Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-dnltx Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-25T04:06:25.974Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Ovarian hormone patterns and subfertility in dairy cows

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 February 2018

G.E. Lamming  and
M.D. Royal
G.E. Lamming
Affiliation:
Cattle Fertility Research Group, University of Nottingham, School of Biological Sciences, Sutton Bonington Campus, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE12 5RD,UK
M.D. Royal
Affiliation:
Cattle Fertility Research Group, University of Nottingham, School of Biological Sciences, Sutton Bonington Campus, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE12 5RD,UK
Get access

Abstract

Decreasing levels of fertility of dairy cows are occurring, associated with increased average annual milk yields, increased herd size and a decreased labour investment per animal. To-date, there has been no positive genetic selection in the UK for improved female fertility due to the lack of reliable recording of fertility traits. Selection is further limited by the low heritabilities of traditional fertility measures, which are subject to environmental influences and management decisions and biological restraints such as age and sex. Assessment of the hormone patterns of fertile cows and determination of the atypical patterns exhibited by subfertile animals provides an objective method of identifying the causes and assessing the impact of subfertility and for the development of remedial treatment strategies. This knowledge can then be used to identify potential physiological parameters associated with high fertility which, in future, may be used for sire breeding value estimations to select for more fertile offspring. Regular assessment of the progesterone concentrations in milk provides a non invasive method of determining progesterone patterns. The results of two studies of milk progesterone levels in cows taken between 1975/82 and 1995/98 involving over 3200 lactations have been analysed and compared. They indicate a major increase over this period in the proportion of animals showing atypical milk progesterone patterns before mating from 32 to 44% (P<0.001) associated with less animals inseminated, delays to conception and lower conception rates. There was a significant decrease (P<0.01) over this period in animals calving to first postpartum insemination from 57% to less than 40% a decrease of approximately l%per annum. This may indicate an increase in the level of early embryo mortality. An early post ovulatory progesterone rise to adequate luteal phase levels has been shown essential for normal embryo development with low post ovulatory levels occurring in some cows resulting in lower calving rates. Milk progesterone analysis provides a robust and reliable method of measuring progesterone patterns for identifying subfertile animals, for targeting remedial treatments to improve fertility and for investigations into heritable fertility parameters for future selection programmes.

Type
Invited Papers
Information
BSAP Occasional Publication , Volume 26 , Issue 1: Fertility in the High Producing Dairy Cow , January 2001 , pp. 105 - 118
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 2001

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

Allrich, R. D. 1994. Symposium: estrus, new devices and monitoring. Endocrine and neural control of estrus in dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science 77: 2738–2744.Google Scholar
Barr, H. L. 1975. Influence of oestrus detection on days open in dairy herds. Journal of Dairy Science 58: 246–247.Google Scholar
Beam, S. W. and Butler, W. R. 1999. Energy balance effects on follicular development and first ovulation in post partum dairy cows. Journal of'Reproduction and Fertility 54; 411–424..Google Scholar
Bosworth, R. W., Ward, G., Call, E. P. and Bonewqitz, E. R. 1972. Analysis of factors affecting calving intervals in dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science 55: 334–338.Google Scholar
Bulman, D. C. 1979. A possible influence of the bull on the incidence of embryonic mortality in cattle. Veterinary Record 105: 420–422.Google Scholar
Bulman, D. C. and Lamming, G. E. 1977. Cases of prolonged luteal activity in the non pregnant dairy cow. Veterinary Record 100: 550–552.Google Scholar
Bulman, D. C. and Lamming, G. E. 1978. Milk progesterone levels in relation to conception, repeat breeding and factors influencing cyclicity in dairy cows. Journal ofReproduction andFertility 54: 447–458.Google Scholar
Bulman, D. C. and Wood, P. D. P. 1980. Abnormal patterns of ovarian activity in dairy cows and their relationship with reproductive performance. Animal Production 30: 177–188.Google Scholar
Butler, W. R. and Smith, R. D. 1989. Interrelationship between energy balance and post partum reproductive function in dairy cattle. Journal of Dairy Science 72: 767–783.Google Scholar
Darwash, A. O. and Lamming, G. E. 1998. The importance of milk progesterone concentrations during early pregnancy in the cow. Journal of Animal Breeding 2:41–43.Google Scholar
Darwash, A. O. and Lamming, G. E. 1997. Abnormal ovarian patterns as a cause of subfertility in dairy cows: protocols for early detection and treatment Cattle Practice 5: 3–7.Google Scholar
Darwash, A. O., Lamming, G. E. and Woolliams, J. A. 1997a. Estimation of genetic variation in the interval from calving to post partum ovulation of dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science 80: 1227–1234.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Darwash, A. O., Lamming, G. E. and Woolliams, J. A. 1997b. The phenotypic association between the interval to post partum ovulation and traditional fertility measures of fertility in dairy cattle. Animal Science 65: 9–16.Google Scholar
Darwash, A. O., Lamming, G. E. and Woolliams, J. A. 1999. The potential for identifying heritable endocrine parameters associated with fertility in post-partum dairy cows. Animal Science 68: 333–347.Google Scholar
Esslemont, R. J. and Peeler, E.J. 1993. The scope for raising margins in dairy herds by improving fertility and health. British Veterinary Journal 149: 537–547.Google Scholar
Foote, R. H. 1996. Review: Dairy cattle reproductive physiology research and management - Past progress and future prospects. Journal of Dairy Science 79: 980–990.Google Scholar
Garrett, J. E., Geisart, R. D., Zavy, M. T. and Morgan, G. L. 1988. Evidence for maternal regulation of early conceptus growth and development in beef cattle. Journal ofReproduction andFertility 84:437–446.Google Scholar
Henricks, D. M., Lamond, D. R., Hill, J. R. and Dickey, J. F. 1971. Plasma progesterone concentrations before mating and in early pregnancy in the beef heifer. Journal of Animal Science 33: 450–454.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
King, G. J., Hernick, J. F. and Robertson, H. A. 1976. Ovarian function and estrus in dairy cows during early lactaton. Journal of Animal Science 42: 688.Google Scholar
Lamming, G. E. and Bulman, D. C. 1976. The use of milk progesterone radioimmunoassay in the diagnosis and treatment of subfertility in dairy cows. British Veterinary Journal 132: 507–517.Google Scholar
Lamming, G. E. and Darwash, A. O. 1995. Effect of inter-luteal interval on subsequent luteal phase length and fertility in post partum cows. Biology ofReproduction 52, (suppl.) 1, (abstr.) 63.Google Scholar
Lamming, G. E. and Darwash, A. O. 1998. The use of milk progesterone profiles to characterise components of subfertility in milked dairy cows. Animal Reproduction Science 52: 175–190.Google Scholar
Lamming, G. E., Darwash, A. O. and Back, H. L. 1989. Corpus luteum function in dairy cows and embryo mortality. Journal ofReproduction and Fertility 37 (suppl.): 245–252.Google ScholarPubMed
Lukaszewska, J. and Hansel, W. 1980. Corpus luteum maintenance during early pregnancy in the cow. Journal ofReproduction and Fertility 59: 485–493.Google Scholar
Mann, G. E. and Lamming, G.E. 1995a. Progesterone inhibition of the development of the luteolytic signal in the cow. Journal of Reproduction and Fertility 104: 1–5.Google Scholar
Mann, G. E. and Lamming, G. E. 1995b. Effect of the level of oestradiol on oxytocin-induced prostaglandin F2α release in the cow. Journal of Endocrinology 145: 175–180.Google Scholar
Mann, G.E. and Lamming, G. E. 1999. The influence of progesterone during early pregnancy in cattle. Reproduction in Domestic Animals. 34: 269–274.Google Scholar
Mann, G. E., Lamming, G.E. and Frey, M. D. 1995. Plasma oestradiol during early pregnancy in the cow and the effects of treatment with buserelin. Animal Reproduction Science 37:121–131.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mann, G.E., Lamming, G.E., Robinson, R. S. and Wathes, D. C. 1999. The regulation of interferon-tau production and uterine hormone receptors during early pregnancy. Journal of Reproduction and Fertility 54 (suppl.) Inpress.Google Scholar
Milk Marketing Board (MMB). Dairy Facts and Figures 1976. Thomas Ditton, Surrey.Google Scholar
National Dairy Council(NDC). Dairy Facts and Figures 1997. National Dairy Council, 5-7 John Princes Street, London, W1M OAP.Google Scholar
Nephew, K. P., McClure, K. E., Ott, T., Dubois, D. H., Bazer, F. W. and Pope, W.F. 1991. Relationship between variation in conceptus development and differences in ostras cycle duration in ewes. Biology of Reproduction 44: 536–539.Google Scholar
Peters, A. R. 1996. Embryo mortality in the cow. Animal Breeding 64 (Abstr.) 587–598.Google Scholar
Pryce, J. E., Wilson, L. A. and Visscher, P. M. 1999. Effects of selection for production on maiden heifer fertility traits. Proceedings of the British Society of Animal Science pg. 49.Google Scholar
Pursley, J. R., Wiltbank, M. C, Stevenson, J. S., Ottobre, J. S., Garverick, H. A. and Anderson, L. L. 1997. Pregnancy rates per artificial insemination for cows and heifers inseminated at a synchronized ovulation or synchronized oestrus. Journal of Dairy Science 80:295–300.Google Scholar
Royal, M. D., Flint, A. P. F., Darwash, A. O., Webb, R., Woolliams, J. A. and Lamming, G. E. 2000. Declining fertility in dairy cattle: changes in traditional and endocrine parameters of fertility. Animal Science 70:487–501.Google Scholar
Sauer, M. J., Foulkes, J. A., Worsfold, A. and Morris, B. A. 1986. Use of progesterone 11-glucuronide-alkaline phosphate conjugate in a sensitive microtitre -plate enzyme immunoassay of progesterone in milk and its application to pregnancy testing in dairy cattle. Journal of Reproduction and Fertility 76: 375–391.Google Scholar
Sreenan, J. M. and Diskin, M. G. 1986. The extent and timing of embryonic mortality in the cow. Embryo mortality in farm animals Pp1-11. Ed. Sreenan, J.M. and Diskin, M.G.. Marinus Nijhoff. Dordiecht.Google Scholar
Starbuck, G. R., Darwash, A. O., Mann, G. E. and Lamming, G. E. 2000. The detection and treatment of post insemination progesterone insufficiency in dairy cows. Proceeding of Fertility in the High Producing Dairy Cow.Google Scholar
Stevenson, J. S. and Britt, J. H. 1977. Detection of oestrus by three methods. Journal of Dairy Science 60: 1994–1998.Google Scholar
Thatcher, W. W., Meyer, M. D. and Danet-desayers, G. 1995. Maternal recognition of pregnancy. Journal of Reproduction and Fertility 49 (suppl.): 15–28.Google Scholar