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Dairy Essentials - Reproduction and Genetic Selection
• Abortion, which is rarely due to poor Lactation versus conception
nutrition, except in severe cases of In early lactation, milk production has
deficiency, the ingestion of moldy the highest priority for the available
feed, or when feed contains high nutrients. In addition to the nutrients
levels of estrogen (a hormone). found in the diet, cows tend to mobilize
Nutrition and post-calving their body reserve (primarily energy) to
complications support milk production. Cows cannot
eat sufficient amounts during early
Many complications at calving are lactation; thus they are in a state of energy
related, at least in part, to nutritional deficiency, they lose weight and their
imbalances: ability to conceive is drastically reduced.
• Fat cow syndrome is a condition It is only at a later stage of lactation, when
resulting from excess energy during the energy ingested is in balance with the
late lactation or during the dry energy required for milk production, that
period leading to obesity, loss of the ability to initiate a new pregnancy
appetite and excess body increases.
mobilization in early lactation.
• Milk fever is due to the drain of Energy balance and fertility
calcium from the blood to the milk One of the most common causes of low
the first days after calving. This fertility in dairy cows is the deficiency of
condition is caused, in part, by excess energy relative to the animal's need, or
calcium or an imbalance between negative energy balance. Depending o n
calcium and phosphorus in the diet. milk production in early lactation,
Paralysis and death may occur if not negative energy balance may last for the
treated immediately. first two to 10 weeks of lactation (two and
• Displaced abomasum is a condition a half months). The effect of body weight
in which the abomasum is twisted to change during the month of conception
the left or right of its normal (two to three months after calving) is
position. The primary cause of this illustrated in Table 2.
problem may be an excess of Conception rates are lower for cows
concentrate (lack of fiber) in the diet inseminated during negative energy
in association with the increased balance (cows losing weight) compared to
space in the abdominal cavity after cows inseminated during positive energy
calving. balance (cows gaining weight). There is
• Ketosis is a metabolic disorder no evidence that higher producing cows
occurring in cows with insufficient have inherently lower reproductive
or excess body reserve at ability. However, it is clear that cows with
calving—cows lose their appetites, a negative energy balance have low
and milk production and fertility fertility regardless of milk producing
decrease. ability.
Cows suffering from milk fever and fat Table 2: Effect of cow's energy status in early
cow syndrome also have a much greater lactation on conception rate
chance of suffering from retained Change Number of:
placenta, metritis, dystocia and reduced in cow's services pregnancies services per Conception
conception. weight conception rate
Gaining 1368 911 1.50 67
Losing 544 234 2.32 44