Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-sxzjt Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-18T13:05:14.963Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Can post-milking insemination increase conception rate in high-producing Holstein cows under heat stress? A retrospective study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 August 2019

R. Rahbar ,
A. Sadeghi-Sefidmazgi Open the ORCID record for A. Sadeghi-Sefidmazgi [Opens in a new window] ,
R. Abdullahpour  and
A. Nejati-Javaremi
R. Rahbar
Affiliation:
Department of Agriculture, Payame Noor University, PO Box 19395-3697, Tehran, Iran
A. Sadeghi-Sefidmazgi*
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Sciences, College of Agriculture, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan 84156-83111, Iran
R. Abdullahpour
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Science, Islamic Azad University, Qaemshahr Branch, Mazandaran, Iran
A. Nejati-Javaremi
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Science, University of Tehran, PO Box 3158711167-4111, Karaj, Alborz, Iran
*
Author for correspondence: A. Sadeghi-Sefidmazgi, E-mail: sadeghism@cc.iut.ac.ir
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Heat stress, especially in countries with hot climates, is a major cause of low fertility in high-producing dairy herds. Management strategies are needed to help producers improve the reproductive performance of their dairy animals under such conditions. The current study aims to evaluate the effects of pre- and post-milking insemination on the conception rate (CR) in dairy cows. The dataset included 1294 insemination records leading to pregnancy in 708 lactating Holstein dairy cows. The GLIMMIX model procedure of SAS based on the generalized linear mixed model methodology was used to analyse the results of insemination (success or failure) as a binomial distribution with the logit link function. Differences were observed in CRs between pre- and post-milking insemination. The pregnancy odds ratio (OR) for post-milking insemination relative to that for pre-milking one was estimated at 1.90 [1.23‒2.91; 95% confidence interval (CI)]. Different levels of interaction were obtained between average daily milk production and time of insemination. In the high-producing group, the pregnancy OR for the post-milking relative to that for the pre-milking insemination was estimated at 3.53 (2.00‒6.24; 95% CI). A significant interaction effect was obtained between insemination time and the temperature-humidity index. A pregnancy OR of 2.52 (1.22‒4.14; 95% CI) was recorded for the cows inseminated after milking on days with higher levels of heat and humidity stress v. the pre-milking inseminated ones. Based on the results, post-milking insemination of high-producing cows increased CRs, especially on days with high heat and humidity stress.

Keywords

Conception ratedairy farmfertilityheat stressherd management
Type
Animal Research Paper
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 157 , Issue 3 , April 2019 , pp. 254 - 259
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2019 

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

Bech-Sàbat, G, López-Gatius, F, Yániz, JL, García-Ispierto, I, Santolaria, P, Serrano, B, Sulon, J, de Sousa, NM and Beckers, JF (2008) Factors affecting plasma progesterone in the early fetal period in high producing dairy cows. Theriogenology 69, 426–432.Google Scholar
CDCW (2013) Climate Data for Cities Worldwide: Iran. Oedheim, Germany: AM Online Projects - Alexander Merkel. Available at https://en.climate-data.org/asia/iran-66/ (Accessed 26 June 2019).Google Scholar
De Vries, A and Risco, CA (2005) Trends and seasonality of reproductive performance in Florida and Georgia dairy herds from 1976 to 2002. Journal of Dairy Science 88, 3155–3165.Google Scholar
Dobson, H and Smith, RF (2000) What is stress, and how does it affect reproduction? Animal Reproduction Science 60–61, 743–752.Google Scholar
Dransfield, MBG, Nebel, RL, Pearson, RE and Warnick, LD (1998) Timing of insemination for dairy cows identified in estrus by a radiotelemetric estrus detection system. Journal of Dairy Science 81, 1874–1882.Google Scholar
El-Tarabany, MS and El-Bayoumi, KM (2015) Reproductive performance of backcross Holstein×Brown Swiss and their Holstein contemporaries under subtropical environmental conditions. Theriogenology 83, 444–448.Google Scholar
Garbayo, JM, Serrano, B and López-Gatius, F (2008) Identification of novel pregnancy-associated glycoproteins (PAG) expressed by the peri-implantation conceptus of domestic ruminants. Animal Reproduction Science 103, 120–134.Google Scholar
García-Ispierto, I, Lopez-Gatius, F, Bech-Sabat, G, Santolaria, P, Yaniz, JL, Nogareda, C, De Rensis, F and Lopez-Bejar, M (2007 a) Climate factors affecting conception rate of high producing dairy cows in northeastern Spain. Theriogenology 67, 1379–1385.Google Scholar
García-Ispierto, I, Lopez-Gatius, F, Santolaria, P, Yaniz, JL, Nogareda, C and Lopez-Bejar, M (2007 b) Factors affecting the fertility of high producing dairy herds in northeastern Spain. Theriogenology 67, 632–638.Google Scholar
Garnsworthy, PC, Lock, A, Mann, GE, Sinclair, KD and Webb, R (2008) Nutrition, metabolism, and fertility in dairy cows: 2. Dietary fatty acids and ovarian function. Journal of Dairy Science 91, 3824–3833.Google Scholar
Hopster, H, Bruckmaier, RM, Van der Werf, JTN, Korte, SM, Macuhova, J, Korte-Bouws, G and van Reenen, CG (2002) Stress responses during milking; comparing conventional and automatic milking in primiparous dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science 85, 3206–3216.Google Scholar
Hou, Y, Madsen, P, Labouriau, R, Zhang, Y, Lund, MS and Su, G (2009) Genetic analysis of days from calving to first insemination and days open in Danish Holsteins using different models and censoring scenarios. Journal of Dairy Science 92, 1229–1239.Google Scholar
Khan, FA, Prasad, S and Gupta, HP (2013) Effect of heat stress on pregnancy rates of crossbred dairy cattle in Terai region of Uttarakhand, India. Asian Pacific Journal of Reproduction 2, 277–279.Google Scholar
Kottek, M, Grieser, J, Beck, C, Rudolf, B and Rubel, F (2006) World Map of the Köppen-Geiger climate classification updated. Meteorologische Zeitschrift 15, 259–263.Google Scholar
Kotwica, G, Kurowicka, B, Franczak, A, Grzegorzewski, W, Wrobel, M, Mlynarczuk, J and Kotwica, J (2003) The concentrations of catecholamines and oxytocin receptors in the oviduct and its contractile activity in cows during the estrous cycle. Theriogenology 60, 953–964.Google Scholar
Lima, FS, Risco, CA, Thatcher, MJ, Benzaquen, ME, Archbald, LF, Santos, JEP and Thatcher, WW (2009) Comparison of reproductive performance in lactating dairy cows bred by natural service or timed artificial insemination. Journal of Dairy Science 92, 5456–5466.Google Scholar
Lollivier, V, Guinard-Flament, J, Ollivier-Bousquet, M and Marnet, PG (2002) Oxytocin and milk removal: two important sources of variation in milk production and milk quality during and between milkings. Reproduction, Nutrition, Development 42, 173–186.Google Scholar
López-Gatius, F, García-Ispierto, I, Santolaria, P, Yániz, J, Nogareda, C and López-Béjar, M (2006) Screening for high fertility in high-producing dairy cows. Theriogenology 65, 1678–1689.Google Scholar
Lucy, MC (2001) Reproductive loss in high-producing dairy cattle: where will it end? Journal of Dairy Science 84, 1277–1293.Google Scholar
Morton, JM, Tranter, WP, Mayer, DG and Jonsson, NN (2007) Effects of environmental heat on conception rates in lactating dairy cows: critical periods of exposure. Journal of Dairy Science 90, 2271–2278.Google Scholar
National Research Council (2001) Nutrient Requirements of Dairy Cattle, 7th rev Edn. Washington, DC, USA: National Academies of Science.Google Scholar
Negrao, JA (2008) Hormone release and behavior during suckling and milking in Gir, Gir × Holstein, and Holstein cows. Journal of Animal Science 86(suppl. 13), 21–26.Google Scholar
Olynk, NJ and Wolf, CA (2008) Economic analysis of reproductive management strategies on US commercial dairy farms. Journal of Dairy Science 91, 4082–4091.Google Scholar
Sartori, R, Sartor-Bergfelt, R, Metens, SA, Guenther, JN, Parrish, JJ and Wiltbank, MC (2002) Fertilization and early embryonic development in heifers and lactating cows in summer and lactating and dry cows in winter. Journal of Dairy Science 85, 2803–2812.Google Scholar
SAS Institute Inc. (2011) SAS/STATs User's Guide. Cary, NC, USA: SAS Institute.Google Scholar
Schefers, JM, Weigel, KA, Rawson, CL, Zwald, NR and Cook, NB (2010) Management practices associated with conception rate and service rate of lactating Holstein cows in large, commercial dairy herds. Journal of Dairy Science 93, 1459–1467.Google Scholar
Sewalem, A, Miglior, F, Kistemaker, GJ, Sullivan, P and Van Doormaal, BJ (2008) Relationship between reproduction traits and functional longevity in Canadian dairy cattle. Journal of Dairy Science 91, 1660–1668.Google Scholar
Thatcher, WW, Guzeloglu, A, Mattos, R, Binelli, M, Hansen, TR and Pru, JK (2001) Uterine-conceptus interactions and reproductive failure in cattle. Theriogenology 56, 1435–1450.Google Scholar
Van Reenen, CG, Van der Werf, JTN, Bruckmaier, RM, Hopster, H, Engel, B, Noordhuizen, JPTM and Blokhuis, HJ (2002) Individual differences in behavioral and physiological responsiveness of primiparous dairy cows to machine milking. Journal of Dairy Science 85, 2551–2561.Google Scholar
Walsh, SW, Williams, EJ and Evans, ACO (2011) A review of the causes of poor fertility in high milk producing dairy cows. Animal Reproduction Science 123, 127–138.Google Scholar
Wenzel, C, Schönreiter-Fischer, S and Unshelm, J (2003) Studies on step–kick behavior and stress of cows during milking in an automatic milking system. Livestock Production Science 83, 237–246.Google Scholar
Wijayagunawardane, MPB, Miyamoto, A, Taquahashi, Y, Gabler, C, Acosta, TJ, Nishimura, M, Killian, G and Sato, K (2001) In vitro regulation of local secretion and contraction of the bovine oviduct: stimulation by luteinizing hormone, endothelin-1 and prostaglandins, and inhibition by oxytocin. Journal of Endocrinology 168, 117–130.Google Scholar