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Correlation between Energy Balance and Fertility in Finnish Dairy Cows

Relationen melian energinivå och fertilitet hos finska mjölkkor

Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica volume 32, pages 189–196 (1991)Cite this article

Abstract

The effect of serum glucose, ASAT and urea on reproductive performance was studied in 45 Finnish dairy cows from 8 different herds. Blood samples were taken a month before calving as well as 2 weeks and 2 months after calving. Serum urea, ASAT and glucose were used as indicators of metabolic and energy balance.

Glucose and ASAT concentrations were significantly correlated with fertility 2 weeks after calving, but not before calving or 2 months after calving. Antepartum, 60 % of the cows had a low urea level; at 2 weeks and at 2 months postpartum 89 % and 65 %, respectively had low levels of urea. The cows were divided into groups as follows: low or high (≥ 2.9 mmol/l) glucose level and low or high (≥ 2.5 mmol/l) urea level. Low levels of glucose and/or urea in Puerperium were associated with poor fertility. The intervals from calving to first insemination and conception were shorter in the group with high glucose and high urea than in the group with low values. The cows with the shortest intervals from calving to first insemination and conception showed adequate metabolic balance (high levels of urea and glucose).

Clinical ketosis had an adverse affect on intervals from calving to first insemination and on conception. Intervals from calving to first insemination and to conception were significantly (p < 0.01) longer in ketotic cows than in non-ketotic ones. Liver damage, reflected as elevated activity of ASAT, was associated with poor fertility.

If shorter calving intervals are desired, adequate energy balance in Puerperium is essential.

Sammanfattning

Syftet med föreliggande undersökningen var att studera relationen melian blod och fertilitetsparameter hos finska mjölkkor. Totalt ingick 45 kor från 8 gårdar i undersökningen. Blodprov samlades en månad före kalving, 2 veckor och 2 månader efter kalvning. Blodproverna analyserades for glucos, urea och ASAT.

Signifikanta korrelationer erhölls mellan glucose, ASAT och fertilitet endast 2 veckor efter kalvning. Före kalvning hade 60 % av korna låga ureavärden; vid 2 veckor och 2 månader hade 89 % och 65 % av korna låga ureavärden. Två månader efter kalvning indelades korna på basen av urea- och glucosvärden i en låg eller hog ( 2.9 mmol/l) glucosgrupp och i en låg eller hög (2.5 mmol/1) ureagrupp. Låga nivåer av glucos och/eller urea korrelerade med låg fertilitet. Tiden mellan kalvning och första insemination eller tiden mellan kalvning och dräktighet var kortare i gruppen med höga nivåer än i gruppen med låga nivåer. Korna, som diagnosticerades med klinisk ketos hade längre tid mellan kalvning och dräktighet.

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  1. Department of Anatomy, University of Kuopio, P. O. Box 1627, SF-70 211, Kuopio, Finland

    P. V. A. Miettinen

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A. Miettinen, P.V. Correlation between Energy Balance and Fertility in Finnish Dairy Cows. Acta Vet Scand 32, 189–196 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1186/BF03546980

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Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica

ISSN: 1751-0147