Integrating an automated activity monitor into an artificial insemination program and the associated risk factors affecting reproductive performance of dairy cows

Abstract

The aim of this study was to compare 2 reproductive programs for the management of first postpartum artificial insemination (AI) based on activity monitors and timed AI, as well as to determine the effect of health-related factors on detection and expression of estrus. Lactating Holstein cows (n = 918) from 2 commercial farms were enrolled. Estrous cycles of all cows were presynchronized with 2 injections of PGF administered 2 wk apart. Treatments were (1) first insemination performed by timed AI (TAI) and (2) first insemination based upon the detection of estrus by activity monitors (ACT; Heatime, SCR Engineering, Netanya, Israel) after the presynchronization, whereas cows not inseminated by the detection of estrus were enrolled in the Ovsynch protocol. Body condition score (BCS; scale 1 to 5), hock score (scale: 1 to 4), gait score (scale: 1 to 4), and corpus luteum presence detected by ovarian ultrasonography were recorded twice during the presynchronization. On the ACT treatment, 50.5% of cows were inseminated based on detected estrus, whereas 83.2% of the cows on the TAI treatment were inseminated appropriately after the timed AI protocol. Pregnancy per AI did not differ by treatment (30.8 vs. 33.5% for ACT and TAI, respectively). Success of pregnancy was affected by parity, cyclicity, BCS, milk production, and a tendency for leg health. In addition, treatment × cyclicity and treatment × parity interactions were found to affect pregnancy success, where anovulatory cows and older cows had compromised pregnancy outcomes on the ACT treatment but not on the TAI treatment. Factors affecting pregnancy outcomes varied among farms. Hazard of pregnancy by 300 DIM was affected by farm, parity, BCS, a treatment × cyclicity interaction, and a tendency for an interaction between leg health and farm. Detection of estrus was affected by farm, parity, cyclicity, and leg health, but not BCS or milk production. Expression of estrus was compromised in anovular and older cows, and by the timing of the estrus event, but not by gait score, BCS, or milk production. Increased duration of estrus, but not intensity of estrus, improved pregnancy per AI. In conclusion, using an automated activity monitor for the detection of estrus within a Presynch-Ovsynch program resulted in similar pregnancy per AI and days open compared with a reproduction program that was strictly based on timed AI for first postpartum AI. In contrast, notable variations in reproductive outcomes were detected between farms, suggesting that the use of automated activity monitors is prone to individual farm management.

Effect of estrous expression on timing and failure of ovulation of Holstein dairy cows using automated activity monitors

“…Although late and small magnitude LH surges have been associated with drastically delayed ovulation (Kaim et al, 2003) and in the case of lame cows (Dobson et al, 2007), the effect of estrous expression on the LH surge has not been fully elucidated. The occurrence of ovulation during a more ideal timing relative to insemination may be why episodes of estrus with greater estrous expression have been reported as being more fertile, both in this and previous studies (Madureira et al, 2015;Burnett et al, 2017;. Moreover, a recent study by Madureira et al (2015) found a poor association between estradiol concentration measured at the time of alert and the intensity of estrous expression.…”

“…Carryover effects of reduced BCS during the transition period have been demonstrated to be detrimental even after the voluntary waiting period, where the likelihood of pregnancy has been found to be reduced with each 0.5-unit decrease of BCS (Buckley et al, 2003;Roche et al, 2007). Lameness also is associated with less pregnancy per AI (Burnett et al, 2017), and increased number of inseminations per conception (Hernandez et al, 2001;Melendez et al, 2003), days to conception (Burnett et al, 2017), and prevalence of ovarian cysts (Melendez et al, 2003). It is not well understood how expression of estrus, BCS, and lameness affect fertility.…”

Association between ambient temperature and humidity, vaginal temperature, and automatic activity monitoring on induced estrus in lactating cows

“…Cows that exhibit estrus at the moment of TAI and timed embryo transfer, respectively, have greater fertility and lower pregnancy loss compared with animals not in estrus (Cerri et al, 2004;Pereira et al, 2016). Animals that demonstrate more intense estrus have shorter intervals to ovulation (Van Eerdenburg et al, 2002), and low estrus expression leads to lower pregnancy per AI, more ovulation failure, and possibly TAI asynchrony (Madureira et al, 2015a,b;Burnett et al, 2017). Reames et al (2011) suggest that the center in the hypothalamus responsible for behavioral estrus has a different activation threshold for estradiol compared with the center responsible for the LH surge.…”

“…Moreover, AAM can capture the intensity of estrus behavior, which has a strong positive relationship with conception risk (Garcia et al, 2011;Madureira et al, 2015a). Automated activity monitors have been shown to improve estrus detection and conception rates compared with visual detection (Peralta et al, 2005) and can be Association between ambient temperature and humidity, vaginal temperature, and automatic activity monitoring on induced estrus in lactating cows 8591 integrated into timed AI protocols to select (cherrypick) animals as they come into heat (Burnett et al, 2017).…”

Factores de riesgo a nivel de establo asociados con el desempeño reproductivo en el sistema de producción de leche a pequeña escala en México

“…Las vacas en los establos que utilizan IA tuvieron 142 % más probabilidad de tener DPS>70. Desde un punto de vista reproductivo, el éxito al implementar esta tecnología depende de la eficiencia en la detección de estros (40) . Aunque en el presente estudio no fue determinado, en los establos de producción de leche a pequeña escala en México (12) y en establos intensivos es común que exista una deficiente tasa de detección de estros (41) .…”