Gestational, Periparturient and Preweaning Growth Traits of Holstein versus Gir × Holstein F1Crossbred Dairy Calves Born to Holstein dams

The objectives of this study were to assess the gestational, periparturient and preweaning growth traits of Holstein vs Gir × Holstein (G × H F₁) crossbred dairy calves. Holstein cows (n=64) pregnant with Holstein (H × H) calves (bulls, n=16; heifers, n=18) or G × H (bulls, n=8; heifers, n=22) calves were sampled from 60 days of gestation through calving for serum progesterone (P₄) and in utero placentome sizes, and at parturition for calving ease scores (CES), calf vigour scores (CVS), and placental characteristics. Post-calving calf measures included birth weight (day 0) and body weight (kg), hip width (HW), body length (BL), wither height (WH), hip height (HH) and heart girth (HG) through 42 days of age. Serum IgG and calf vital function tests (respiration rate (RR), heart rate (HR), rectal temperature (RT) and fecal scores) were recorded on days 1, 3, 7 and 14 of age (a.m. and p.m.). Serum gestational P₄ was higher (p<0.05) for cows with H × H than G × H calves. Placentome measurements in utero were greater (p<0.01) for H × H calves than for G × H calves, while at parturition placental characteristics did not differ (p0.10). Gestation length, CES and CVS also did not differ (p0.10) between H × H and G × H calves. Calf RR and HR were higher (p<0.05) for H × H than G × H calves at both a.m. and p.m., while RT, fecal scores and serum IgG did not differ (p0.10) between H × H and G × H calves. Birth weight did not differ (p0.10) between H × H and G × H calves within sex. Moreover, bulls did not differ (p0.10) in any of the growth measures between H × H and G × H calves, whereas H × H heifers at days 28 and 42 of age were greater (p<0.05) in all growth traits than G × H heifers. Nevertheless, the relative change in growth measures over time (days 0 to 42) did not differ (p0.10) between H × H and G × H calves. While subtle differences in gestational, early growth and vital function characteristics were observed, these data suggest very similar developmental profiles between H × H and G × H calves.     

Immunostimulatory effects of human recombinant interleukin-12 on peripheral blood mononuclear cells from normal dogs

Interleukin-12 (IL-12) plays a pivotal role in regulating cellular immune responses involving autoimmunity, infectious disease, and cancer. Human recombinant (hr) IL-12 is being evaluated for therapy of human cancer. We investigated the potential of hrIL-12 to activate canine peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) using proliferation and cytotoxicity as readouts. Human rIL-12 caused increased proliferation of PBMC, and enhanced lysis of allogeneic canine tumor targets mediated by PBMC from normal dogs in vitro. In addition, antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) mediated by canine PBMC was enhanced by hrIL-12. These results indicate that hrIL-12 is recognized by canine immune cells, triggering a number of immune responses in canine PBMC, that may be important for immunotherapy of canine cancer. Information from this investigation provides impetus for evaluation of the effects of hrIL-12 on PBMC from tumor-bearing dogs and should be helpful in the development of hrIL-12 as an immune cell activator in vivo in the dog.     

Lamb production and its components in pure breeds and composite lines. I. Seasonal and other environmental effects

Season of lambing and other environmental effects on ewe performance were analyzed for purebred Finnsheep (F), Rambouillet (R), Dorset (D), Targhee (T) and Suffolk (S) and the generations of crosses in development of two maternal composite lines (1/2F1/4R1/4D) and (1/2F1/4T1/4S) in accelerated (January, May and September) or annual April lambing. The data involved 10,959 ewe breeding season records for 4,219 ewes of 412 sire families over 4 yr. Various measures of ewe productivity and its components (fertility, litter size, neonatal and preweaning survival and weaning weight) were analyzed. Fertility was higher for annual April than for accelerated May or January lambing and was sharply lower for September lambing. Fertility of F and F-cross ewes was significantly higher for May and lower for January lambings relative to R and D ewes. Litter size also was higher in annual April (1.9) than in January (1.8) or May (1.7) and September (1.4). Neonatal and preweaning survival was higher in September when litter size was smaller. Mean weaning weights were depressed in the larger April and May litters. Thus, weight of lambs weaned/ewe exposed was higher for annual April than for May and January lambing and was very low for September lambing. Hormone treatment of ewes for September lambing increased fertility from 16 to 44% and litter size from 1.6 to 1.8. Short lambing interval (8 mo vs 12+ mo) reduced mean ewe fertility by five percentage points, and most for the January lambing of Finnsheep ewes.     

Comparison of Booroola Merino and Finnsheep: effects on productivity of mates and performance of crossbred lambs

Booroola Merino (BM) and Finnsheep (FS) rams were mated to FS and crossbred (CO) ewes to compare their effects on the productivity of their mates and the performance of their progeny. Effects of breed of ram and the interaction of breed of ram X breed of ewe were no significant for fertility, total number born, number born alive, litter birth weight, or number of lambs weaned by the ewe or in the nursery. Birth weights of FS- and BM-sired lambs were equal, but FS-sired lambs were heavier at weaning and 147 d of age. Compared with BM-sired lambs, survival from birth to weaning of dam-reared lambs was greater for FS-sired lambs produced by CO dams than for FS-sired lambs produced by FS dams. At a constant live weight, FS-sired lambs had a heavier carcass with less external fat thickness than BM-sired lambs. Percentage of ewe lambs reaching puberty was lowest and age at puberty was highest for the BM X CO cross; relatively small differences existed between the other three genotypes for these traits. Ewe lambs sired by BM had a greater ovulation rate than FS-sired ewe lambs. Embryo mortality was greater in BM X CO ewe lambs than in ewe lambs of the other three genotypes; the difference was larger for ewes with three ovulations than for ewes with two ovulations. The net result was that BM X CO ewe lambs averaged slightly fewer lambs born than FS X CO ewes. The BM X FS ewe lambs had larger litters than the FS ewes due to a substantially higher ovulation rate and only a slightly lower overall embryo survival rate. With the exception of ovulation rate and litter size, FS rams produced lambs with a more desirable level of performance than did BM rams.     

Lifetime production of beef heifers calving first at two vs three years of age

Records of Angus, Hereford, Shorthorn, and first-cross cows born from 1960 to 1963 were used to study the effect of age at first calving and culling policy on cumulative survival (SU), number of breeding seasons (BS), pregnancies (PG), calves born (CB) and alive at 72 h (C72) and at weaning (CW), calf weaning weights (WW), and input/output efficiency, up to 12 yr of age. The 155 cows born in 1960 and 1961 calved first at 3 yr of age (M3) and the 173 born in 1962 and 1963 calved at 2 yr of age (M2). Analyses included both actual culling of cows open in two consecutive years (AC) and imposed culling of any open cow (IC). Also, economic efficiency for no culling (NC) of cows for infertility after first calving and up to 10 yr of age was calculated. The model included cow birth year-sire breed of cow (Y-S), sires within Y-S, breed of cow's dam (D), and D x Y-S. Linear functions of Y-S were used to estimate means for M2 and M3 cows. Under AC, by 12 yr of age M2 exceeded M3 cows by 6.8% SU, 1.1 BS, 1.2 PG, 1.1 CB, 1.0 C72, .9 CW, and 138 kg WW (P less than .10). Under IC, M2 exceeded M3 cows by only .7% SU, .3 BS, .3 PG, .3 CB, .2 C72, and .1 CW; and M3 produced 24 kg more WW than M2 cows (P greater than .10). Economic efficiency was higher for M2 than for M3 cows (greater than 10% at 6 yr to greater than 5% at 12 yr culling age), regardless of culling policy. Economic efficiency was maximum when terminal age of cows was 6 to 9 yr for M2 and 8 to 9 yr for M3 cows. Repeatability of pregnancy was higher (P less than .05) for M3 (19%) than for M2 (2%) cows. Economic efficiency for M2 or M3 cows under NC was slightly poorer (2 to 3%) than under either AC or IC policies. Economic efficiency can be improved by managing heifers to calve first as 2-yr-olds under either mild or intense culling of open cows.     

Output/input differences among nonpregnant, lactating Bos indicus-Bos taurus and Bos taurus-Bos taurus F1 cross cows

Nonpregnant F1 crossbred cows, progeny of either Hereford (H) or Angus (A) dams and sired by Brahman (Bm), Sahiwal (Sw), Pinzgauer (Pz), H, or A sires, were fed to maintain initial weight while rearing Charolais (C)-sired progeny for a period of 126 d in drylot commencing at about 48 d postpartum. Cow-calf pairs were assigned to equalize cow age, calf sex, and breed of cow's dam among three replicate pens of approximately 12 pairs each. Cows and calves were weighed every 2 wk and feed intake was adjusted to minimize change in cow weight. Metabolizable energy (ME) consumption for zero cow weight change was estimated by regression. Milk production was estimated by weight-suckle-weigh at 58, 85, 125, and 170 d of lactation. Calf gain (GAIN, kg) relative to cow weight (CWT1, kg) was higher (P less than .01) for calves from Bm-X (139.5/585) and Sw-X (132.2/534) than for calves from Pz-X (127.2/552) and HA-X (116.9/547) cows. Estimated mean daily production of milk was 7.40, 7.15, 7.28, and 6.37 kg for the Bm-X, Sw-X, Pz-X, and HA-X, respectively. Total cow ME intake (TMEcow) for breed groups ranked (P less than .05) with cow size and milk production, and calf creep-feed intake (FMEcalf) was inversely related to estimated milk intake. Proportion of total feed ME (TMEcow+calf) consumed by calves was higher (P less than .05) for HA-X cows (18%) than for the others (14%). Total efficiency of calf gain in weight (GAIN/TMEcow+calf) was 11% greater (P less than .05) for crossbred cows of Bos indicus X Bos taurus (Bm-X, Sw-X) than for Bos taurus X Bos taurus (Pz-X, HA-X) cows (35 vs 32 g/Mcal) in the 126-d lactation period.