Table 6.
Effect of parity on percentage BW change, NEFA concentrations, ECM, DMI, and embryo quality (values presented as mean ± SEM)
| Item | Primiparous (n = 26) | Multiparous (n = 40) | P-value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial BW (kg) | 530.1 ± 8.3 | 659.6 ± 11.5 | 0.18 |
| BW change from first to third week (%) | −1.63 ± 0.70 | −2.73 ± 0.68 | 0.36 |
| BW change1 (%) | −1.07 ± 0.33 | −2.73 ± 0.27 | 0.84 |
| NEFA1 (mEq/L) | 248.3 ± 14.5 | 338.7 ± 15.2 | 0.02 |
| DMI1 (kg/d) | 19.4 ± 0.2 | 24.2 ± 0.2 | <0.001 |
| ECM1 (kg/d) | 32.0 ± 0.4 | 46.5 ± 0.5 | <0.001 |
| P42 concentration (ng/mL) at follicular ablation | 3.23 ± 0.24 | 2.44 ± 0.22 | 0.06 |
| Embryo characteristics | |||
| Degenerated embryos (no.) | 0.84 ± 0.2 | 1.8 ± 0.4 | 0.68 |
| Quality 1, 2, and 3 (no.) | 4.4 ± 0.8 | 5.3 ± 0.9 | 0.64 |
| Fertilized (%) | 79.7 ± 5.5 | 76.1 ± 4.5 | 0.64 |
| Degenerated (%) | 15.8 ± 4.6 | 19.8 ± 4.5 | 0.99 |
| Quality 1, 2, and 3 of fertilized (%) | 80.1 ± 5.2 | 69.4 ± 6.2 | 0.55 |
1
Average from calving until embryo collection.
2
P4 = progesterone.