• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.382-388
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• 2014

The objective of this study was to determine the risk factors associated with pregnancy following 3 synchronization protocols in dairy cows. Data were collected on 1,952 cows from 22 dairy farms, including synchronization protocols ($PGF_{2{\alpha}}$ + estradiol benzoate [PG+EB], Ovsynch, and CIDR-ovsynch), cow parity, body condition score (BCS), and dates of previous calving, insemination and conception. The odds ratio (OR) for pregnancy were analyzed by logistic regression using the LOGISTIC procedure in SAS. The analysis revealed that farm (p = 0.005), cow parity (p = 0.0001), BCS (p < 0.005), and AI season (p < 0.05) significantly affected and calving to AI interval tended to affect (p < 0.1) the probability for pregnancy. Although synchronization protocols did not affect the probability for pregnancy (p > 0.05), cow parity and synchronization protocols showed a significant interaction (p < 0.005); the OR (0.60) was significantly lower (p < 0.0001) for multiparous cows compared to primiparous cows using PG+EB, whereas the OR (1.44) tended to be higher (p < 0.1) for multiparous cows compared to primiparous cows using the Ovsynch, and the probability for pregnancy did not differ between multiparous and primiparous cows using the CIDR-ovsynch (p > 0.05). Cows with BCS ${\geq}$ 3.00 were more likely pregnant (OR: 1.41) compared with cows having BCS ${\leq}$ 2.75, whereas cows inseminated during summer had a lower OR (0.73) compared with those inseminated during spring. Cows with a calving to AI interval > 150 days were more likely to be pregnant (OR: 1.20) compared with cows with a calving to AI interval ${\leq}$ 150 days. In conclusion, the OR for pregnancy following synchronization protocols in dairy cows was affected by farm, parity, BCS, calving to AI interval of the cow, and AI season, and there was a significant interaction between cow parity and synchronization protocols; the OR for pregnancy was lower for multiparous cows compared with primiparous cows using the PG+EB protocol.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.394-400
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• 2016

The objective of this study was to estimate the environmental factors affecting milk ${\beta}$-hydroxybutyric acid (BHBA) and acetone (Ac) concentrations in Holstein cattle. A total of 264,221 test-day records collected from the Korea Animal Improvement Association (KAIA) during the period of 2012 to 2014 were used in this study. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed to determine the factors significantly affecting ketone body concentrations. Parameters considered in the model were season of test, season of calving, parity, lactation stage, and milk collecting time (AM and PM). According to the ANOVA, the $R^2$ for milk BHBA and Ac were 0.5226 and 0.4961, respectively. 'Season of test' showed a considerable influence on ketone body concentration. Least square (LS) means for milk BHBA concentrations was the lowest ($39.04{\mu}M$) in winter while it increased up to $62.91{\mu}M$ in summer. But Ac concentration did not significantly change along with 'season of test'. The means of milk BHBA and Ac concentrations were high at first lactation stage, low around second lactation stage, and then gradually increased. Cows milked in the morning had lower mean BHBA and Ac concentrations ($48.49{\mu}M$ and $121.69{\mu}M$, respectively) in comparison to those milked in the evening ($53.46{\mu}M$ and $130.42{\mu}M$, respectively). The LS means of BHBA and Ac slightly increased over parities. These results suggest that proper maintenance of milk collection, herd management programs, and evaluation of ketone body levels in milk should be considered for the efficient management of resistance to ketosis.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.17 no.12
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• pp.1689-1694
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• 2004

This study was conducted to develop a novel adjustment factors for 305 days using 138,103 lactation records and 1,770,764 daily records, which were based on environmental circumstances such as herd year, season, age at calving, dry period and lactating stages. The present study showed that the change of persistency of cows at the first parity from total lactacting characteristics was slowly processed, while it was rapidly changed in cows at the second parity stage. Particularly, there was an outstanding difference between the first and second parity cows. Milk yield and composition increased as the age at calving was increased. In addition, milk yield and composition were higher at the first parity on fall compared with others, and those were higher at the more than second parity on fall and winter compared with other parity stages and seasons. The cow of dry group was included into lactating records of more than second parity stage. The data indicated that optimal results arose from 45-70 days of dry period. Milk yield was decreased when dry period was longer or shorter than 45-70 days. The lactating days were divided into 17, 28 and 38 stages to compare the multiplicative correction factors. The factor was effective at 28 stages on the first parity. The total correlation coefficients were 0.93832, 0.95058 and 0.95076 at the present correction factor, 17 stage and 28 stage, respectively. At second parity, the factor was higher in dry group 1 and 3 at 17 stage, and it was higher in dry group 2 at 28 stage compared with others. Therefore, the present study showed that the percent squared bias (PSB), which was calculated from the novel correction factor, was better than previously used correction factors. Also, the present study indicated that the bias of the novel correction factor was improved, and this factor could be more accurate compared with others.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.33-37
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• 2012

This study was performed to evaluate the rate of twin pregnancy and parturition in dairy cows. Calving records of Holstein dairy cows from 1998 to 2009 comprising Goyang and Paju cities herd with 20,990 calving events representing 820 twin births were used to evaluate twinning rate, calf sex ratio, periods of pregnancy and complication after parturition in single and twin births. Overall, the reported twinning rate was 3.9% in Holstein dairy cows. Rate of bicornual pregnancy (75%) was larger than that of unicornual pregnancy (25%) among cows having twin. Regardless of parity, the greatest twinning rate was observed in fall season from September to November. Calf sex ratios (male, M; female, F) were 48.0% FM, 28.9% MM, 21.5% FF and 0.9% mummifications for twin calves. Parturition type among cows having twins included normal (4.7%), premature (66.9%), delayed (9.2%), abortion (18.4%) and mummification (0.8%). The period of pregnancy in twin pregnancy (mean 272.6 days) was shorter than single pregnancy (mean 278.1 days). The retained placenta after parturition was over fourth times such as twin parturition (34.8%) higher than single parturition (8.5%) and the abomasal displacement was over two times such as twin parturition (10.2%) higher than single parturition (4.9%). The distribution of twin pregnancy with parities was high rate during the 2~3 parities. The prevalence of complication such as retained placenta and abomasal displacement with twin parturition revealed higher than single parturition.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.59-64
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• 2015

Intensive genetic selection has resulted in modern dairy cow with very high milk yields but reduced fertility, due mainly to an increase in reproductive disorders. The study was conducted to estimate the proportion of reproductive disorders among dairy cattle. The factors analyzed were; milk yield, cow parity, periparturient disorders, and reproductive status. The result of this study showed the incidence of reproductive disorders in high yielding dairy cows was prevalent. Repeat breeding was the major postpartum reproductive problem comprising (42.3%) of the samples. Higher reproductive disorders were also associated with lower parity. These disorders subsequently reduced reproductive performance by prolonged intervals from calving to first artificial insemination and from calving to pregnancy. Abnormalities in the reproductive system such as repeat breeder, silent heat, anestrous and ovarian cysts, as well as lower fertility have been recorded during the summer months (June to August). In conclusion, the study revealed that incidence of repeat breeder is mostly prevalent in dairy cows. Moreover, the incidence of reproductive disorders was higher in summer season and hence appropriate preventive and or therapeutic measures as per the type of abnormalities need to be undertaken.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.508-518
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• 2019

Objective: This research aimed to determine biological pathways and protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks for 305-d milk yield (MY), 305-d fat yield (FY), and age at first calving (AFC) in the Thai multibreed dairy population. Methods: Genotypic information contained 75,776 imputed and actual single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) from 2,661 animals. Single-step genomic best linear unbiased predictions were utilized to estimate SNP genetic variances for MY, FY, and AFC. Fixed effects included herd-year-season, breed regression and heterosis regression effects. Random effects were animal additive genetic and residual. Individual SNP explaining at least 0.001% of the genetic variance for each trait were used to identify nearby genes in the National Center for Biotechnology Information database. Pathway enrichment analysis was performed. The PPI of genes were identified and visualized of the PPI network. Results: Identified genes were involved in 16 enriched pathways related to MY, FY, and AFC. Most genes had two or more connections with other genes in the PPI network. Genes associated with MY, FY, and AFC based on the biological pathways and PPI were primarily involved in cellular processes. The percent of the genetic variance explained by genes in enriched pathways (303) was 2.63% for MY, 2.59% for FY, and 2.49% for AFC. Genes in the PPI network (265) explained 2.28% of the genetic variance for MY, 2.26% for FY, and 2.12% for AFC. Conclusion: These sets of SNP associated with genes in the set enriched pathways and the PPI network could be used as genomic selection targets in the Thai multibreed dairy population. This study should be continued both in this and other populations subject to a variety of environmental conditions because predicted SNP values will likely differ across populations subject to different environmental conditions and changes over time.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.339-343
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• 2011

This study determined the effects of twin birth on subsequent postpartum disorders, culling and reproductive performance, and its risk factors in dairy cows. Detailed data related to reproduction, health, and calving events, including dates of artificial insemination (AI) and calving, hormonal treatment prior to conception, cow parity, twin birth, retained placenta, metabolic disorders, and endometritis were collected from 1,717 individual calvings on 9 dairy farms. The incidence rate of twin birth was 3.4%. Gestation length was shorter in cows with twin birth ($270.6{\pm}2.0$ days) than cows giving birth to singletons ($279.5{\pm}0.2$ days, P < 0.01). The incidence of retained placenta (47.5 vs. 16.0%), metabolic disorders (18.6 vs. 3.8%) endometritis (62.7 vs. 28.2%), and culling rate (32.2 vs. 16.5%) was greater in cows with twin birth than in cows giving birth to singletons, respectively (P < 0.01). The hazard of pregnancy (adjusted hazard ratio, AHR) by 210 days in milk analyzed using Cox proportional hazards model was affected by calving season, in that the rate of pregnancy for cows calved during spring was less than for cows calved during winter (AHR = 0.80; P = 0.01); this was also true for endometritis (AHR = 0.46, P < 0.01). AHR was not affected by twin birth. Logistic analysis demonstrated that increasing the cow parity (P < 0.01) and hormonal treatment prior to conception (adjusted odds ratio, AOR = 1.84, P < 0.05) increased the risk of twin birth. These results demonstrate that twin births are responsible for severe economic losses through the increased occurrence of postpartum disorders and culling; thus, appropriate management for the deleterious impact of twin birth, and/or reducing the risk factors by herd control regarding cow parity and the use of reproductive hormones prior to conception might be necessary.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.255-260
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• 2017

Ketosis has become a very common and important metabolic disorder that causes substantial economic loss in modern dairy herds. We determined the risk factors for ketosis and associations with some blood metabolite concentrations in dairy cows. Blood from 475 Holstein cows on four dairy farms was collected weekly until 4 weeks after calving to measure blood ${\beta}$-hydroxybutyrate (BHBA) concentrations using electronic handheld meters. Cows were grouped based on the BHBA concentration into two groups: a ketosis group (${\geq}1.2mmol/L$, n = 150) and a non-ketosis group (< 1.2 mmol/L, n = 325). Peripartum health status (dystocia, retained placenta, and metritis), cow parity, and calving season were recorded to identify the risk factors for ketosis. Serum albumin, total cholesterol (TCH), and haptoglobin concentrations were compared between sub-groups of cows selected from the ketosis (n = 92) and non-ketosis (n = 50) groups 1 week postpartum ($7.5{\pm}0.2days$). The farm influenced the incidence of ketosis (P < 0.05). Cows calved during summer tended to have a higher risk (odds ratio [OR]: 1.61, P < 0.1) of ketosis than cows calved during spring. Cows with parities of two (OR: 1.95, P < 0.05) and three or higher (OR: 2.55, P < 0.01) were at higher risk than primiparous cows. Cows with metritis had a higher risk (OR: 7.02, P < 0.0001) of ketosis than cows without metritis. Serum albumin and TCH concentrations were lower (P < 0.01) in the ketosis group than in the non-ketosis group, whereas haptoglobin concentration was higher (P < 0.05) in the ketosis group than in the non-ketosis group. In conclusion, our results indicate that farm, summer calving, parity greater than one, and postpartum disease (metritis) were risk factors for ketosis. In addition, lower serum albumin and TCH concentrations and higher haptoglobin concentration were also associated with the incidence of ketosis in dairy cows.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.51 no.2
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• pp.111-122
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• 2009

This study was performed to make it possible to adjust milk production records which are changing with days in milk more accurately as developing new 305-day adjustment factors considering current circumstance and to offer easier application by converting adjustment factors to formulas. Total 4,264,347 records were used in this analysis after eliminating unusual value and data was classified by first parity and over second parity. Herd-year effects were classified with 2,878 and 19,783 classes in first parity and over second parity, respectively and number of subclass of age-calving season-lactation stage effects were 136 (age 2, calving season 4, lactation stage 17). For calculation of least square mean, SAS GLM was used and multiplicative adjustment factors were developed. The result of error analysis, deviations between means of adjusted yields and cumulated yields were the lowest in new adjustment factor which was developed in this study comparing with other adjustment factors which were developed in the past (94', 02') in first parity and in over second parity, results of adjustment factors which were developed in 2002 and this study were similar. For easier application, formulas of 305-day adjustment factors were developed using SAS NLIN.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.19-33
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• 2000

Eighty dairy farms (38 farms responded) in Palmerston North area of New Zealand were questioned by mail questionnaire on: 1) general characteristics, 2) milk yield and feed supplementary, 3) reproductive efficiencies (12 questions) and 4) reproductive disorders (12 questions) from February to July, 1998. Among those 4 items, the reproductive efficiencies (3) and disorders (4), various diseases and culling rates were surveyed and analyzed for Korean dairy farmers (especially in Cheju island) and compared with New Zealand. The results are as follows: 1. Fifteen farms in 38 dairy farms relied entirely on artificial insemination, the rest of 23 dairy farms (60.5%) raised 5∼6 bulls to increase conception rate. The dairy farmers in Palmerston North used artificial insemination from Oct 4th to Dec 10th for 42.8 days, and then used bulls from that point to coming Jan 10th for 41.4 days. The submission rate within 3, 6 and 10 weeks following the initiation of AI season was 84.7, 93.9 and 97.9% respectively. 2. The average age of heifers at the first estrus, pregnancy and calving was 11.0, 18.0 and 24.7 months respectively, and an average 1.4 estrus cycles were required for conception. The intervals of estrus recurrence and the following conception after calving were 38 and 68 days respectively. 3. Among inseminated cows, calving, abortion and empty cow was 90.9, 1.6 and 7.4% respectively. Calving rate decreased according to increasing farm size, while the number of empty cows decreased. 4. Stillbirth, retained placenta and delivery abnormalities were 5.3, 3.7 and 5.5% respectively, not different depend on herd size. 5. The incidence of milk fever, grass tetany, and ketosis was 3.6, 3.0 and 1.0%, respectively. The delivery abnormality and mastitis treated with medicine were 3.1 and 6.7%, but decreased according to farm size. Lameness was 8.6% on average, but over 10% in farms which has more than 400 milking cows. 6. Among the culled cows (15.5% of the total), those culled due to an old age, lameness and other diseases were 2.9, 1.8 and 4.3% respectively and those culled due to low milk production, reproductive abnormality reduced with farm size. 7. Compared with the data collected in Korea, the reproductive efficiency was better, and lameness, metabolic problem and culling rate were higher in New Zealand