Impact of maternal heat stress at insemination on the subsequent reproductive performance of Holstein, Brown Swiss, and their crosses


El-Tarabany MS, El-Tarabany AA

Theriogenology 2015 Dec;84(9):1523-9

PMID: 26324113


エジプトにおいて、ホルスタイン、ブラウンスイス 、ホルスタインとブラウンスイスのF1の3群でTHI別(<70、70-75、75<)に繁殖成績をまとめている。耐熱性がブラウンスイス 、ホルスタインとブラウンスイスのF1にある分、繁殖成績は上昇していた(妊娠率の上昇、空胎日数の短縮、胎児死滅率の減少、流・死産率の減少)。

暑熱ストレスというと、早期の胚死滅への影響ばかり頭にあったが、授精後28日以降の影響も大きいことがよく分かる。

この論文には乳量と産次のデータが無いのが残念。F1は耐熱性あるのは直感的に分かるのだが乳量の違いはどれほどなのであろうか?エジプトでは暑熱対策としてF1を生産して搾る傾向にあるらしい。

Abstract

Heat stress in hot environments is one of the major factors that can negatively affect milk production, reproduction, and the health of dairy cows. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of maternal heat stress at insemination on the subsequent reproductive performance of the pure Holstein (HO), Brown Swiss (BS), and their F1 crossbred (BF) cows, under subtropical Egyptian conditions. The influence of temperature-humidity index (THI) on the pregnancy rate, fetal loss rate, calving traits, and reproductive indices were investigated. Fetal loss rate of pure HO was significantly increased from 17.1% at low THI to 24.9% at greater THI (odds ratio = 2.09; P = 0.032). Furthermore, abortion and stillbirth rates of pure HO were significantly increased from 3.6% and 3.8%, respectively, at low THI to 7.2% and 5.9%, respectively, at greater THI (odds ratio = 2.17 and 2.58; P = 0.037 and 0.031, respectively). In contrast, BS and BF cows can tolerate the heat stress, as there were no differences in the fetal loss, abortion, and calving difficulty rates at the different levels of THI. Pure HO cows had a significant longer calving interval and days open at high THI (449 and 173 days, respectively), compared with low THI (421 and 146 days, respectively). On the contrary, BS and BF cows had no difference in the calving interval at the different levels of THI. Our results indicate that pure BS and BF cows have a better adaptability and competent reproductive performance than pure HO under subtropical conditions.

Feeding Solanum glaucophyllum to preparturient multiparous cows prevents postparturient hypocalcemia


Solanum glaucophyllum(ルリヤナギ, リュウキュウヤナギ, スズカケヤナギ)の分娩前単回投与で乳牛の分娩後の低カルシウム血症を予防できると報告した論文。単回投与後3-5日間はカルシウム濃度が上昇(約2mg/dL)している。機序は活性型ビタミンD3(1,25-(OH)2D3)を上昇させることを介している。そもそもSolanum glaucophyllumは牛に高カルシウム血症を引き起こす有害植物として知られているようで、それを分娩前の短期間使用することで薬のように使ってしまおうというアイデア。

学位論文は日本語でも読めるようだ。
宇都宮大学 家畜繁殖生理学
ルリヤナギ乾燥粉末の給与による 乳牛の低カルシウム血症の予防に関する研究


Ishii J, Uramoto A, Nagao Y, Goto H

Anim. Sci. J. 2015 Oct;86(10):869-77

PMID: 26208138

Abstract

Solanum glaucophyllum (SG) contains 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25-(OH)2D3) glycosides. We investigated the effect of SG on hypocalcemia in cows. Serum levels of 1,25-(OH)2D3, total calcium and phosphorus dose-relatedly increased after feeding with SG, while serum magnesium and chloride levels fell (P < 0.05). We also performed an ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) infusion to induce artificial hypocalcemia. Cows that had been fed 4.0 mg/kg body weight of SG daily for 2 weeks had a higher serum concentration of total calcium at the end of EDTA infusion than those not fed SG (P < 0.05). In a field trial, multiparous cows were assigned to one of four groups: (1) no SG, (2) 1.3 g or (3) 2.6 g of SG daily from 14 days before the estimated calving day until 3 days after calving, or (4) a single feed of 35.75 g SG at 3 days before the estimated calving day. The concentrations of serum total calcium after the calving in each treatment group were (1) 7.4, (2) 7.9, (3) 8.0 and (4) 8.9 mg/dL and higher for (4) than for (1) (P < 0.05). The data suggests that feeding a high dose of SG before the calving may maintain higher concentrations of serum calcium after the calving.

The use of embryo transfer to produce pregnancies in repeat-breeding dairy cattle


Dochi O, Takahashi K, Hirai T, Hayakawa H, Tanisawa M, Yamamoto Y, Koyama H

Theriogenology 2008 Jan;69(1):124-8

PMID: 17942148

Abstract

Repeat breeding is an important factor affecting economic success in dairy management. The objective of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of transfer of frozen-thawed IVF embryos in establishing pregnancy in repeat-breeding Holstein cattle. Cumulus oocyte complexes were collected by aspiration of 2-5 mm follicles from ovaries obtained at two local abattoirs. After IVF, days 7 and 8 blastocysts were frozen either in 1.5M ethylene glycol with 0.1M sucrose, or in 1.4M glycerol with 0.1M sucrose. Holstein recipients (122 heifers and 410 cows) included those that had not conceived after 3-21 inseminations. Embryos frozen in ethylene glycol were transferred directly, and embryos frozen in glycerol were transferred after dilution of the cryoprotectant in sucrose into recipients 7 or 8 days after estrus (without-AI group), or following AI (with-AI group). Pregnancy rates were compared by the Chi-square test. Significantly higher pregnancy rates were achieved by embryo transfer following AI (with-AI group) than by embryo transfer alone (without-AI group) in both heifers (49.2 and 29.5%, respectively) and cows (41.5 and 20.4%, respectively; P<0.05). Pregnancy rates were not significantly different between heifers and cows. However, pregnancy rate decreased as the number of inseminations prior to embryo transfer increased in the with-AI group, but not in the without-AI group. Therefore, transfer of frozen-thawed IVF embryos during the same cycle in which AI was done improved pregnancy rates in repeat-breeding Holstein heifers and cows, and suggested that embryo transfer is an alternative in the treatment of repeat breeding.

Prevalence of urovagina and its effects on reproductive performance in Holstein cows