• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.22 no.12
• /
• pp.1640-1647
• /
• 2009

Two field studies were conducted to determine the efficacy of difructose anhydride III (DFA III) as a supplement in colostrum replacer (CR) for improving the general health status (judged on the basis of incidence of enteritis, bronchitis, and pneumonia) of group-housed suckling Japanese Black calves. In a preliminary study, CR supplemented with DFA III (6 g) was orally administered within 24 h of calving to eight individually reared calves fed colostrum (DFA III group) (Exp. 1). Subsequently, CR supplemented with DFA III (6 g) was orally administered twice within 2 and 12 h of calving to four calves (DFA III group) that were not fed colostrum (Exp. 2). In both experiments, the health status of the calves was assessed during the preweaning period. In Exp. 2, hematological and blood-chemistry parameters were analyzed 24 h after the second administration of CR and at 1 wk and 1 month after calving. The results were compared between the DFA III and control groups (without DFA III supplementation; Exp. 1: n = 10, Exp. 2: n = 4). In Exp. 1, the number of calves requiring medications for the treatment of enteritis, bronchitis, and pneumonia during the preweaning period was significantly (p<0.05) lower in the DFA III group than in the control group. In Exp. 2, supplementation of DFA III did not influence the gain in body weight of calves during the pre-weaning period. Calves in the DFA III group tended to require medications for a shorter duration than those in the control group (DFA III: 10.3 d/calf, control: 21.3 d/calf; p = 0.07). Significant differences (p<0.05) in the level of mean corpuscular hemoglobin, total protein, total cholesterol, and immunoglobulin (Ig)G were observed between the DFA III and control groups. These differences probably reflect the health and nutritional status of the calves. Additionally, the serum iron and lactoferrin concentrations at 24 h and 1 wk after calving, respectively, differed significantly between the 2 groups. These concentrations might reflect the incidence of infections after calving. The present study revealed that the administration of DFA III as a CR supplement may prevent diseases in group-housed calves during the pre-weaning period.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.11 no.5
• /
• pp.470-474
• /
• 1998

Data on the first lactation performance traits of $F_1$, $F_2$ and $F_3$ crosses covering the period from 1972 to 1995 of a total of 803 dairy cows of three genetic grades maintained at Livestock Production Research Farm, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar were analysed. Three genetic grades were 1/2 Friesian + 1/2 Hariana (FH), 1/2 Friesian + 1/4 Brown Swiss and 1/4 Hariana (FBH) and 1/2 Friesian+ 1/4 Jersey + 1/4 Hariana (FJH). Age at first calving increased by 7% and 8% in $F_2$ and $F_3$, respectively, over the $F_1$ in FH. The reduction in age at first calving at $F_2$ and $F_3$ levels by 2-7% over the $F_1$ was observed in FBH and FJH. The lactation milk yield of $F_1$, $F_2$ and $F_3$ crosses was $1,943{\pm}100.3$, $2202{\pm}120.5$ and $1,925{\pm}123.2kg$ in FH; $2,014{\pm}76.7$, $2,264{\pm}91.5$ and $2,096{\pm}123.9kg$ in FBH and $2,005{\pm}87.0$, $2,414{\pm}94.4$ and $2,093{\pm}121.1kg$ in FJH, respectively. The lactation milk yield improved by 12-20% in $F_2$ crosses in various genetic grades. The performance of $F_1$ was, however, maintained in FH $F_3$ crosses, it improved by 4% in FBH and FJH $F_3$ crosses. The lactation lengths and calving intervals were nearly the same for $F_1$, $F_2$ and $F_3$ crosses in FH while lactation lengths and calving intervals were reduced by 3-11% in $F_2$ and $F_3$ crosses in FBH and FJH genetic grades. The milk yield/day of lactation length and milk yield/day of calving interval increased by 16-35% in $F_2$ and 2-14% in $F_3$ over the $F_1$ in various genetic grades. It is recommended that a sufficiently large effective population size of these three genetic grades be maintained by inter se matings and rigorous selection of sires so for developing a genetic base population for new breed development.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.19 no.5
• /
• pp.672-678
• /
• 2006

The objective of this study was to investigate whether milk performance is impacted by the housing of heifers from the second to the seventh day of life, the method of feeding milk from the second week of life to weaning, the sire lineage and by the season of birth and season of calving. From 32 Holstein heifer-calves, which spent their first day of life in a loose housing maternity pen with their mother, 19 heifers were randomly placed in hutches (IH), and 13 stayed in a loose housing maternity pen (MP). At the seventh day IH heifers were assigned to one of two treatments, 10 heifers were randomly taken from IH and relocated to a loose housing pen with an automatic feeding station (AD), 9 calves stayed in hutches with bucket drinking (BD). MP heifers were moved to a group pen with nursing cows (UD). All animals were weaned at the age of 8 weeks (56 days) and kept in group pens. After calving, they were in free-stall housing. Trial cows were divided according to the sire, season of birth and calving. The five-factorial ANOVA revealed that among all the factors taken into account in this study, only sire lineage and season of birth had significant effects. The production of milk, FCM and protein were higher in the MP group than in the IH group. The UD group tended to have the highest production of milk, FCM, protein, lactose, SNF and total solids (TS) and the AD group the lowest. The content of fat and TS were highest in the AD group. Effects of the sire were significant for average daily gains (ADG) from birth to weaning ($0.55{\pm}0.03kg$, p<0.05), contents of fat ($3.81{\pm}0.08%$, p<0.05), protein ($3.13{\pm}0.02%$, p<0.05), and TS ($12.67{\pm}0.12%$, p<0.05). In the season of birth evaluation, statistical difference was found only in the content of protein ($3.13{\pm}0.13%$, p<0.05). Cows born in March-May had the highest % protein and cows born in June-August the lowest ($3.21{\pm}0.04$ vs. $3.06{\pm}0.05%$). Dairy cows born and subsequently calving in December-February had the highest production of milk, protein and TS, and dairy cows born in June-August the lowest. FCM and fat yields were highest in the group born in September-November and lowest in the group born in June-August.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.8 no.5
• /
• pp.499-503
• /
• 1995

The performance records of 410 Holstein Friesian crossbred cows belonging to seven genetic groups (Fl, 3/4, 1/4, 5/8, 3/8, triple cross and miscellaneous cross) maintained at Livestock Production Research Institute, Bahadurnagar, Okara were analyzed for various parameters of lifetime traits. For the analysis 2 data sets were made. Data set I included all the cows disposed off from the herd which have completed at least one lactation while for data set II performance traits for only first five lactations were considered. The data was analyzed by Mixed Model Least squares and Maximum Likelihood computer programme PC-I version. The least squares means ${\times}$ standard errors for data set I (periods are in days and milk yield is in litres) were $994.5{\pm}15.5$, $1,877.0{\pm}70.9$, $1,651.9{\pm}19.3$, $2,533.7{\pm}36.5$, $3,530.0{\pm}40.5$, $15,785.2{\pm}320.0$, $8.46{\pm}0.19$, $5.66{\pm}0.16$ and $3.79{\pm}0.08$, respectively for age at first calving (APC), Ist lactation milk yield (FLMY), productive life (PL), herd life (HL), total life (TL), lifetime milk yield (LTMY), milk yield per day of productive life (MY/PL), milk yield per day of herd life (MY/HL) and milk yield per day of total life (MY/TL). For data set II these values were $1,004.2{\pm}21.2$, $2,220.5{\pm}113.1$, $1,429.1{\pm}40.8$, $2,302.1{\pm}73.3$, $3,307.2{\pm}77.3$, $13,189.7{\pm}667.4$, $9.10{\pm}0.34$, $5.66{\pm}0.25$ and $4.02{\pm}0.18$ in the same order. For data set I the effect of year of first calving was significant for AFC, FLMY, PL, HL, LTMY and MY/PL. The season of Ist calving was significant only for MY/PL. The effect of genetic group was significant for AFC, FLMY, MY/PL and MY/TL while the effect of parity was significant for all the traits. For data set II the effect of year of Ist calving was significant only for AFC, FLMY and PL while the season of Ist calving was significant for FLMY and PL while the effect of genetic groups was significant for MY/HL only. The lifetime production performance is in general close to the various estimates reported in the literature.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
• /
• v.27 no.3
• /
• pp.365-380
• /
• 2019

Total of 20 Holstein calves of 10 calves (3.90±0.26 month of age) born in spring (S) and 10 calves (4.10±0.30 month of age) born in fall (F) were reared in this study for 24 months and diets were divided into separate feeding of forage and concentrates (C) and TMR (T). Therefore, 4 treatments in this study were composed of CS, CF, TS and TF with the factors of diets and calving season. After parturition of heifers, all animals were fed the same diet and milk production was recorded monthly. DM intakes in growing period were influenced by calving season, and those of the animals calved in fall were higher than in those calved in spring (P<0.01), but there were no significant differences by feeding method. CP intakes and TDN intakes were significantly influenced by calving season (P<0.05) and feeding method (P<0.001), and the animals calved in fall were about 1.2% higher than those calved in spring, and the animals fed TMR were about 4.7% higher than those fed concentrates and forage separately. Average, 9th and 10th months' milk yields were significantly influenced by feeding method in which those in the treatments fed TMR (TS, TF) were higher than in separate feeding of concentrates and forage (CS, CF; average P<0.05; 9th and 10th months P<0.01). Average milk persistency was also significantly influenced by calving season (P<0.05) and feeding method (P<0.01) and those in the animals calved in fall were higher than in spring and those of the TMR fed animals were also higher than in separate feeding of concentrates and forage. Milk persistency was similar to the results of milk yield, showing statistically significant differences affected by the feeding method at 9th and 10th months of late lactation (P<0.01), and it was about 8% higher in the animals fed TMR, showing higher tendency at 7th (P=0.12) and 8th months of late lactation (P=0.09). Therefore, it is expected that postpartum milk yield and milk persistency would be higher when the hiefers are fed TMR in growing period and calved in fall. Average milk fat content was influenced by feeding method. Milk fat content of the animals fed TMR during growing period were 7.8% higher than those fed concentrates and forage separately (P<0.01). This suggests that feeding TMR during growing period influenced first postpartum eating behavior, which stabilized the rumen and resulted in the increased milk fat. At 3rd month after calving, milk fat content was lower in the animals calved in spring than in those calved in fall, suggesting that it might have been influenced by the seasonal differences. MUN showed significant differences by feeding method in which those in separate feeding of concentrates and forages were higher especially in average, 4th, 5th and 6th months (average and 4th P<0.01; 5th and 6th months P<0.05). SCC was higher in the animals fed TMR than in those fed concentrates and forage separately especially in average, 3rd and 4th months after calving (P<0.01). In conclusion, when feeding TMR during growing period and calving in fall, it was not influenced by the high temperature in summer, and it resulted in the improved milk yield, milk persistency and milk fat content.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
• /
• v.44 no.2
• /
• pp.191-200
• /
• 2002

This study was conducted to estimate the effects of environmental factors on certain reproductive traits in Korean cattle on the basis of data from Korean Cattle Improvement Areas which were surveyed from 1986 to 1995. Results obtained were summarized as follows ; 1. Least square means of the reproductive traits estimated were 466.11${\pm}$5.72 days for age at 1st service, 480.10${\pm}$6.15 days for age at 1st conception, 742.79${\pm}$7.48 days for age at 1st calving, 64.97${\pm}$1.42 days for days at 1st service postpartum, 72.06${\pm}$1.73 days for days open, 355.93${\pm}$1.92days for calving interval, 285.38${\pm}$0.42 days for gestation length and 1.21${\pm}$0.02 days for number of services for conception, respectively. 2. The ranges of the least squares means for the districts were 447.62${\pm}$5.94-490.72${\pm}$5.94 days for age at 1st service, 464.27${\pm}$6.38-505.20${\pm}$6.39 days for age at 1st conception, 721.91${\pm}$7.85-772.75${\pm}$7.80 days for age at 1st calving, 62.27${\pm}$1.55-68.97${\pm}$1.74days for days at 1st service postpartum, 69.74${\pm}$1.97-74.36${\pm}$2.27days for days open, 352.71${\pm}$2.18-359.64${\pm}$2.09 days for calving interval, 284.52${\pm}$0.42-286.04${\pm}$0.47days for gestation length and 1.11${\pm}$0.02-1.30${\pm}$0.02 days for number of services for conception, respectively. 3. Age at 1st service was latest in the cows with Basic Register and tended to be earlier for the more advanced registers. The number of services per conception tended to increase for the more advanced registers. 4. Days at 1st service postpartum was longest in the 2nd parity and tended to be shorter with the advancement of parity. The number of services per conception tended to decrease with the advancement of parity. 5. As the calving year advances from 1987 to 1995, days at 1st service postpartum, days open and calving interval tended to be longer, and number of service per conception tended to increase. 6. Days at 1st service postpartum, days open and calving interval were shorter in the cows that calved in spring and summer than in the cows that calved in fall and winter. The number of services per conception was larger in the cows that cocalved in fall and winter than the cows that calved in spring and summer.

• Journal of the Korean Statistical Society
• /
• v.31 no.2
• /
• pp.177-198
• /
• 2002

The estimation of variance components or variance ratios in linear model is an important issue in plant or animal breeding fields, and various estimation methods have been devised to estimate variance components or variance ratios. However, many traits of economic importance in those fields are observed as dichotomous or polychotomous outcomes. The usual estimation methods might not be appropriate for these cases. Recently threshold linear model is considered as an important tool to analyze discrete traits specially in animal breeding field. In this note, we consider a hierarchical Bayesian method for the threshold animal model. Gibbs sampler for making full Bayesian inferences about random effects as well as fixed effects is described to analyze jointly discrete traits and continuous traits. Numerical example of the model with two discrete ordered categorical traits, calving ease of calves from born by heifer and calving ease of calf from born by cow, and one normally distributed trait, birth weight, is provided.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.13 no.3
• /
• pp.287-291
• /
• 2000

The study was based on 1921 service period records of Nili Ravi buffaloes maintained at six dairy farms in Pakistan during the period 1978 to 1994. The mean service period was $237.57{\pm}4.5$ days in the over all data. The highest mean service period ($393.59{\pm}16.18$ days) was at MDF Rawalpindi and the lowest ($199.15{\pm}14.35$ days) was at MDF Peshawar. The difference was significant p<0.001. Late maturing buffaloes showed significantly longer service period as compared to early maturing buffaloes. Parity and seasonal effects on Service Period were studied. There was an overall trend of reduction in the length of service period with the increase in parity. The mean ($287.54{\pm}6.89$ days) service period was (highest) in parity number one and lowest in parity number eight ($107.95{\pm}19.72$ days). The difference was highly significant. In overall data significantly lower service periods were seen in buffaloes calving in spring+winter as compared to summer+fall.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.13 no.7
• /
• pp.883-887
• /
• 2000

One way of evaluating the effectiveness of a dairy breeding program is to measure response to selection. This may be direct or indirect. The objectives of this study were to estimate expected progress for direct selection on milk, fat and protein yields; to estimate the expected correlated responses on indirect selection for milk, fat and protein yields in Zimbabwean Holstein cattle and to establish the effect of selection intensity on responses. The Animal Model contained fixed effects of herd, year of calving, calving month, dry period, milking frequency and additive effects pertaining to cows, sires and dams. AIREML software package was used to analyse the data. The genetic and phenotypic parameters obtained in this study were used to compute direct and correlated responses to selection. Because of the higher heritabilities in first parity, genetic progress was found to be greater when selection was practised on first parity cows as compared to later lactations. It is therefore recommended that older cows in the herd be replaced with improved heifers so as to enhance genetic progress.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.13 no.9
• /
• pp.1196-1200
• /
• 2000

First lactation records of 683 Murrah buffaloes maintained at National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, were used for comparing the sire evaluation for age at first calving, first lactation 305-day or less milk yield and first service period. The sires were evaluated using Simple daughters average, Contemporary comparison, Least-squares and BLUP methods. The BLUP evaluations were obtained under single-, two- and three-trait individual animal models. The results revealed that for taking a decision regarding the method of sire evaluation to be used for selecting sires with high breeding values, criteria of the rank correlation could be misleading and comparison of the selected sires is likely to give a veritable picture. The Best Linear Unbiased Prediction method under multi-trait animal model incorporating first lactation milk yield with first service period as a covariable and age at first calving in the model was found to be more efficient and accurate for sire selection in Murrah buffaloes.