Endocrine Profiles, Haematology and Pregnancy Outcomes of Late Pregnant Holstein Dairy Heifers Sired by Bulls Giving a High or Low Incidence of Stillbirth

Table 1 Descriptive data of calving performance in groups A1, A2 and B.

Group (n)	Gestation length (d)	First sight of calf legs (min)	Degree of calving difficulty (n)				Stillborn calves (n)	Weak calves (n)	RFM	Calf sex (n)/(Calf weight (kg))
			0	1	2	3				M	F
A1 (6)	285 ± 6	78 ± 53	4	1	1	0	1 (M)	1 (M)	0	5 (43.5 ± 6.1)	1 (30.0)
A2 (6)	279 ± 8	83 ± 44	5	1	0	0	2 (M;M)	0	1	3 (38.2 ± 7.7)	3 (35.8 ± 4.2)
B (8)	277 ± 6	51 ± 29	8	0	0	0	0	0	1	2 (37.0 ± 4.2)	6 (39.3 ± 5.0)
Total (20)	280 ± 7	65 ± 43	17	2	1	0	3	1	2	10 (40.6 ± 6.4)	10 (37.3 ± 5.2)

Group A1 = an index of stillbirth equal to 85; Group A2 = an index of stillbirth equal to 94; Group B = an index of stillbirth ranged between 100–111; n = the number of observations; Degree of calving difficulty: 0 = unassisted, 1 = slight, 2 = moderate, 3 = severe; RFM = retained foetal membranes; M=male; F=female

ISSN: 1751-0147