Sunteți pe pagina 1din 4

Babcock Institute for International

Dairy Research and Development Dairy


Essentials
University of Wisconsin-Madison

11) REPRODUCTION AND NUTRITION


Michel A. Wattiaux
Babcock Institute

INTRODUCTION COW NUTRITION


Water, energy, protein, minerals and Nutrition and pregnancy
vitamins are required for normal Malnutrition during pregnancy may
reproduction. These nutrients are the lead to:
same as those required for other body • Premature birth, malformations and
processes: maintenance, growth and milk weak calves that result from
production. The impact of cows’ maternal deficiencies in energy,
nutritional status on their reproductive protein, vitamins and minerals;
performance may affect their ability to:
• Conceive (initiate a new pregnancy);
• Provide the proper amount and Table 1: Body weight of dairy heifers at
balance of nutrients to support the various ages assuming different body
growth of a normal fetus; weights at birth and daily growth rates
• Deliver a calf without complications Breed size1
(retained placenta, milk fever, etc.). Months Large Medium Small Local
of Daily gain (kg/day)
HEIFER GROWTH AND NUTRITION age 0.725 0.650 0.500 0.300
The heifer’s weight, rather than her age, 0 (birth) 42 32 25 20
determines when puberty occurs and the 1 64 52 40 29
3 107 91 70 47
heat cycle begins. The first signs of heat
6 173 149 115 74
usually appear when heifers have reached 9 238 208 160 101
about 40% of their mature body weight. 12 303 266 205 128
In well-fed heifers, sexual maturity 15 2 368 325 250 155
usually occurs at about 11 months of age. 18 434 383 295 182
However, heat stress and underfeeding of 21 499 442 340 209
calves and young heifers delays sexual 24 3 564 500 385 236
maturity and prevents initiation of heat 4
Mature body weight (Kg)
cycles. In tropical regions, sexual maturity 620 550 424 260
of heifers may not occur before 14 to 15 1 Example of the different breeds could include:
months of age. Large = Holstein and Brown Swiss; Medium =
Heifers should weigh about 60% of their Ayrshire and Guernsey; Small = Jersey; Local =
mature body weight at the time of small unselected local breeds.
2 Age at first breeding.
insemination (14 to 15 months of age). 3 Age at first calving.
Thus if cows average about 600 kg, heifers 4 Cows should continue to grow throughout the first
should weigh about 360 kg (600 x 60/100) and second lactation. Mature body weight should
at the time of insemination (Table 1). be reached by the beginning of the third
lactation.

240 Agriculture Hall, 1450 Linden Dr., Madison, WI 53706 USA, phone: 608-265-4169, babcock@calshp.cals.wisc.edu 41
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

42 The Babcock Institute


11 - Reproduction and Nutrition
Protein and fertility Table 3: Effect of micromineral deficiencies on reproductive
The effect of dietary disorders
protein on reproduction is Micromineral1
Reproductive disorder Cu/ Co I Mn Se Zn Fe
complex. In general, Mo2
inadequate amounts of Variable length of estrous cycle ✔ ✔
protein in the diet reduce Anestrus or silent heat ✔ ✔ ✔
milk yield and Increased services per conception ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔
reproductive performance. Abortion ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔
Excess protein may also 1 Retained placenta ✔ ✔
have a negative effect o n Cu = copper; Mo = molybdenum; Co = cobalt; I = iodine; Mn = manganese;
Se = selenium; Zn = zinc; Fe = iron.
reproduction. Sometimes, 2 Excessive levels of molybdenum, with adequate levels of sulfur, will develop a
copper deficiency.
however, higher amounts
of protein in the diet are iron) have either a direct or indirect effect
associated with higher fertility. Some of on the cow's fertility (Table 3) and the
the following effects have been cow's ability to give birth to a healthy calf
demonstrated to explain the poor (Table 4).
reproduction sometimes observed with Phosphorus deficiency may greatly delay
excessive levels of protein in the diet: sexual maturity in heifers and decrease
• High levels of blood urea may occur, the fertility of dairy cows. A deficiency or
which has a toxic effect on the sperm, excess of either calcium or phosphorus i n
the ova, and the developing embryo; the diet may lead to milk fever at calving.
• The balance of hormones may be A calcium-to-phosphorus ratio of from
altered—progesterone levels are low 1.5:1 to 2.5:1 is desirable. However, a
when the blood contains high levels ration should always be balanced for the
of urea. amount of calcium and phosphorus that
• In the early lactating cow, high levels is required rather than the calcium-to-
of protein may exacerbate the phosphorus ratio.
negative energy balance and delay
the return of normal ovarian Genetic selection and reproduction
function. Among breeds of dairy cows, the intense
selection for higher milk production
Feeding protein and urea, such that during the last 20 to 30 years has
early lactating cows have a diet containing accentuated the problem of negative
16% protein and late lactating cows have a energy balance in early lactation.
diet containing 12% protein, should Consequently, as milk production has
optimize the fertility of the cows. increased, reproductive efficiency has
Minerals, vitamins and fertility decreased. Although a conception rate of
50% is considered to be a poor level of
Minerals and vitamins play an reproductive performance today, it is
important role in reproduction. The probably above average in the U. S. dairy
effects of severe deficiencies are usually industry. Some believe that the decrease
well understood. However, it is difficult in reproductive efficiency is due to genetic
to establish possible effects of long term selection for milk production. However,
marginal deficiencies or excesses. In research indicates that the conception rate
addition, there are many interactions of heifers has remained unchanged for
between minerals, especially the the last 25 years, suggesting that genetic
microminerals. In general, almost all selection for higher milk production is
required vitamins and minerals (except not the cause of lower fertility.
University of Wisconsin-Madison 43
Dairy Essentials - Reproduction and Genetic Selection
Table 4: Effect of nutrient deficiency during The heritability of reproductive traits,
pregnancy on the health of newborn calves1 such as days open, is very low. Thus
Nutrient Deficiency symptoms in calves improving reproduction through
Energy Low calf weight at birth; unthrifty, selection would be very inefficient. It is
slow-growing calves. likely that cows selected for higher milk
Protein Low calf weight at birth; slow- yield were also selected (indirect selection)
growing calves, under severe for their ability to mobilize body reserve
deficiency, decreased immunity and to ingest more feed. Cows with
(resistance to infectious agents) higher intake in early lactation are likely
due to lowered immune globulins in to have fewer reproductive problems
the colostrum.
than cows that mobilize large amounts of
Calcium and Rarely a problem because large body reserves. Thus it is probable that
Phosphorus amounts of calcium and selection of cows with higher intake
phosphorus may be mobilized
from the bone for fetal growth. capacity in early lactation may allow for
Iodine Goiter in newborn calves. higher milk production with minimal
Copper Weak calves, showing symptoms negative effects on reproduction.
of rickets.
Selenium Unthrifty calves, muscle
degeneration (white muscle
disease), paralysis and heart
failure.
Vitamin A Shortened gestation periods and in
severe cases abortion; birth of
weak, blind, or uncoordinated
calves; severe (white) diarrhea in
weak calves.
Vitamin D Birth of calves with rickets (rare).
Vitamin E Related to selenium deficiencies;
weak limbs, difficulty standing
and inability to suckle.
1
Linn, J.G.; D.E. Otterby; J.K. Reneau. 1990. Dairy
management manual; Factsheet 617.00.

44 The Babcock Institute

S-ar putea să vă placă și