Relationship between calving difficulty and fertility traits in first‐parity Iranian Holsteins under standard and recursive models

The main objective of this study was to estimate the genetic and phenotypic relationships between calving difficulty (CD) and fertility traits, including success at first service (SF), number of inseminations to conception (INS), interval from calving to first service (CTFS), interval between first and last service (IFL) and days open (DO), in first‐parity Iranian Holsteins under standard (SMMs) and recursive (RMMs) mixed models. The data analysed in this paper included 29 950 records on CD and fertility traits, collected in the time period from 1995 to 2014 by the Animal Breeding and Improvement Center of Iran. Under all observed SMMs and RMMs, five bivariate sire‐maternal grandsire models (ten bivariate analyses in total) were used for the analyses. Recursive models were applied with a view to consider that CD influences the fertility traits in the subsequent reproductive cycle and the genetic determination of CD and fertility traits by fitting CD as covariate for any of the fertility traits studied. The existence of such cause‐and‐effect is considered in RMMs but not in SMMs. Our results implied a statistically non‐zero magnitude of the causal relationships between CD and all the fertility traits studied, with the former influencing the latter. The causal effects of CD on SF (on the observed scale, %), INS, CTFS, IFL and DO were ?2.23%, 0.10 services, 1.93 days, 3.76 days and 5.61 days, respectively. Direct genetic correlations between CD and the fertility traits under both models were not statistically different from zero (95% HPD interval included zero), except for the correlation between CD and CTFS, which were 0.197 and 0.134 under SMM and RMM, respectively, indicating that genes associated with difficult births also increase intervals between calving and the first insemination afterwards. Comparison of both models by the deviance information criterion (DIC) demonstrated the plausibility of RMMs over SMMs.     

梅花鹿剖腹产诊治研究

本文是笔者在近年养鹿实践中 ,对梅花鹿剖腹产进行了诊治研究的总结。较详尽地阐述了梅花鹿剖腹产的适应症、剖腹产的手术方法和术后护理等问题。通过 1 5例难产手术证明 ,仔鹿成活率达 80 % ,母鹿成活率达 1 0 0 %。     

Genetic parameters for direct and maternal calving ease in Walloon dairy cattle based on linear and threshold models

Calving ease scores from Holstein dairy cattle in the Walloon Region of Belgium were analysed using univariate linear and threshold animal models. Variance components and derived genetic parameters were estimated from a data set including 33 155 calving records. Included in the models were season, herd and sex of calf × age of dam classes × group of calvings interaction as fixed effects, herd × year of calving, maternal permanent environment and animal direct and maternal additive genetic as random effects. Models were fitted with the genetic correlation between direct and maternal additive genetic effects either estimated or constrained to zero. Direct heritability for calving ease was approximately 8% with linear models and approximately 12% with threshold models. Maternal heritabilities were approximately 2 and 4%, respectively. Genetic correlation between direct and maternal additive effects was found to be not significantly different from zero. Models were compared in terms of goodness of fit and predictive ability. Criteria of comparison such as mean squared error, correlation between observed and predicted calving ease scores as well as between estimated breeding values were estimated from 85 118 calving records. The results provided few differences between linear and threshold models even though correlations between estimated breeding values from subsets of data for sires with progeny from linear model were 17 and 23% greater for direct and maternal genetic effects, respectively, than from threshold model. For the purpose of genetic evaluation for calving ease in Walloon Holstein dairy cattle, the linear animal model without covariance between direct and maternal additive effects was found to be the best choice.     

Dystocia in beef heifers: A review of genetic and nutritional influences

Breeding beef heifers for the first time at 15 months of age has potential to increase the efficiency of the beef breeding-cow herd. An increased incidence of dystocia in heifers calving at 2 years of age, compared to mature cows, is a major reason many farmers in New Zealand have not adopted the practice. The predominant type of dystocia affecting 2-year-old heifers is feto-maternal disproportion, a condition in which the fetus is too large relative to the size of the heifer's pelvis. Reducing birthweight of the calf is a means of reducing the incidence of dystocia. Birthweight and length of gestation are determined by genotype of the calf, maternal genetic effects and environmental effects.

Bulls with low estimated breeding values for birthweight have been selected for mating heifers; however, the positive genetic correlation between birthweight and mature weight meant that the progeny of these bulls tended to be lighter at finishing, making them less desirable in the beef industry. The genotype of the dam also plays a role in determining the risk of dystocia; the maternal ability of the dam to nurture the fetus influences birth- weight, and the dam's genetic potential for growth influences the size of her pelvic area. Heavy heifers tend to produce high- birthweight calves, counteracting the reduction in the incidence of dystocia resulting from the larger pelvis in larger heifers.

Manipulating feeding level during pregnancy offers an alternative method for manipulating the birthweight of calves. Little is known about the effects of nutrition in early gestation on placental development or birthweight of calves. No differences in the birthweight of calves have been observed in response to variation in feeding in mid-pregnancy, and variable responses in birthweight and the incidence of dystocia to feeding in the third trimester of pregnancy have been reported. Differences in birthweight have not always resulted in differences in the incidence of dystocia, primarily due to differences in liveweight of the heifer also induced by feeding regimens. Variability in the incidence of dystocia in response to feeding level in the third trimester of pregnancy makes it difficult to make recommendations for the feeding of heifers at this stage of gestation. More research is needed into the effects of nutrition in early gestation on fetal and placental development in cattle.     

犬的难产诊断与治疗

当犬发生难产时,助产无效后就必须尽早实施剖腹产手术。手术的越早,胎儿成活率就越高,母体恢复也越快。     

母牛难产的原因及解决方法

[目的]为了寻求本地黄牛母牛难产的原因和解决方法。[方法]2013年对5081头母牛的产犊情况进行统计分析。[结果]在统计产犊的母牛中,本地母牛为4018头,西本杂母牛为1063头,难产率最高的是本地母牛×西门塔尔,难产率为7.98%,其后依次为本地母牛×利木赞（6.55%）,西本杂母牛×西门塔尔（4.65%）,本地牛×安格斯（3.1%）,难产率最低的是本地母牛×本地公牛,难产率为0.85%。[结论]可采取科学选配、控制营养等方法来减少难产的发生率;采取科学的接产方法,能有效解决难产问题。     

母牛难产的风险病因--基于系列案例研究

[目的]难产是繁殖母牛的常见疾病,危害母牛和犊牛健康,进行难产牛原因分析有助于兽医或者牛场做好接产工作,提高生产力。 [方法]在万方数据服务平台、CNKI中国知网、Elsevier SD数据库和“SCI-科学引文索引”上,用关键词“难产”、“病例”、“牛”精确搜索我国相关的案例,统计筛除后的病例数,对牛难产原因进行统计和分析。 [结果]检索获得母牛难产的病例总数为753例,难产原因占比最大的是胎儿性难产有525例,占69.72%(95%CI 66.3-73.0);其次是产道异常（骨折造成骨盆畸形,子宫颈、阴道、阴门狭窄造成的产道异常）造成的难产89例,占11.82%(95%CI 9.6-14.3);阵缩及努责无力造成的难产41例,占5.44%(95%CI 3.9-7.3);子宫扭转造成的难产38例,占5.05%(95%CI 3.6-6.9);子宫颈开张不全造成的难产26例,占3.46%(95%CI 2.3-5.0);营养不良造成的难产18例,占2.39%(95%CI 1.4-3.8);双胎难产9例,占1.20%(95%CI 0.5-2.3);人为因素和其他因素造成的难产有7例,占0.93%（95%CI 0.4-1.9）。 [结论]引起母牛难产的最主要的因素是胎儿性难产、产道异常。兽医在实际临床中,应快速、准确确定母牛难产的病因,采取对应接产措施,减少经济损失。     

148例犬难产病例分析与助产方法比较

对临诊所见不同品种犬的148例难产进行了分类,对难产与年龄和胎次的关系及三种助产方法做了比较。结果表明胎儿性难产占46郾62%,产道性难产占27郾70%,产力性难产占25郾68%;1～2岁的怀孕犬难产占53郾38%,第一胎难产占59郾46%;产道性难产和胎儿性难产助产的最佳方法是剖腹产术。     

A survey of beef cattle farmers in New Zealand,examining management practices of primiparous breeding heifers

AIM: To obtain an estimate of the incidence of assistance at calving in primiparous (first-calving) beef heifers and the prevalence of breeding heifers at 15 months of age in New Zealand in 2006,and to identify factors contributing to farmers' decisions regarding breeding strategies for heifers, using a survey of beef cattle farmers.

METHODS: A questionnaire was sent to farmers listed in a Massey University database and to members of selected breed societies, as well as published in an industry newspaper; 331 valid responses were received. Information was gathered on the age and number of primiparous heifers, number of heifers assisted, and the importance of various reasons for and against breeding heifers at 15 months of age. Respondents were also required to outline the criteria used for selecting bulls to join with heifers, and the strategies used to manage dystocia in primiparous heifers.

RESULTS: Sixty-five (95% CI=58–71)% of respondents had only 2-year-old primiparous heifers in 2006, whilst a further 11 (95% CI=8–16)% had both 2- and 3-year-old primiparous heifers. The mean reported incidence of assisted calving was 7.0 (95% CI=6.4–7.5)% for 2-year-old primiparous heifers and 1.7 (95% CI=1.2–2.2)% for 3-year-old primiparous heifers. The reported incidence of assistance at calving within individual herdsranged from 0 to 100% for 2-year-old heifers. Respondents with bull-breeding herds most commonly observed their primiparous 2-year-old heifers twice daily, whilst respondents with commercial herds most commonly observed them once daily during calving. The most important reason for breeding heifers at 15 months of age was “increased profit”, whereas the most important reason for not breeding them at that age was “concern about rebreeding performance of 2-year-old heifers”. Estimated breeding value (EBV) for birth weight was the factor considered most frequently when selecting bulls to join with maiden heifers; age of bull and body shape of bull were the next most frequently considered factors. Selection of an appropriate bull was the most common strategy used to manage dystocia in 2-year-old beef heifers.

CONCLUSIONS: The majority of respondents calved their heifers at 2 years of age, and “increased profit” was the primary motivator. Concern about the rebreeding performance of 2-year-old heifers was the most important reason among the remainder of respondents for not breeding heifers at 15 months of age. Dystocia in 2-year-old heifers was “not a problem” or “a minorproblem” in most herds, but there was much variation amongst herds.