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Postpartum Reproductive Function in Finnish Ayrshire and Friesian Cows after Three Subsequent Parturitions
Den postpartuma reproduktiva funktionen hos finska Ayrshire och Frisiska kor, efter tre på varandra följande kalvningar
Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica volume 29, pages 231–238 (1988)
Abstract
The postpartum reproduction functions of 84 Finnish Ayrshire and Friesian cows were studied on an experimental farm. The cows were divided according to type of feed into 2 groups of equal size: a hay-urea group and a silage group. The duration of the study was 3 years. Eighty-four cows were followed during their first postpartum period, 63 during 2 and 57 during 3 consecutive post partum periods.
The cows were examined clinically by rectal palpation, and milk samples for progesterone assay were taken 3 times a week between calving and first insemination. External signs of heat were checked 3 times a day by the herdsmen.
Intervals from calving to completed uterine and cervical involution, appearance of first palpable follicle, onset of first luteal function and onset of regular ovarian function were recorded. Intervals from calving to the first observed heat and to pregnancy were measured and the rate of successful pregnancies at the first insemination was calculated.
Least squares methods were used for evaluation of the effect of individual cow, breed, parity/year and type of feed on postpartum reproductive function.
The cows in the herd seemed to have equal reproductive functions which were influenced by the conditions during each year/parity rather than by the breed or type of feed.
Individual cow effect was significant for the rapidity of uterine involution. Breed had no significant effect on any of the parameters studied.
The effect of type of feed alone was not significant for any parameter, but when studying the intervals from calving to uterine involution and initiation of luteal function differences between the feed groups were noted within parity/year.
The percentage of cows showing heat before the first dioestrus (luteal phase) increased with parity/year, and the first dioestrus was shorter than the second. The percentage of cows showing postoestrous bleeding increased with number of oestrous cycles post partum.
Sammenfatning
84 finska Ayrshire och frisiska kors postpartuma reproduktiva funktion undersöktes på en försöksgård. Korna indelades på basen av utfodring i 2 lika stora grupper: En hö-ureagrupp och en ensilagegrupp. Undersökningen varade i tre år. 84 kor undersöktes under deres forsta postpartuma period, 63 kor under 2 och 57 kor under 3 på varandra följande postpartuma periorder.
Korna undersöktes kliniskt med rektal palpation, och mjölkprov för progesteronmätning togs 3 gånger per vecka under tiden mellan kalvning och den första inseminationen.
Yttre tecken på estrus kontrollerades 3 gånger per dag av djurskötarna.
Tiden mellan kalvning och fullständig uterin och cervical involution, uppkomsten av den första palperbara follikeln, den första luteala funktionens start samt den regelbundna ovariefunktionens start registrerades. Tiden mellan kalvning och första observerade estrus och dräktighet mättes och andelen lyckade dräktligheter vid första insemination uträknades.
Minsta kvadratmetoden användes då betydelsen av ko individ, ras, kalvningar/år och fodertyp på den postpartuma reproduktiva funktionen evaluerades.
Korna i gruppen verkade att ha likadana reproduktiva funktioner som påvrerkades mer av förhållandena under året/dräktigheten än av ras- eller foderskillnader.
Individeffekten var signifikant då det gällde hastigheten av uterin involution. Rasen hade ingen signifikant betydelse för någon av de parametrar som undersöktes. Typen av foder hade ensam ingen signifikant betydelse för någon undersökt parameter men då tiden mellan kalvning och uterin involution samt start av luteal funktion undersöktes upptäcktes skillnader gällande kalvningar/år mellan fodergrupperna.
Andelen kor med ytre tecken på estrus före första dioestrum (luteal fas) ökade med antalet kalvningar/år, det första dioestrum var kortare än det andra. Antalet kor med postestrumala blödningar ökade med antalet estrumperioder efter kalvning.
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Acknowledgements
The authors wish to thank Dr. Asko Mäki-Tanila for help with the statistical analyses, and the personnel of the North-Savo Research Station for assistance in collecting the data.
This study was supported by grants from the Finnish Academy of Sciences (29/097), Valio and Hoechst Fennica Ab.
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Heinonen, K., Savolainen, E., Tuovinen, V. et al. Postpartum Reproductive Function in Finnish Ayrshire and Friesian Cows after Three Subsequent Parturitions. Acta Vet Scand 29, 231–238 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1186/BF03548375
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/BF03548375