Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-fbnjt Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-18T11:21:39.121Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Issues arising from genetic change: Ruminants

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 February 2018

Seerp Tamminga
Seerp Tamminga*
Affiliation:
Group Animal Nutrition, Wageningen Institute of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University
Get access

Abstract

In nutritional terms productivity in dairy cows is best expressed in multiples of their energy requirements for maintenance, which is directly related to Metabolic Body Weight (MBW). Energy requirements can further be specified as those for free energy (fME), ketogenic energy (kME), glucogenic energy (gME) and aminogenic energy (aME). For maintenance, energy is required in an approximate ratio fME:gME:aME of 85:5:10.For a production level of 6x maintenance the required ratio of fME:kME:gME:aME is approximately 18:31:29:22, hence 70% of the required ME has to be delivered as specific nutrients.

During their productive life, dairy cattle alternate periods with high and periods with low risk of an inadequate nutrient supply. A period of high risk is between 10 days pre-partum and 90 days postpartum. High risk in this period means a high susceptibility for metabolic and reproductive disorders, many of which are interrelated. Negative Energy Balance (NEB) in early lactation is a metabolic status that is almost inevitable in high yielding dairy cows. In severe cases this is an important predisposing factor for metabolic disorders (paturient paresis, fatty liver, ketosis, displaced abomasum) and reproductive disorders (undetected heat, delayed ovarian cycle, reduced fertility, increased between calving interval).

Adequate nutrient supply is required from 2 weeks pre-partum onwards. Critical issues are energy density, distribution between structural and non-structural carbohydrates and distribution between fME, kME, gME and aME. Practical solutions, which can help alleviate the metabolic and reproductive problems, could be a nutrient based feed evaluation system, a lower peak yield combined with an improved persistence and maybe a deliberately increased calving interval.

Type
Invited Papers
Information
BSAP Occasional Publication , Volume 27: The challenge of genetic change in animal production , 2000 , pp. 53 - 62
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 2000

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

Bosch, M.W. 1991. Influence of stage of maturity of grass silages on digestion processes in dairy cows. PhD Thesis, Wageningen Agricultural University.Google Scholar
Brand, A. and Varner, M. 1996. Monitoring reproductive performance: execution. In Herd health and production management in dairy practice. (Brand, A., Noordhuizen, J.P.T.M. and Schukken, Y.H., eds.), pp. 293–311. Wageningen Pers, Wageningen, NL.Google Scholar
Chilliard, Y. 1992 Physiological constraints to milk production: Factors which determine nutrient partitioning, lactation persistency, and mobilization of body reserves. World Review of Animal Production., 27 20–26.Google Scholar
Chilliard, Y., Doreau, M., Bocquier, F. and Lobley, G.E., 1995. Digestive and metabolic adaptations of ruminants to variations in food supply. In Recent developments in the nutrition of herbivores (Journet, M., Grenet, E., Farce, M-H., Theriez, M. and Demarquilly, C., eds.), pp. 329–360, INRA, Paris Google Scholar
De Visser, H., 1993. Influence of carbohydrates on feed intake, rumen fermentation and milk performance in high yielding dairy cows. PhD Thesis, Wageningen Agricultural University.Google Scholar
Gabel, G., 1990. Rumen acidosis: interactions between changes in the lumen and the rumen wall. [Pansenazidose: Interaktionen zwischen den Veranderungen im Lumen und in der Wand des Pansens.] Ubersichten zur Tierernährung.18, 11–38.Google Scholar
Goff, J.P. and Horst, R.L 1997. Physiological changes at parturition and their relationships to metabolic disorders. Journal of Dairy Science, 80 1260–1268.Google Scholar
Jarrige, R. 1989. Ruminant Nutrition: recommended allowances and feed tables. INRA Publications, Paris, John Libley Eurotext, London, Paris, 389pp.Google Scholar
Klerx, H.J. and Smolders, E.A.A. 1997. Herd and cow random variation in models of interrelationships between metabolism and reproductive disorders in high yielding multiparous Holstein dairy cattle in The Netherlands. Livestock Production Science, 52 21–29.Google Scholar
Knight, C.H. 1989. Constraints on frequent of continuous lactation. Proceedings Nutritional Society, 48 45–51.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kruip, T.A.M., Meijer, G.A.L., Rukkwamsuk, Th. and Wensing, Th. 1999. Investigation into the mechanisms of reduction in fertility of high yielding cows. In Production diseases in farm animals: 10th international conference (Wensing, Th., ed.), pp. 183–190, Wageningen Pers, Wageningen, NL.Google Scholar
Kruip, T.A.M., Van der Werf, J.H.J. and Wensing, Th. 1996. Energy balance in early lactation of high producing dairy cows and its relation to reproduction, health and welfare. In: Utilization of local feed resources by dairy cattle (Groen, A. and van Bruchem, J., eds.), pp. 45–57, Wageningen Pers, Wageningen, NL.Google Scholar
McFadden, Th.B. 1997. Prospects for improving lactational persistency. In: Milk composition, Production and Biotechnology (Welch, R.A.S., Burns, D.J.W., Davis, S.R., Popay, A.I. and Prosser, C.G., eds), pp. 319–340, CAB International, Walingford, UK.Google Scholar
MacMillan, K.L., 1997. Some effects of genetic merit and milk yield on the fertility of lactating dairy cows. Irish Grassland Animal Production Association Journal, 31 15–24.Google Scholar
Noordhuizen, J.P. 1999. Production diseases in dairy cattle: The veterinarian's role in disease control in the new millennium. In Production diseases in farm animals: 10th international conference (Wensing, Th., ed.), pp. 1–9, Wageningen Pers, Wageningen, NL.Google Scholar
Nostrand, S.D., Galton, D.M., Erb, N.H. and Bauman, D.E. 1991. Effects of daily exogenous oxytosin on lactation milk yield and composition. Journal of Dairy Science, 74 2119–2127.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
NRC, 1989. Nutrient requirements of dairy cattle, 6th revised edition, update 1989.National Research Council, National Academy Press, Washington.Google Scholar
O'Farrell, K.J., 1998. Changes in dairy cow fertility. Cattle Practice. 6 387–392.Google Scholar
Schingoethe, D.J. and Casper, D.P. 1991. Total lactational response to added fat during early lactation. Journal of Dairy Science, 74 2617–2622.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Shaver, R.D., 1997. Nutritional risk factors in the etiology of left displaced abomasum in dairy cows: A review. Journal of Dairy Science, 80 2429–2453 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Skidmore, A.L., Peeters, K.A.M., Sniffen, C.J. and Brand, A. 1997. Monitoring dry period management. In Herd health and production management in dairy practice. (Brand, A., Noordhuizen, J.P.T..M. and Schukken, Y.H., eds.), pp. 171–201. Wageningen Pers, Wageningen, NL.Google Scholar
Tamminga, S. and Van Vuuren, A.M. 1988. Formation and utilisation of end products of lignocellulose degradation in ruminants. Anim. Fd. Sci. Technol., 21 141–159.Google Scholar
Tamminga, S, Luteijn, P.A. and Meijer, R.G.M. 1997. Changes in composition and energy content of liveweight loss in dairy cows with time after parturition. Livestock Production Science, 52 31–38.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Van der Honing, Y. and Steg, A. 1990. Comparison of energy evaluation systems of feeds for ruminants. In Feedstuff evaluation (Wiseman, J. and Cole, D.J.A., eds.), pp. 1–19, Butterworth, London, UK.Google Scholar
Velthuis, A.G.J., Klerx, H.J., Hanekamp, W.J.A., and Smolders, E.A.A. 1998. Risk factors linked to metabolic disorders. Praktijkonderzoek Rundvee, Schapen en Paarden (PR), Runderweg 6, 8219 PK Lelystad, Netherlands, 57 pp.Google Scholar