• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• 제26권10호
• /
• pp.1379-1387
• /
• 2013

In a majority of mammals, male infants have heavier body mass and grow faster than female infants. Accordingly, male offspring nursing requires a much greater maternal energy contribution to lactation. It is possible that the maternal-fetal immunoendocrine dialog plays an important role in female preparation for lactation during pregnancy. Immune system genes are an integral part of gene regulatory networks in lactation and tumor necrosis factor alpha ($TNF{\alpha}$) is a proinflammatory cytokine that also plays an important role in normal mammary gland development. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of the sex of calf and/or the -824A/G polymorphism in the promoter region of $TNF{\alpha}$ gene on milk performance traits in Black Pied cattle over the course of lactation. We also studied the allele frequency differences of -824A/G variants across several cattle breeds, which were bred in different climatic conditions. The G allele frequency decreased gradually over the course of lactation events in the Black Pied dairy cattle because of a higher culling rate of cows with the G/G genotype (p<0.001). In contrast to the genotypes A/A and A/G, cows with G/G genotype showed significant variability of milk and milk fat yield subject to sex of delivered calf. Milk yield and milk fat yield were significantly higher in the case of birth of a bull calf than with a heifer calf (p<0.03). The G allele frequency varies from 48% to 58% in Grey Ukrainian and Black Pied cattle to 77% in aboriginal Yakut cattle. Our results suggest that the $TNF{\alpha}$-824A/G gene polymorphism may have an influence on the reproductive efforts of cows over the course of lactation events depending on the sex of progeny. Allocation of resources according to sex of the calf allows optimizing the energy cost of lactation. This may be a probable reason for high G allele frequency in Yakut cattle breeding in extreme environmental conditions. Similarly, the dramatic fall in milk production after birth of a heifer calf increases the probability of culling for the cows with the G/G genotype in animal husbandry.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
• /
• 제55권3호
• /
• pp.173-178
• /
• 2013

본 연구는 홀스타인 젖소, 436,690두의 검정일 유량기록 총 4,366,900개를 이용하여 비유지속성에 대한 특성과 새로운 평가형질로서의 가능성을 조사하는데 있다. 1산차, 2산차와 3산차 이상의 평균 비유지속성은 각각 97.5%, 95.1%와 94.6%였으며, 최고 유량 도달 이후 비유지속성이 일괄적으로 감소하는 추세를 나타내었다. 분만 후 최고유량에 도달하는 평균 비유일수는 약 50일로 조사 되었으나 실제로 2차 검정(36~66일)시에 최고 유량에 도달하는 개체의 기록은 전체 자료의 33.2%에 불과하였다. 또한 1차 검정시에 최고 유량에 도달한 개체들의 비유일수에 따른 유생산량 변화는 2~4차 검정에서 최고유량을 나타내는 개체들의 변화와는 많은 차이를 나타내었다. 평균 비유지속성에 대한 유전력과 반복력은 각각 0.16과 0.35로 추정되었으며, 10차 검정시 평균 비유지속성에 대한 검정차별 유전상관을 보면 7차 검정시 이상일 때 0.91이상이었으며, 검정차수가 줄어들수록 유전상관은 급격히 감소하였다. Data I에 대한 Data II와 III의 육종가 상관은 각각 0.80과 0.72, 순위 상관은 각각 0.78과 0.71로 나타났다. 결과적으로 자료가 추가될수록 육종가 및 순위 상관은 낮게 나타났다.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• 제26권9호
• /
• pp.1237-1246
• /
• 2013

The objective of this study was to estimate variance components and genetic parameters for lactation milk yield (LY), lactation length (LL), average milk yield per day (YD), initial milk yield (IY), peak milk yield (PY), days to peak (DP) and parameters (ln(a) and c) of the modified incomplete gamma function (MIG) in an Ethiopian multibreed dairy cattle population. The dataset was composed of 5,507 lactation records collected from 1,639 cows in three locations (Bako, Debre Zeit and Holetta) in Ethiopia from 1977 to 2010. Parameters for MIG were obtained from regression analysis of monthly test-day milk data on days in milk. The cows were purebred (Bos indicus) Boran (B) and Horro (H) and their crosses with different fractions of Friesian (F), Jersey (J) and Simmental (S). There were 23 breed groups (B, H, and their crossbreds with F, J, and S) in the population. Fixed and mixed models were used to analyse the data. The fixed model considered herd-year-season, parity and breed group as fixed effects, and residual as random. The single and two-traits mixed animal repeatability models, considered the fixed effects of herd-year-season and parity subclasses, breed as a function of cow H, F, J, and S breed fractions and general heterosis as a function of heterozygosity, and the random additive animal, permanent environment, and residual effects. For the analysis of LY, LL was added as a fixed covariate to all models. Variance components and genetic parameters were estimated using average information restricted maximum likelihood procedures. The results indicated that all traits were affected (p<0.001) by the considered fixed effects. High grade $B{\times}F$ cows (3/16B 13/16F) had the highest least squares means (LSM) for LY ($2,490{\pm}178.9kg$), IY ($10.5{\pm}0.8kg$), PY ($12.7{\pm}0.9kg$), YD ($7.6{\pm}0.55kg$) and LL ($361.4{\pm}31.2d$), while B cows had the lowest LSM values for these traits. The LSM of LY, IY, YD, and PY tended to increase from the first to the fifth parity. Single-trait analyses yielded low heritability ($0.03{\pm}0.03$ and $0.08{\pm}0.02$) and repeatability ($0.14{\pm}0.01$ to $0.24{\pm}0.02$) estimates for LL, DP and parameter c. Medium heritability ($0.21{\pm}0.03$ to $0.33{\pm}0.04$) and repeatability ($0.27{\pm}0.02$ to $0.53{\pm}0.01$) estimates were obtained for LY, IY, PY, YD and ln(a). Genetic correlations between LY, IY, PY, YD, ln(a), and LL ranged from 0.59 to 0.99. Spearman's rank correlations between sire estimated breeding values for LY, LL, IY, PY, YD, ln(a) and c were positive (0.67 to 0.99, p<0.001). These results suggested that selection for IY, PY, YD, or LY would genetically improve lactation milk yield in this Ethiopian dairy cattle population.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• 제3권4호
• /
• pp.319-322
• /
• 1990

The studies were conducted on 12 lactating animals comprising of six Karan Swiss (KS) cows and six Murrah buffaloes in second and third lactation. At the start of experiment the cows had completed on an average 51 days in lactation and were yielding an average of 15.1 kg milk a day. The buffaloes had completed 53 days in lactation and were yielding an average of 11.6 kg milk a day. At fortnightly intervals jugular blood samples were drawn at morning, noon, evening and night hours. Plasma growth hormone concentrations were highest during morning and thereafter decreased. In both the species there was a definite trend in the change of growth hormone concentrations during the day. In general growth hormone concentration decreased as the stage of lactation advanced. The overall average values of plasma growth hormone in cows and buffaloes were 2.95 and 2.48 ng/ml which were not statistically different. With the advancing lactation, the decline in milk yields in both the species was positively correlated with the growth hormone concentrations.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• 제2권3호
• /
• pp.418-420
• /
• 1989

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• 제1권1호
• /
• pp.7-12
• /
• 1988

Twenty cows, by order of calving, were used in a completely randomized $2{\times}2$ factorial experiment. Variables were tow protein levels (14 and 18% crude protein) and concentration of fat (2 and 6% ether extract) in diets. Fat addition, via unprocessed whole sunflower seed, insured forage utilization in diets to meet energy requirement of cows. A total of 36 wks of lactation was subdivided into three 12-wk stages of lactation. Net energy lactation was set at 1.72, 1.57 and 1.42 Mcal/kg for each stage. Higher protein diets improved the efficiency of energy (FCM/net energy intake) which was particularly noted for diets containing high fat (85.7%). However, diets with low protein-high fat resulted in the lowest efficiency (67.7%). No difference in milk yield and butterfat was due to different levels and combinations of protein and lipid in diets. High protein diets depressed blood cholesterol and glucose compared to low-protein counterparts. Relative decline in milk production was slower for lower fat diets than for higher fat groups, especially mid to later stage of lactation. Results of this experiment tend to support our thesis on the synergistic effect of dietary protein and energy (lipid) upon efficiency of lactation.

• 한국동물위생학회지
• /
• 제41권2호
• /
• pp.85-89
• /
• 2018

This study was conducted to demonstrate the prevalence of subclinical ketosis in dairy cattle based on days in milk and herd level. Four to five blood samples were collected in five different lactation periods and analyzed for ${\beta}$-hydroxybutyrate using a Portable Ketone Test Kit. Subclinical ketosis was observed in 12 herds at prevalence of 6.3~57.1% depending on herd level, with four herds showing more than 40% subclinical ketosis prevalence. The distribution of subclinical ketosis in the early lactation period, high yield lactation period, mid lactation period, late lactation period and dry period was 9.5%, 27.5%, 36.8%, 27.9% and 12.5%, respectively. Clinical ketosis was only observed during early lactation (9.5%) and mid lactation (2%) period.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• 제19권12호
• /
• pp.1742-1748
• /
• 2006

The experiment was conducted on 264 crossbred Karan-Fries (Holstein Friesian${\times}$Tharparkar) cows, over one year to explore the possibility of using milk urea (MU) concentration and milk protein content to monitor feeding adequacy under farm condition and to investigate the effects of different animal factors and season on MU concentration. Individual noon (1200 to 1300 h) milk samples were collected once in every month and analysed for urea and protein contents. Representative feed samples were also collected on the same day of milk collection and were analysed for CP content. A significant positive association (p<0.01) between MU concentration and milk yield was observed. MU concentrations (mg/dl) were found to be significantly (p<0.01) higher and lower in first lactation (44.8${\pm}$0.7) and in early lactation stage (40.7${\pm}$0.5), respectively. Average MU values were found to be significantly (p<0.01) higher in winter (50.7${\pm}$0.3) and lower in summer (32.9${\pm}$0.6). During the investigation, of the total MU observations, 50.3% were within the range of 30 to 50 mg/dl, 21.4% were <30 mg/dl and only 7.5% were >60 mg/dl. MU concentration was found to be associated significantly (p<0.05) with CP content of forages rather than concentrate. A close positive association (p<0.01) between MU level and daily milk protein (DMP) yield was observed during the investigation. The regression equation, DMP yield (g) = -24.6+33.5 daily milk yield (kg) +0.9 MU (mg/dl) was developed to establish the reference level of DMP yield. The result indicates that the effect of parity and stage of lactation may be ignored while interpreting MU values. However, reference MU values may be standardised separately for high milk yielders as level of milk yield contributes significantly to the variation of MU. The study revealed that the MU values together with DMP yield and milk protein content could be used as a potential non-invasive pointer to monitor feeding adequacy in dairy cows under farm conditions.

• Animal Bioscience
• /
• 제36권12호
• /
• pp.1806-1820
• /
• 2023

Objective: The present study was aimed primarily for estimating various genetic parameters (heritability, genetic correlations) of reproduction (age at first calving [AFC], first service period [FSP]); production (first lactation milk, solid-not fat, and fat yield) and lifetime traits (lifetime milk yield, productive life [PL], herd life [HL]) in Tharparkar cattle to check the association of reproduction traits with lifetime traits through two different methods (Frequentist and Bayesian) for comparative purpose. Methods: Animal breeding data of Tharparkar cattle (n = 964) collected from Livestock farm unit of ICAR-NDRI Karnal for the period 1990 through 2019 were analyzed using a Frequentist least squares maximum likelihood method (LSML; Harvey, 1990) and a multi-trait Bayesian-Gibbs sampler approach (MTGSAM) for genetic correlations estimation of all the traits. Estimated breeding values of sires was obtained by BLUP and Bayesian analysis for the production traits. Results: Heritability estimates of most of the traits were medium to high with the LSML (0.20±0.44 to 0.49±0.71) and Bayesian approach (0.24±0.009 to 0.61±0.017), respectively. However, more reliable estimates were obtained using the Bayesian technique. A higher heritability estimate was obtained for AFC (0.61±0.017) followed by first lactation fat yield, first lactation solid-not fat yield, FSP, first lactation milk yield (FLMY), PL (0.60±0.013, 0.60±0.006, 0.57±0.024, 0.57±0.020, 0.42±0.025); while a lower estimate for HL (0.38±0.034) by MTGSAM approach. Genetic and phenotypic correlations were negative for AFC-PL, AFC-HL, FSP-PL, and FSP-HL (-0.59±0.19, -0.59±0.24, -0.38±0.101 and -0.34±0.076) by the multi-trait Bayesian analysis. Conclusion: Breed and traits of economic importance are important for selection decisions to ensure genetic gain in cattle breeding programs. Favourable genetic and phenotypic correlations of AFC with production and lifetime traits compared to that of FSP indicated better scope of AFC for indirect selection of life-time traits at an early age. This also indicated that the present Tharparkar cattle herd had sufficient genetic diversity through the selection of AFC for the improvement of first lactation production and lifetime traits.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• 제17권6호
• /
• pp.794-798
• /
• 2004

An attempt was made to improve the efficiency of growth and lactation performance of dairy heifers subjected to a stair-step growth scheme using rice straw as the sole roughage source. Twenty-four young Holstein heifers were randomly assigned to either control or test group. The control diet met the National Research Council (NRC) requirement, with heifers calving at 24 to 26 mo of age. The test group was individually fed according to a schedule of 3, 2, 4, 2, 5 and 2 mo in which feed intake was alternately 20% below or 25% above the NRC requirements. Heifers on the stair-step growth pattern gained more body weight and consumed less dry matter (10.80 and 11.22%, respectively), resulting an increasing growth efficiency compared with the control. Body condition, first estrus, first conception, services per conception and calving difficulty (data not shown) were not affected. Milk yield of the test group was 8.5% higher than that of the control group. During the early lactation period, the milk yield was significantly higher in the stair-step group than in that of the control group (p<0.05). Milk composition was not affected by compensatory growth induced by the stair-step scheme. Also, weight at calving and calf growth performance was not affected by stair-step growth. The results indicate that using rice straw as a sole roughage source in a stair-step compensatory growth scheme can contribute to the improvement of growth efficiency and early lactation performance.