Hostname: page-component-7b7567c8c-tnzcf Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2026-11-14T08:32:28.531Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Abnormal patterns of ovarian activity in dairy cows and their relationships with reproductive performance

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

D. Claire Bulman and
P. D. P. Wood
D. Claire Bulman
Affiliation:
Department of Physiology and Environmental Studies, University of Nottingham
P. D. P. Wood
Affiliation:
Milk Marketing Board, Thames Ditton, Surrey KT7 0EL
Get access

Abstract

Progesterone profiles were obtained from 533 dairy cows during the interval from calving to the re-establishment of pregnancy by twiceweekly radioimmunoassay of milk progesterone. The importance of abnormal patterns of ovarian activity on herd fertility was determined. Animals were divided into five categories based on profile analysis: A, normal; B, delayed start to ovarian cycles; C, cessation of cycles; D, prolonged luteal activity; and E, silent oestrus. Animals in categories B to E were subdivided into treatment groups: categories B and C either (i) untreated controls, (ii) single injection 0·5 mg luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (Hoechst) or (iii) progesterone-releasing intravaginal device (Abbott Laboratories Ltd) inserted for 14 days; categories D and E either (i) untreated controls or (ii) single injection 0-5 mg cloprostenol (Imperial Chemical Industries).

The proportion of cows in each category was: A 77·5%; B 4·9%; C 5·1%; D 1·9%; and E 10·7%. The incidence of ‘normal’ cows was 75% (first lactation), 80% (2nd to 5th lactations) and 69% (5th to 11th lactations). For normal cows (no. = 413) the interval to the start of cyclicity varied significantly with season but was not correlated with either the intervals to first insemination or to conception. In categories B to E the open period, the number of services per conception, and the days from first insemination to conception were greater than in category A, but only in category C were any differences significant. None of the treatments reduced calving-toconception intervals.

Information

Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Production , Volume 30 , Issue 2 , April 1980, pp. 177 - 188
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1980

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.)

Article purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

REFERENCES

Barr, H. L. 1975. Influence of estrus detection on days open in dairy herds. J. Dairy Sci. 58: 246–247.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Boyd, H. 1977. Anoestrus in cattle. Vet. Rec. 100: 150–153.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Boyd, L. J., Seath, D. M. and Olds, D. 1954. Relationship between the level of milk production and breeding efficiency in dairy cattle. J. Anim. Sci. 13: 89–93.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Britt, J. H. 1975. Early postpartum breeding in dairy cows. A review. J. Dairy Sci. 58: 266–271.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Broster, W. H. 1974. Response of the dairy cow to level of feeding. Bienn. Revs Natn. Inst. Res. Dairying, pp. 14–34.Google Scholar
Bulman, Clare. 1976. Progesterone in milk: a potential aid to dairy management. Span 19: 102–105.Google Scholar
Bulman D., Claire. 1977. Progesterone levels and fertility of lactating cows. Ph.D. Thesis, Univ. Nottingham.Google Scholar
Bulman D., Claire and Lamming, G. E. 1977. Cases of prolonged luteal activity in the non-pregnant dairy cow. Vet. Rec. 100: 550–552.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bulman D., Claire and Lamming, G. E. 1978. Milk progesterone levels in relation to conception, repeat breeding and factors influencing acyclicity in dairy cows. J. Reprod. Fert. 54: 447–458.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Callahan, C. J., Erb, R. E., Surve, A. H. and Randel, R. D. 1971. Variables influencing ovarian cycles in postpartum dairy cows. J. Anim. Sci. 33: 1053–1059.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Carman, G. M. 1955. Interrelations of milk production and breeding efficiency in dairy cows. J. Anim. Sci. 14: 753–759.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chapman, A. B. and Casida, L. E. 1937. Analysis of variation in the sexual cycle and some of its component phases, with special reference to cattle. J. agric. Res. 54: 417–435.Google Scholar
De Kruif, A. 1975. An investigation of the parameters which determine the fertility of a cattle population and of some factors which influence these parameters. Tijdschr. Diergeneesk. 100: 1089–1098.Google ScholarPubMed
De Kruif, A. and Brand, A. 1976. Behandeling van suboestrus bij runderen met prostaglandinen. Tijdschr. Diergeneesk. 101: 491–493.Google Scholar
Drew S., Bridget, Gould, C. M. and Bulman D., Claire. 1978. The effect of treatment with a progesterone releasing intravaginal device on the fertility of spring calving Friesian dairy cows. Vet. Rec. 103: 259–262.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Eddy, R. G. 1977. Cloprostenol as a treatment for no visible oestrus and cystic ovarian disease in dairy cows. Vet. Rec. 100: 62–65.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Esslemont, R. J. 1974. Economic and husbandry aspects of the manifestation and detection of oestrus in cows. Part I—Economic aspects. A.D.A.S. q. Rev. No. 12, pp. 175–184.Google Scholar
Esslemont, R. J. and Ellis, P. R. 1975. The Melbread dairy herd health recording scheme. A report on the economic, reproductive and husbandry changes in 22 herds over three seasons. Univ. Reading, Dep. Agric. Hort., Study No. 21.Google Scholar
Everett, R. W., Armstrong, D. V. and Boyd, L. J. 1966. Genetic relationship between production and breeding efficiency. J. Dairy Sci. 49: 879–886.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Foote, R. H. 1975. Estrus detection and estrus detection aids. J. Dairy Sci. 58: 248–256.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Garverick, H. A., Kesler, D. J., Cantley, T. C., Elmore, R. G., Younqquist, R. S. and Bierschwal, C. J. 1976. Hormone response of dairy cows with ovarian cysts after treatment with HCG or GnRH. Theriogenology 6: 413–425.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
King, G. J., Hurnik, J. F. and Robertson, H. A. 1976. Ovarian function and estrus in dairy cows during early lactation. J. Anim. Sci. 42: 688–692.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kittok, R. J., Britt, J. H. and Convey, E. M. 1973. Endocrine response after GnRH in luteal phase cows and cows with ovarian follicular cysts. J. Anim. Sci. 37: 985–989.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lamming, G. E. and Bulman D., Claire. 1976. The use of milk progesterone radioimmunoassay in the diagnosis and treatment of subfertility in dairy cows. Br. vet. J. 132: 507–517.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Marion, G. B. and Gier, H. T. 1968. Factors affecting bovine ovarian activity after parturition. J. Anim. Sci. 27: 1621–1626.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Matsoukas, J. and Fairchild, T. P. 1975. Effects of various factors on reproductive efficiency. J. Dairy Sci. 58: 540–544.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Milk Marketing Board. 1967. The effect on conception of the interval between calving and first service. Rep. Breed. Prod. Org. Milk Mktg Bd, No. 17, pp. 98–99.Google Scholar
Morrow, D. A., Roberts, S. J., McEntee, K. and Gray, H. G. 1966. Postpartum ovarian activity and uterine involution in dairy cattle. J. Am. vet. med. Ass. 149: 1596–1609.Google Scholar
Nelder, J. A. 1974. Log linear models for contingency tables: a generalization of classical least squares. Appl. Statist. 23: 323–329.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pelissier, C. L. 1972. Herd breeding problems and their consequences. J. Dairy Sci. 55: 385–391.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pelissier, C. L. 1976. Dairy cattle breeding problems and their consequences. Theriogenology 6: 575–583.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Smith, J. W. and Legates, J. E. 1962. Relation of days open and days dry to lactation milk and fat yields. J. Dairy Sci. 45: 1192–1198.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Spalding, R. W., Everett, R. W. and Foote, R. H. 1975. Fertility in New York artificially inseminated Holstein herds in dairy herd improvement. J. Dairy Sci. 58: 718–723.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Thibault, C, Courot, M., Martinet, Lise, Mauleon, P., Du Mesnil, Du Buisson F., Ortavant, R., Pelletier, J. and Signoret, J. P. 1966. Regulation of breeding season and estrous cycles by light and external stimuli in some mammals. J. Anim. Sci. 25: Suppl. pp. 119–139.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Trimberger, G. W. 1954. Conception rates in dairy cattle from services at various intervals after parturition. J. Dairy Sci. 37: 1042–1049.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Williamson, N. B., Morris, R. S., Blood, D. C. and Cannon, Christine M. 1972. A study of oestrous behaviour and oestrous detection methods in a large commercial dairy herd. I. The relative efficiency of methods of oestrous detection. Vet. Rec. 91: 50–58.CrossRefGoogle Scholar