Abstract
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of animal, breed and parity on postpartum reproductive functions in dairy cows. A total of 141 cows were included in the experiment, which was carried out as part of a study on traits affecting longevity in Swedish dairy cows. The cows belonged to 4 different breed-groups and were 1st to 5th calvers. The duration of the study was 3 years and 44 cows were followed during 1 postpartum period, 49 cows during 2 consecutive periods, 43 cows during 3 periods and 5 cows during 4 periods.
The cows were clinically examined, by rectal palpation, at 10-day intervals between calving and first AI, which was at first normal oestrus more than 50 days after calving. External signs of heat were checker and recorded three times daily by the herdsmen. Blood samples for progesterone assay were taken at days 10, 15 and 20 after calving and thereafter every 10th day until first AI. Samples taken at days 10, 15 and 20 were also assayed for content of 15-keto-13,14-dihydro-PGF2α.
Heat detection records, records from clinical examinations and plasma progesterone assays were chronologically compiled for each postpartum period and based on this, intervals between calving and postpartum ovulations, recorded uterine involution, 1st and subsequent oestrus and regular reproductive functions were estimated. Least-squares methods were used for the statistical evaluation of data.
The results indicate a large variation within and between cows in postpartum reproductive performance. In the total material 1st ovulation occurred before recorded uterine involution and there was a close relationship between 1st ovulatory oestrus and the onset of regular reproductive functions. The interval between calving and 1st ovulation significantly influenced the length of the first cycle in the sense that a large proportion of the early ovulating cows had a short interval between 1st and 2nd postpartum ovulations. The large variations were also evident in the plasma levels of 15-keto-13,14-dihydro-PGF2α. There was a marked decline between days 10 and 15 postpartum and most cows were close to basal levels at 20 days postpartum.
The individual cow had a significant influence on intervals from calving to recorded uterine involution, 1st ovulatory oestrus, regular reproductive functions and conception. The breed influence was significant for intervals between calving and 1st ovulation and recorded uterine involution whereas the parity of the cow only influenced the interval between calving and recorded uterine involution.
Keywords: bovine mastitis, therapy, bacteria, prognosis, clinical trial, 1ogistic regression, risk factors
Sammanfattning
Ändamalet med föreliggande undersökning var att studera inflytandet av djur, ras och kalvningsnummer på könsfunktionerna under postpartumperioden hos mjölkkor. Totalt ingick 141 kor i undersökningen, som var en del av en studie över egenskaper som paverkar hållbarheten hos svenska mjölkkor. Korna tillhörde 4 olika rasgrupper och de kalvade l:a till 5:e gången under undersökningsperioden. Undersökningen pågick under 3 år och 44 kor undersöktes efter 1 kalvning, 49 kor efter 2 kalvningar, 43 kor efter 3 kalvningar och 5 kor efter 4 kalvningar.
Korna undersöktes kliniskt, genom rektalpalpation, var 10:e dag frän kalvning tili första insemination, som gjordes vid första brunst mer än 50 dagar efter kalvning. Yttre brunstsymptom registrerades av djurskötarna 3 gånger dagligen. Blodprover för analys av progesteron i plasma togs dag 10, 15 och 20 efter kalvning och därefter var 10:e dag till första insemination. Blodprover tagna dag 10, 15 och 20 analyserades också med avseende på 15-keto-13,14-dihydro-PGF2α.
Registrerade brunstsymptom, kliniska observationer och progesteronnivåer sammanställdes för varje postpartumperiod och grundat på detta beräknades intervall från kalvning till ovulationer, registrerad livmoderinvolution, första och senare brunster samt regulariserade könsfunktioner. Statistisk utvärdering av data gjordes med hjälp av leastsquares analys.
Resultaten visar på en avsevärd variation inom och mellan djur beträffan de könsfunktionerna efter kalvning. I hela materialet inträffade den första Ovulationen, efter kalvning, före avslutad livmoderinvolution och det föreläg ett nära samband mellan första ovulatoriska brunst och regulariserade könsfunktioner. Intervallet mellan kalvning och första ovulation påverkade längden av den första sexualcykeln i sä måtto att en stör del av de tidigt ovulerande korna hade ett kort intervall mellan första och andrä ovulation. De stora variationerna var också uppenbara vad avser plasmanivåerna av 15-keto-13,14-dihydro-PGF2α. En markant sänkning sågs mellan dag 10 och 15 postpartum och flertalet kor hade nått basala nivåer dag 20 efter kalvning.
Den individuella kon påverkade signifikant intervallen mellan kalvning och; registrerad livmoderinvolution, l:a brunst med ovulation, regulariserade könsfunktioner samt konception. Rasinflytandet var signifikant för intervallen mellan kalvning och första ovulation samt registrerad livmoderinvolution medan kalvningsnumret endast påverkade intervallet mellan kalvning och avslutad livmoderinvolution.
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