The effects of nutrition on reproductive performance of beef cattle

The concept of feeding for optimal reproductive performance is not new. The effects of prepartum and postpartum nutritional levels on return to postpartum estrus and conception rates was reported in 1962. The effect of body condition regardless of nutrition regimen was first reported in 1975. Body condition scoring has become a popular topic for Extension and practitioner sponsored producer meetings. To effectively promote a management change that requires increased cash flow and does not have an immediate return requires demonstration of cost-effectiveness. This requires knowledge of the biologic information and transformation of that knowledge (through partial budget analysis) into additional profit for the producer. Controlling reproduction through proper nutrition at critical times of the reproductive cycle requires: 1. Calving and breeding seasons of 60 days. 2. Cows to be in moderate to good body condition at calving (BCS 5-7). 3. Cows to be slightly gaining at the beginning of the breeding season. 4. Cows to be bred to fertile bulls. 5. Evaluation and correction of body condition well in advance of the actual impact of BCS on reproductive function. 6. Producer to be prepared to initiate "alternate" plans (i.e., early weaning or 48 hour calf removal).     

亚临床酮病对泌乳早期奶牛繁殖性能的影响

为探究围产期亚临床酮病与泌乳奶牛繁殖性能及卵泡发育之间的关系,本试验选择了黑龙江省某大型集约化牛场开展试验,根据产后血酮水平确定亚临床酮病组和健康组奶牛共80头,该牛场亚临床酮病发生率为71%;两组奶牛跟踪到产后50 d进行直肠检查和B超检查了解卵泡发育状况,并记录繁殖性能数据。结果显示:与健康组奶牛相比,亚临床酮病组奶牛产后首次发情天数延长10 d,产后60 d内发情次数少0.58次;产后50 d子宫复旧不全高15%,与亚临床酮病呈显著正相关(R^2=8.74);产后60 d卵泡直径小3 mm(P<0.05)。结论:该牛场奶牛亚临床酮病发病率较高,是引起奶牛产后繁殖障碍的风险因素,也是造成卵泡发育受阻的不良因素,会导致奶牛繁殖力下降。     

Partitioning of energy during lactation of primiparous beef cows

For a beef cow to continue in an annual production cycle, she must rebreed within 3 mo after calving. Malnutrition during this period frequently results in failure of the cow to become pregnant. The energetic needs of the cow are increased by lactation, and additional energy is required for growth of the primiparous cow. Determining energy expenditures during the first 40 to 60 d postpartum is critical to developing feed programs that will allow cows to become pregnant with a second calf. Sixty-seven balance trials were conducted on 25 MARC III cows (4-breed composite: (1/4) Hereford, (1/4) Angus, (1/4) Red Poll, and (1/4) Pinzgauer) that were between 3 and 53 d in milk. Cows' BW were 481 +/- 4 kg. Metabolizable energy intake ranged from 14.8 to 28.9 Mcal/d. Milk yields ranged from 4.7 to 13.3 kg/d. Recovered energy (RE) increased linearly with increased ME intake. Forty-seven observations were obtained with cows in negative tissue energy (TE) balance, and 20 observations were obtained with cows in positive TE balance. Estimated zero RE from regression analysis of RE on ME intake was 146 kcal of ME/kg of BW(0.75). Efficiency of conversion of ME to lactation energy (LE) was 72%. The efficiency for conversion of ME to TE and the conversion of TE to LE was 78%. Our findings suggest that, even though their milk production is lower, the overall efficiency of energy retention in young beef cows is similar to that of dairy cows.     

Influence of body condition at calving and postpartum nutrition on endocrine function and reproductive performance of primiparous beef cows

The influences of body condition score (BCS) at calving and postpartum nutrition on endocrine and ovarian functions, and reproductive performance, were determined by randomly allocating thin (mean BCS = 4.4 +/- 0.1) or moderate condition (mean BCS = 5.1 +/- 0.1) Angus x Hereford primiparous cows to receive one of two nutritional treatments after calving. Cows were fed to gain either 0.45 kg/d (M, n = 17) or 0.90 kg/d (H, n = 17) for the first 71 +/- 3 d postpartum. All cows were then fed the M diet until 21 d after the first estrus. A replication (yr 2; M, n = 25; H, n = 23) was also used to evaluate reproductive characteristics. Concentrations of IGF-I, leptin, insulin, glucose, NEFA, and thyroxine were quantified in plasma samples collected weekly during treatment and during 7 wk before the first estrus. Estrous behavior was detected by radiotelemetry, and luteal activity was determined based on concentrations of progesterone in plasma. All cows were bred by AI between 14 and 20 h after onset of estrus, and pregnancy was assessed at 35 to 55 d after AI by ultrasonography. Cows that calved with a BCS of 4 or 5 had similar endocrine function and reproductive performance at the first estrus. During treatment, H cows gained BW and increased BCS (P < 0.01), and had greater (P < 0.05) concentrations of IGF-I, leptin, insulin, glucose, and thyroxine in plasma than M cows. However, during the 7 wk before the first estrus, plasma concentrations of IGF-I, leptin, insulin, glucose, NEFA, and thyroxine were not affected by time. Cows previously on the H treatment had a shorter (P < 0.01) interval to first postpartum estrus and ovulation, and a larger dominant follicle (P < 0.01) at first estrus, than M cows, but duration of estrus and the number of mounts received were not influenced by nutrient intake. Pregnancy rate at the first estrus was greater (P < 0.03) for H (76%, n = 38) than for M (58%, n = 33) cows. Increased nutrient intake after calving stimulated secretion of anabolic hormones, promoted fat deposition, shortened the postpartum interval to estrus, and increased pregnancy rate at the first estrus. Concentrations of IGF-I and leptin in plasma were constant during 7 wk before the first estrus, indicating that acute changes in these hormones are not associated with the resumption of ovarian function in primiparous beef cows.     

The effect of protein-feeding strategy during lactation on performance of primiparous dairy cows fed total mixed ration

Fifty primiparous Finnish Ayrshire cows were used in 2×2 factorial study. The factors were the protein-feeding strategy: constant (cCP) or variable (vCP) protein content in concentrate during lactation and the use of a commercial health product from 2 weeks pre- to 8 weeks postpartum. On treatment cCP, the CP content of the concentrate was 180 g/kg in dry matter (DM) throughout the lactation, and on vCP treatment, the CP content was 210, 180 and 150 g/kg DM during lactation days 0-100, 101-200 and 201-305, respectively. The concentrate blends included barley, oats, rapeseed meal, molassed sugar beet pulp and minerals and vitamins. Grass silage and ensiled wet sugar beet pulp (100 g/kg DM in TMR) were used as forage. The forage-to-concentrate ratio in TMR was 55:45 on both treatments. The experimental period was 305 days of the first lactation.The average daily milk yield (cCP: 26.3 kg/day vs. vCP: 27.5 kg/day) was higher (P<0.05) when feeding concentrate with decreasing protein content, but the effect was not seen in an energy-corrected milk (cCP: 28.1 kg/day vs. vCP: 29.0 kg/day). Milk composition was not affected by the protein-feeding strategy. Protein-feeding strategy had no effect on DM intake (cCP: 18.5 kg/day vs. vCP: 18.9 kg/day). The efficiency of CP utilization (milk protein/CP intake) was higher (0.327 vs. 0.301; P<0.05) on vCP treatment during the last 100 days of lactation, but during the first 200 days of lactation, no significant difference was found. The average efficiency of CP utilization throughout the lactation was 0.32 with no difference between treatments. The protein-feeding strategy had no effect on the development of body condition scores of the cows. In mid-lactation, the cows on cCP treatment gained more weight than the cows on vCP treatment. The health product had no significant effect on production or feed intake. The results suggest that only small benefits can be obtained from feeding TMR to primiparous cows differing in CP content at various stages of lactation.     

The effect of nutrition on conception rate in beef cows at cumberland house, Saskatchewan

The conception rate of cows in the Cumberland House area of Saskatchewan fed native forage grown in the area was observed to be unacceptably low. Supplementation with 12g of calcium and of phosphorus daily, and provision of cereal silage seemingly improved conception rates. It would appear that phosphorus may have been the first limiting nutrient and that a portion of the improved pregnancy rate was due to phosphorus supplementation. The low energy content of the forage, especially in years when it was badly weathered, was also judged to be a factor in conception rate in the subsequent year. It was also noted that there is a potential widespread phosphorus problem for beef cattle in Saskatchewan based on Feed Testing Service analyses of feeds.     

The effect of individual liveweight and condition of beef cows on their reproductive performance and birth and weaning weights of calves

AIM: To examine of the influence of liveweight (LW), condition (CS) and age of dam on inter-calving interval (ICI), date of calving, days from joining to calving, and birth and weaning weights of calves. METHODS: LW and CS were measured in a herd of mixed-aged (3-8 years) Hereford x Friesian beef cows on four occasions, annually, over a 3-year period from joining (the date bulls were introduced into the herd at the start of a restricted breeding season) in November 2000 to weaning in March 2004. The four dates of weighing and condition-scoring were joining (November), weaning (March), winter (June), and pre-calving (August). Calves were tagged, identified to their dam, and weighed within 24 h of birth, and at weaning. Date of calving, ICI and days from joining to calving were determined. RESULTS: The CS and LW of cows varied between years. LW increased in cows up to 6 years of age. Three-year-old cows had a longer ICI than older cows. Change in CS and LW from winter to pre-calving and pre-calving to joining were negatively correlated with ICI for younger cows but not for cows > or = 5 years (CS) and 6-8 years (LW) old. No difference in CS or LW precalving was evident between cows that subsequently became pregnant compared with non-pregnant cows, although cows that became pregnant gained more condition from pre-calving to joining than non-pregnant cows. Pregnant cows were heavier and had higher CS at joining than non-pregnant cows. CONCLUSIONS: Young cows, up to second-mating as 3-year-olds, would benefit from separate nutritional management from older cows, to ensure ICI and days to conception are kept at targeted levels. In addition, increasing CS from pre-calving to joining and higher LW and CS at joining resulted in higher pregnancy rates.     

Metabolic changes in early lactation and impaired reproductive performance in dairy cows

This review addresses the suggestion that the decline in dairy reproductive performance, as increasingly observed these days, may be due to a hampered process of metabolic adaptation in early lactating cows. In our opinion, adaptation to the negative energy balance is a gradual process. Because almost all cows do adapt in the long run, it is not possible to classify animals as adapted or non-adapted. The use of risk factors is more appropriate in this case and is discussed in this review. Among them are the body condition score and its derivatives, feed intake, the calculated negative energy balance, and metabolic parameters like the plasma concentration of insulin or the triacylglycerol content in the liver. Moreover, factors that play a role in the link between declined reproductive performance and the metabolic situation of the cow during the early lactating period are discussed. Among these are insulin, insulin-like growth factors, leptin, neuropeptide Y, non-esterified fatty acids, thyro?d hormones, urea, and ammonia.     

The effect of nutrition during the growing period and the oestrous cycle on the reproductive performance of the pig

The literature on the effects of nutrition during the growing period and the oestrous cycle on the reproductive performance of the pig is reviewed. It is concluded that the age at which the gilt reaches puberty is influenced much less by nutrition than by other environmental factors. This being so it would be advisable to feed the gilt at a level of intake which optimises food conversion efficiency. By extrapolation from the recent work of Davies and Lucas (1972) this might be expected to occur when dietary energy intake was approximately three times the maintenance requirement.In some circumstances ovulation may be a limiting factor to litter size therefore in order to maximise ovulation rate it would be advisable to feed gilts ad libitum for 11–14 days before the oestrus at which they are to be mated.Following mating the feed intake of the gilt should be reduced to provide an intake of approximately 5 Mcal ME/day.On the limited evidence available at present it would appear likely that reducing the age at which gilts reach puberty and are mated will produce small reductions in litter size, but that such a practice may be justifiable in terms of savings in food consumption.From the evidence that is available it would appear that nutritional variations during the weaning to remating period and the post weaning oestrous period may influence ovulation rate. However, ovulation rate does not seem to be the factor which limits litter size. Post weaning nutrition may be of significance in determining if and when the female returns to oestrus and also in influencing conception rate. There is certainly a case for feeding the primiparous sow liberally between weaning from her litter and conception. However in the older sow the effects are less clearly defined. The precise requirements of the sow between weaning and conception still await definition.     

能量和蛋白水平对畜禽繁殖性能的影响

本文比较系统地介绍了能量和蛋白质水平对动物繁殖性能影响的研究进展,并着重论述了营养不足或营养过剩对繁殖动物的影响,以及繁殖动物饲养过程中满足各种能量和蛋白质营养需要的必要性.     

The effect of body condition, live weight, breed, age, calf performance, and calving date on reproductive performance of spring-calving beef cows.

Data from 321 spring-calving cows (mean calving date March 27) were used to assess the effects of body condition, live weight, cow age (from 4 to 13 yr), and breed (237 Hereford x Friesians and 84 Blue-Greys) and time of calving on the proportion of cows that became pregnant, the number of days from the start of mating to pregnancy, and calving interval. Mating started at turn-out to pasture in mid-May and lasted 9 to 10 wk. Body condition at calving and breed were the most significant animal factors affecting reproductive performance. Cows calving in higher body condition had shorter (P less than .001) calving intervals (11.2 d per unit of body condition at calving). Blue-Grey cows became pregnant in a higher proportion (90%) and calving interval was shorter (364 d) than in Hereford x Friesians (83%; 374 d). Body condition at the start of mating was less important and body condition at the end of mating had no effect. Live weight at calving and changes in live weight from calving to the start of mating and during the mating period had no significant effect. The proportion of cows becoming pregnant decreased significantly with age in Hereford x Friesian cows older than 7 yr. The variance in calving interval accounted for by calving date, body condition at calving, breed, and age was 42%.     

The performance of beef cows on Digitaria eriantha silage

Digitaria eriantha silage, ensiled when the plants were in the late flowering stage (March), was fed ad lib to mature, non‐pregnant, dry Hereford cows from mid‐May to mid‐September. The average daily gain during a 98‐day feeding period was 0,35 kg/cow. The estimated quantity and quality of the daily dry matter intake corroborated the positive mass gains.     

Effects of induced hypothyroidism on weight gains, lactation, and reproductive performance of primiparous Brahman cows.

Primiparous, spring-calving Brahman cows (BW = 425.0 +/- 13.8 kg, body condition score [BCS] = 5.0 +/- .2 units; SEM) were used to study the effects of thyroid manipulation on weight gain, milk production, and reproduction. Nine cows served as controls. Nine cows were induced to become hypothyroid by daily ingestion of 4 mg/kg BW of 6-n-propyl-2-thiouracil (PTU). Cows were stratified to treatment 1 d after calving based on season of birth, BW, BCS, calf sex, and calf sire. The treatment period lasted for 84 d and was followed by a 56-d posttreatment period. Cow BW, BCS, and calf weight were recorded twice weekly. Milk production was estimated at 14, 28, 56, 84, 98, 112, and 140 d after calving. Weekly blood samples were obtained for analysis of triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxine (T4), and progesterone (P4). Estrus was monitored twice daily with the aid of a fertile bull equipped with a chin ball marker. Hypothyroidism was effectively induced in all PTU cows during the treatment period. The PTU cows gained more (P = .002) weight (54.6 +/- 7.6 kg) and tended (P = .06) to increase body condition (.61 +/- .17 units) more than control cows (15.7 +/- 7.6 kg; .11 +/- .17 units) during the treatment period. Control calves gained at a faster rate (.85 +/- .04 kg/d; P < .01) than PTU calves (.70 +/- .04 kg/d) during the treatment period. Milk production was lower (P < .05) in PTU cows on d 56 and 84. During posttreatment all trends were reversed, and BW, BCS, calf weight, and milk production were similar between the two groups by d 140. Reproductive performance was not affected by induction of hypothyroidism. In conclusion, induction of hypothyroidism was successful in increasing cow weight and BCS gains and suppressing milk production during the treatment period, but these changes were not successful in improving reproductive performance of primiparous Brahman cows.     

蜀宣花牛母牛的繁殖性能研究

通过对1318头蜀宣花牛母牛的繁殖性能进行调查,结果显示:蜀宣花牛母牛初配年龄在16～20月龄之间,发情和产犊具有一定的季节性,以9～12月最高,5～8月最低;从牛群结构看,成年母牛占42.9%,1.5～4.0岁青年母牛占55.67%,1.5岁以下小母牛占1.43%;从产犊胎次看,产犊4胎以上的占10.67%,产犊3胎的占11.99%,产犊2胎的占19.69%,产犊1胎的占26.51%,初胎怀孕母牛占13.64%,后备小母牛占17.49%。在所调查的1076头繁殖母牛的2157个胎次中,共产犊牛2163头,其中产公犊1102头,占50.95%,产母犊1061头,占49.05%,公母比为1.04∶1;在2157个产犊胎次中,产犊间隔平均为381.48d,难产率为0.28%,双胎率为0.28%,犊牛成活率为99.26%,群体第一情期受胎率为33.75%。     

Concentrations of ketones in milk in early lactation, and reproductive performance of dairy cows

Samples of blood and milk were taken from clinically ketotic cows at 12-hour intervals before and after treatment The concentration of beta-hydroxybutyrate was determined in plasma and milk, and the concentration of acetone was determined in milk. Measurement of milk acetone had the optimal combination of sensitivity, specificity and positive predictive value to identify ketotic cows and was subsequently used in a comparison of the fertility of ketotic and normal cows. Two samples of milk were taken approximately two weeks apart, between 12 and 60 days after calving, from 410 cows on three farms and the concentration of acetone in the milk was measured. Thirty cows with milk acetone concentrations of at least 0.4 mmol/litre were compared with paired control cows with milk acetone concentrations less than 0.3 mmol/litre. The ketotic cows had a significantly longer calving-to-conception interval and a significantly higher culling rate due to a failure to conceive (P<0.05).     

Effect of mastitis during the first lactation on production and reproduction performance of Holstein cows

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of postpartum mastitis between first calving and subsequent conception on production and reproduction performance as well as culling of Holstein cows. A data set of 9,183 first lactation cows was used. Results showed that the first cumulative 100?days' milk production and the milk yield standardized to 305?days were affected by the interval from calving to first mastitis (P??0.05). Calving year, calving difficulty score, and cumulative first 60?days milk production had significant impacts on mastitis risk (P?相似文献   

Relationship among weight change, body condition and reproductive performance of range beef cows

A 5-yr study involving 45 to 78 pregnant Hereford range cows each year evaluated relationships among prepartum nutrition, body condition scores, BW changes and reproductive performance. Four prepartum nutritional treatments were imposed. One group of cows were fed to maintain (M) their November BW until calving in March and April. The other three groups of cows were fed to lose about 5% of their November BW by 8 wk before parturition, then to maintain BW (LM), lose an additional 5% of their BW (LL) or gain 5% of their BW (LG). After calving, all cows were fed to maintain BW. Body condition scores and BW were recorded every 14 d throughout the trial. Linear regression analyses were conducted to examine treatment effects on BW, body condition score and measures of reproductive performance. A discriminant analysis was performed on pregnancy rate and percentage of cows with ovarian luteal activity by 85 d after parturition. The M cows had a greater pregnancy rate (71%) than cows on other treatment groups. The LL cows had a reduced pregnancy rate (42%) compared with LM (51%) and LG (58%) cows. Prepartum nutritional treatment did not affect the days from parturition to conception. Precalving body condition score and November to January BW changes influenced pregnancy rate (P less than .001). A cubic response curve described the relationship between pregnancy rate and precalving body condition score for cows with condition scores of 3 through 7.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)