age estimates using transrectal ultrasonography for predicting calving dates in dairy cows in seasonally calving herds in New Zealand

AIM: To describe the accuracy of transrectal ultrasonography for predicting calving dates in dairy cows under typical New Zealand conditions and to assess potential risk factors for differences between predicted and actual calving dates.

METHODS: Data were collected from 116 seasonally calving herds over 2 years in a retrospective single cohort study. Transrectal ultrasonography was undertaken by experienced veterinarians (n=12) to determine if cows were pregnant, and if so to estimate fetal age. Predicted calving date was calculated by adding 282 days to the estimated conception date. Accuracy was assessed using differences between predicted and actual calving dates for each animal. Potential risk factors for animals calving >10 days before or after their predicted calving date were assessed using multinomial logistic regression models.

RESULTS: The study population comprised 83,104 cows over the 2 years of the study; 75,037 (90.3%) cows calved within 10 days of their predicted calving date, 3,683 (4.4%) calved >10 days earlier, and 4,384 (5.3%) >10 days later, than predicted. Risk factors for calving >10 days before or after the predicted calving date included having >1 artificial insemination (AI) before pregnancy diagnosis (p=0.03), where the cow’s most recent AI was <21 days before the end of the herd’s AI period (p<0.01), and where the diagnosis was made at the second or third herd-visit (p<0.01). The probability of calving being >10 days later than predicted also increased when the fetus was ≥13 weeks old at pregnancy diagnosis (p<0.01).

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: In this study, >90% of cows diagnosed pregnant by veterinarians using transrectal ultrasonography calved within 10 days of the predicted calving date. In herds where herd reproductive performance is high, it would be expected that more cows would conceive to their first AI, and potentially fewer cows would have AI close to the end of the herd’s AI period, which would increase diagnostic accuracy. Where herd managers rely on accurate predicted calving dates they should be informed about realistic expected accuracy. For greatest accuracy, a complete AI history should be made available to the person performing the pregnancy diagnoses and cows at most risk of having inaccurate predicted calving dates should be identified.     

Epidural anesthesia in Egyptian water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis): a comparison of lidocaine,xylazine and a combination of lidocaine and xylazine

Objective

To evaluate and compare the analgesic effects of a combination of lidocaine and xylazine to lidocaine or xylazine administered alone for epidural anesthesia in Egyptian water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis).

Management of calving in Norwegian cubicle-housed dairy herds.

Sixty of the 65 dairy farms with cubicle houses in the Norwegian county of Oppland were included in a field study of the management of calving in 1990. The farmers recorded the location of the cow when giving birth, farmer presence and whether assistance was given during calving, occurrence of suckling, and time after birth when cow and calf were separated. Such data were recorded for a total of 1125 calvings. About 10% occurred on pasture, while 78% of the remaining calvings took place in the cubicle-equipped section. Thirteen percent calved in a calving pen, the remaining cows being tethered at the time of calving. Thirty-two percent of the calvings took place in houses lacking a calving pen altogether. Farmers were present during 41% of the calvings. Suckling most frequently occurred after pasture calvings, and was least frequent after calvings within the cubicle-equipped section of the cowhouse. Injuries to the calf caused by trampling or contact with fittings etc. were rare, and no more common in association with calving in the cubicle-equipped section than with calving taking place with the cow isolated from the rest of the herd. All calves were removed from their dams within 24 h after birth.     

水牛唾液蛋白组学研究进展

唾液具有溶菌、消化和滋润口腔等多种生物学功能,唾液中含有各种酶类,唾液是一种非损伤性的体液,作为研究材料被应用。唾液蛋白质组学研究也成为现代组学研究的热点内容。本文对唾液的收集方法、组学研究方面的应用、疾病方面、生物标记,特别是对水牛唾液蛋白组学方面的研究进行了综述,旨在为今后其他物种唾液蛋白质组学方面的研究奠定基础。     

Enteritis associated with Yersinia pseudotuberculosis infection in a buffalo

SUMMARY: A week after transport a 4 month old buffalo calf developed diarrhoea. Its condition gradually deteriorated and it died. Necropsy revealed acute haemorrhagic enteritis and enlarged mesenteric lymph nodes. Haemorrhages and numerous microabscesses were detected in the lamina propria of the small intestine associated with colonies of Gram negative bacteria. Yersinia pseudotuberculosis was isolated from the small intestine and from mesenteric lymph node. Enteritis caused by Y pseudotuberculosis does not appear to have been reported previously in buffalo in Australia.     

Evaluation of a commercial intravaginal thermometer to predict calving in a Hungarian Holstein-Friesian dairy farm

In this study, the utility of a commercial intravaginal thermometer was evaluated as an automated method for the prediction of calving in a total of 257 healthy pregnant Holstein–Friesian female cattle. The accuracy and the sensitivity of predicting calving within 48 hr before calving were also evaluated. The intravaginal temperature changes from 72 hr before and up to calving were significantly (p ≤ .001) affected by parity, season (summer vs. autumn), the time of day (8 a.m. or 8 p.m.) and the 6-hr time intervals (38.19°C: first interval 0 to 6 hr before calving vs. 38.78°C: twelfth interval 66 to 72 hr before calving), while the gender (p = .943), and the weight of the calf (p = .610), twinning (p = .300), gestation length (p = .186), foetal presentation (p = .123), dystocia (p = .197) and retention of foetal membranes (p = .253) did not affect it significantly. The sensitivity of the SMS of expecting calving within 48 hr and the positive predictive value were 62.4% and 75%, respectively, while the sensitivity and the positive predictive value for the SMS of expulsion reached 100%. It can be concluded that the investigated thermometer is not able to predict calving within 48 hr accurately; however, imminent calving can be accurately alerted.