Strategies for increasing fertility in high productivity dairy herds
Luiz Gustavo Bragança, Amanda F. Zangirolamo
Abstract
Over the years, the dairy cow has been selected and managed for high performance and efficiency in milk production. Thus, different factors influence the fertility of dairy cows of high productivity. It has been observed that genetic selection for large productions and metabolic adaptations may explain the greater requirement to maintain reproduction at satisfactory levels. Also, these animals are more susceptible to environmental factors such as increased temperature and humidity. Studies have shown that heat stress results in reduced estrous expression and impairs ovarian function, interfering with folliculogenesis and steroidogenesis. Likewise, under heat stress conditions, dry matter intake is reduced, prolonging the after calving negative energy balance and calving-conception interval. Thus, suboptimal reproductive performance is one of the main factors responsible for the economic losses in large dairy farms. In this context, numerous management practices have been introduced to improve reproduction in high productivity animals, making reproductive management increasingly complex in dairy farms. Among them, we can mention the implementation of management and nutrition conditions adapted to the periods of heat stress, as well as protocols and biotechniques that improve the quality of the follicles and oocytes. Thus, because genetic selection for better fertility animals is a characteristic of low heritability, the success of reproductive programs in highly productive herds depends on the association of the control of genetic and physiological factors with those of environmental, nutritional and management. This paper aims to discuss reproductive aspects of dairy cows of high productivity, the role of heat stress in this context, and the implementation of management, nutrition and biotechnology conditions, to minimize the adverse effects on the reproduction of these animals.
Keywords
References
Al-Katanani YM, Webb DW, Hansen PJ. 1999. Factors affecting seasonal variation in non return rate to first service in lactating Holstein cow in a hot climate. J Dairy Sci, 82:2611-2616.
Amaral BC, Tao S, Hayen J, Connor EE, Bubolz J, Dahl GE. 2009. Heat stress abatement during the dry period: does cooling improve transition into lactation? J Dairy Sci, 92:5988-5999.
Bell AW. 1995. Regulation of organic nutrient metabolism during transition from late pregnancy to early lactation. J Anim Sci, 73:2804-2819.
Brugemann K, Gernand E, Konig von Borstel U, Konig S. 2012. Defining and evaluating heat stress thresholds in different dairy cow production systems. Archiv fur Tierzucht, 55:13-24.
Chinchilla-Vargas J, Jahnke MM, Dohlman TM, Rothschild MF, Gunn PJ. 2018. Climatic factors affecting quantity and quality grade of in vivo derived embryos of cattle. Anim Reprod Sci, 192:53-60.
Colazo MG, Mapletoft RJ. 2014. A review of current timed-AI (TAI) programs for beef and dairy cattle. Can Vet J, 55:772-780.
Crookenden MA, Walker CG, Heiser A, Murray A, Dukkipati VSR, Kay JK, Meier S, Moyes KM, Mitchell MD, Loor JJ, Roche JR. 2017. Effects of precalving body condition and prepartum feeding level on gene expression in circulating neutrophils. J Dairy Sci, 100:2310-2322.
Crowe MA, Hostens M, Opsomer G. 2018. Reproductive management in dairy cows - the future. Ir Vet J, 71:1-13.
De Rensis F, Marconi P, Capelli T, Gatti F, Facciolongo F, Franzini S. 2002. Fertility in postpartum dairy cows in winter or summer following estrous synchronization and fixed time A.I. after the induction of an LH surge with Gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) or human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). Theriogenology, 58:1675-1687.
De Rensis F, Scaramuzzi RJ. 2003. Heat stress and seasonal effects on reproduction in the dairy cow-a review. Theriogenology, 60:1139-1151.
Dias JDL, Silva RB, Fernandes T, Barbosa EF, Graças LEC, Araujo RC, Pereira RAN, Pereira MN. 2018. Yeast culture increased plasma niacin concentration, evaporative heat loss, and feed efficiency of dairy cows in a hot environment. J Dairy Sci, 101:1-13.
Dyk P, Emery R. 1996. Reducing the incidence of peripartum health problems. In: Proc. Tri-State Dairy Nutr. Conf., Fort Wayne, IN. Ohio State Univ, Columbus, OH, 1996:41-53.
Ferreira RM, Chiaratti MR, Macabelli CH, Rodrigues CA, Ferraz ML, Watanabe YF, Smith LC, Meirelles FV, Baruselli PS. 2016. The infertility of repeat-breeder cows during summer is associated with decreased mitochondrial DNA and increased expression of mitochondrial and apoptotic genes in oocytes. Biology of Reproduction, 94:1–10.
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). 2016. Division, trade, downloads data, crops and livestock products. Available on:
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). 2018. Dairy Market Review, April 2018. FAO, Rome. Available on:
Garner JB, Douglas M, Williams SRO, Wales WJ, Marett LC, DiGiacomo K, Leury BJ, Hayes BJ. 2017. Responses of dairy cows to short-term heat stress in controlled-climate chambers. Animal Prod Sci, 57:1233-1241.
Gordon JL, LeBlanc SJ, Duffield TF. 2013. Ketosis treatment in lactating dairy cattle. Vet Clin North Am Food Anim Pract, 29:433-445.
Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (IBGE). 2016. Pesquisa da pecuária municipal e censo agropecuário. Rio de Janeiro: Sidra, 2016. Available on:
Kamal R, Dutt T, Patel BHM, Singh G, Chandran PC, Dey A, Barari SK. 2016. Effect of shade materials on rectal temperature, respiration rate and body surface temperature of crossbred calves during rainy season. Indian J Anim Sci, 86:75-81.
Kamal R, Dutt T, Patel M, Dey A, Bharti PK, Chandran PC. 2018. Heat stress and effect of shade materials on hormonal and behavior response of dairy cattle: a review. Trop Anim Health Prod, 50:701-706.
Khorsandi S, Riasi A, Khorvash M, Mahyari SA, Panah FM, Ahmadi F. 2016. Lactation and reproductive performance of high producing dairy cows given sustained- release multi-trace element/vitamin ruminal bolus under heat stress condition. Livest Sci,187:146-150.
Luttgenau J, Purschke S, Tsousis G, Bruckmaier RM, Bollwein H. 2016. Body condition loss and increased serum levels of nonesterified fatty acids enhance progesterone levels at estrus and reduce estrous activity and insemination rates in postpartum dairy cows. Theriogenology, 85:656-663.
McArt JAA, Nydam DV, Oetzel GR, Overton TR, Ospina PA. 2013. Elevated non-esterified fatty acids and b-hydroxybutyrate and their association with transition dairy cow performance. Vet J, 198:560-570.
Ministério da Agricultura, Pecuária e Abastecimento (MAPA). 2015 Projeções do Agronegócio: Brasil 2014/2015 a 2024/2025 / Ministério da Agricultura, Pecuária e Abastecimento. Brasília, DF: Mapa/ACS, 2015. 133p.
Raboisson D, Mounie M, Maigne E. 2014. Diseases, reproductive performance, and changes in milk production associated with subclinical ketosis in dairy cows: a meta-analysis and review. J Dairy Sci, 97:7547- 7563.
Ravagnolo O, Misztal I. 2000. Genetic component of heat stress in dairy cattle, parameter estimation. J Dairy Sci, 83:2126-2130.
Renaudeau D, Collin A, Yahav S, de Basilio V, Gourdine JL, Collier RJ. 2012. Adaptation to hot climate and strategies to alleviate heat stress in livestock production. Animal, 6:707-728.
Rivera RM, Hansen PJ. 2001. Development of cultured bovine embryos after exposure to high temperatures in the physiological range. Reproduction, 121:107-115.
Roche JR, Burke CR, Meier S, Walker CG. 2011. Nutrition reproduction interaction in pasture-based systems: is nutrition a factor in reproductive failure? Anim Prod Sci, 51:1045-1066.
Roche JR, Bell AW, Overton TR, Loor JJ. 2013. Nutritional management of the transition cow in the 21st century – a paradigm shift in thinking. Anim Prod Sci, 53:1000-1023.
Roche JR, Burke CR, Crookenden MA, Heiser A, Loor JL, Meier S, Mitchell MD, Phyn CVC, Turner SA. 2018. Fertility and the transition dairy cow. Reprod Fertil Dev, 30:85-100.
Roth Z, Meweidan R, Shaham-Albalancy A, BrawTal R, Wolfenson D. 2001. Delayed effect of heat stress on steroid production in medium-size and preovulatory bovine follicles. Reproduction, 121:745- 751.
Santos JEP, Ribeiro ES. 2014. Impact of animal health on reproduction of dairy cows. Anim Reprod, 11:254-269.
Schü ller LK, Michaelis I, Heuwieser W. 2017. Impact of heat stress on estrus expression and follicle size in estrus under field conditions in dairy cows. Theriogenology, 102:48-53.
Sheikh AA, Aggarwal A, Indu B, Aarif O. 2017. Inorganic zinc supplementation modulates heat shock and immune response in heat stressed peripheral blood mononuclear cells of periparturient dairy cows. Theriogenology, 95:75-82.
Sirard MA. 2018. 40 years of bovine IVF in the new genomic selection context. Reproduction, 156. doi: 10.1530/REP-18-0008.
Sordillo LM, Aitken SL. 2009. Impact of oxidative stress on the health and immune function of dairy cattle. Vet Immunol Immunopathol, 128:104-109.
Vilela D. 2015. Para onde caminha o leite. Rev Balde Branco, 51:41-43, jan. 2015.
Walsh SW, Williams EJ, Evans ACO. 2011. A review of the causes of poor fertility in high milk producing dairy cows. Anim Reprod Sci, 123:127-138.
Facebook
Google+
Twitter
LinkedIn
Mendeley
StumbleUpon
CiteULike
Reddit
Email