Modelling impacts of performance on the probability of reproducing, and thereby on productive lifespan, allow prediction of lifetime efficiency in dairy cows

Phuong, H.N.; Blavy, Pierre; Martin, Olivier; Schmidely, P.; Friggens, Nicolas

doi:10.1017/s1751731115001718

Cited by 13 publications

(18 citation statements)

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“…Increasing allocation to lactation from a low to a medium level had a positive effect on FE in spite of reducing lifespan and lactation number. This result agrees with the recent work of [ 17 ] who reported that dairy cows with high genetic merit for milk have a shorter lifespan and lower reproductive performance, but they have a slightly higher lifetime FE than cows with low genetic merit. The higher level of production per lactation cycle compensated for the smaller number of lactation cycles.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

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Disentangling the relative roles of resource acquisition and allocation on animal feed efficiency: insights from a dairy cow model

2016

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BackgroundFeed efficiency of farm animals has greatly improved through genetic selection for production. Today, we are faced with the limits of our ability to predict the effect of selection on feed efficiency, partly because the relative importance of the components of this complex phenotype changes across environments. Thus, we developed a dairy cow model that incorporates the dynamic interplay between life functions and evaluated its behaviour with a global sensitivity analysis on two definitions of feed efficiency. A key model feature is to consider feed efficiency as the result of two processes, acquisition and allocation of resources. Acquisition encapsulates intake and digestion, and allocation encapsulates partitioning rules between physiological functions. The model generates genetically-driven trajectories of energy acquisition and allocation, with four genetic-scaling parameters controlling these processes. Model sensitivity to these parameters was assessed with a complete factorial design.ResultsAcquisition and allocation had contrasting effects on feed efficiency (ratio between energy in milk and energy acquired from the environment). When measured over a lactation period, feed efficiency was increased by increasing allocation to lactation. However, at the lifetime level, efficiency was increased by decreasing allocation to growth and increasing lactation acquisition. While there is a strong linear increase in feed efficiency with more allocation to lactation within a lactation cycle, our results suggest that there is an optimal level of allocation to lactation beyond which increasing allocation to lactation negatively affects lifetime feed efficiency.ConclusionsWe developed a model to predict lactation and lifetime feed efficiency and show that breaking-down feed conversion into acquisition and allocation, and introducing genetically-driven trajectories that control these mechanisms, permitted quantification of their relative roles on feed efficiency. The life stage at which feed efficiency is evaluated appears to be a key aspect for selection. In this model, body reserves are also a key component in the prediction of lifetime feed efficiency since they integrate the feedback of acquisition and allocation on survival and reproduction. This modelling approach provided new insights into the processes that underpin lifetime feed efficiency in dairy cows.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12711-016-0251-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

“…Culling occurred after the second lactation, if conception did not occur 200 days after calving. Based on [ 17 ], we assumed that probability of conception is influenced by milk production, body condition score and energy balance.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Disentangling the relative roles of resource acquisition and allocation on animal feed efficiency: insights from a dairy cow model

2016

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“…Then, a modelling approach allowed us to go further by predicting the lifetime effect of using an EXT strategy on cows' performance testing different length of EXT (12,14,16 or 18 months). We used the GARUNS model developed by Martin and Sauvant (2010), a dynamic and stochastic model taking into account the changing priorities in nutrient partitioning of an animal as its ages, through repeated reproduction cycles in combination with a reproduction sub-model (Phuong et al, 2015). The lifetime scenario optimising the productive performance of high-yielding Holstein cows would be to have an EXT of 16 months at first parity, followed by 10-month lactations (EXT-STD scenario).…”

Section: Lifetime Scenarios For Cowsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Review: extended lactation in dairy cattle

Sehested

Gaillard

Lehmann

et al. 2019

Animal

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This paper reviews the effects of extended lactation (EXT) as a strategy in dairy cattle on milk production and persistency, reproduction, milk quality, lifetime performance of the cow and finally the economic effects on herd and farm levels as well as the impact on emission of greenhouse gas at product level. Primiparous cows are able to produce equal or more milk per feeding day during EXT compared with a standard 305-d lactation, whereas results for multiparous cows are inconsistent. Cows managed for EXT can achieve a higher lifetime production while delivering milk with unchanged or improved quality properties. Delaying insemination enhances mounting behaviour and allows insemination after the cow’s energy balance has become positive. However, in most cases EXT has no effect or a non-significant positive effect on reproduction. The EXT strategy sets off a cascade of effects at herd and farm level. Thus, the EXT strategy leads to fewer calvings and thereby expected fewer diseases, fewer replacement heifers and fewer dry days per cow per year. The optimal lifetime scenario for milk production was modelled to be an EXT of 16 months for first parity cows followed by an EXT of 10 months for later lactations. Modelling studies of herd dynamics indicate a positive effect of EXT on lifetime efficiency (milk per dry matter intake), mainly originating from benefits of EXT on daily milk yield in primiparous cows and the reduced number of replacement heifers. Consequently, EXT also leads to reduced total meat production at herd level. For the farmer, EXT can give the same economic return as a traditional lactation period. At farm level, EXT can contribute to a reduction in the environmental impact of dairy production, mainly as a consequence of the reduced production of beef. A wider dissemination of the EXT concept will be supported by methods to predict which cows may be most suitable for EXT, and clarification of how milking frequency and feeding strategy through the lactation can be organised to support milk yield and an appropriate body condition at the next calving.

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“…It has been suggested that survival analysis may be a better option than linear methods, especially for eventtime censored traits, because it allows partial records to be used in the analysis (Schneider et al, 2005). Phuong et al (2016) proposed an extended lifetime performance model that incorporates the effect of variations in milk yield, energy balance, and body condition on the reproductive success of individual cows. The model therefore successfully simulates the reproductive performance of different cow genotypes across feeding systems.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fertility traits of Holstein, Brown Swiss, Simmental, and Alpine Grey cows are differently affected by herd productivity and milk yield of individual cows

Toledo-Alvarado

Cecchinato

Bittante

2017

Journal of Dairy Science

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Milk yield has a strong effect on fertility, but it may vary across different herds and individual cows. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the effects of breed and its interaction with level of milk production at the herd level (Herd-L) and at a cow-within-herd level (Cow-L) on fertility traits in dairy cattle. Data were gathered from Holstein (n = 17,688), Brown Swiss (n = 32,697), Simmental (n = 27,791), and Alpine Grey (n = 13,689) cows in northeastern Italy. The analysis was based on records from the first 3 lactations in the years 2011 to 2014. A mixed model was fitted to establish milk production levels of the various herds (Herd-L) and individual cows (Cow-L) using milk as a response variable. The interval fertility traits were interval from calving to first service, interval from first service to conception, and number of days open. The success traits were nonreturn rate at 56 d after first service, pregnancy rate at first service, and the number of inseminations. The interval from calving to first service, interval from first service to conception, and number of days open were analyzed using a Cox's proportional hazards model. The nonreturn rate at 56 d after first service, pregnancy rate at first service, and the number of inseminations were analyzed using logistic regression. There was a strong interaction between breed and productivity class at both Herd-L and Cow-L on all traits. The effects of herd and cow productivity differed from each other and differed among breeds. The dual-purpose Simmental and Alpine Grey breeds had better fertility than the specialized Holstein and Brown Swiss dairy cows; this difference is only partly attributable to different milk yields. Greater herd productivity can result in higher fertility in cows, whereas higher milk yield of individual cows within a herd results in lower fertility. These effects at both Herd-L and Cow-L are curvilinear and are stronger in dual-purpose breeds, which was more evident from low to intermediate milk yield levels than from central to high productivity classes. Disentangling the effects of milk productivity on fertility at Herd-L and Cow-L and taking the nonlinearity of response into account could lead to better modeling of populations within breed. It could also help with management-for example, in precision dairy farming of dairy and dual-purpose cattle. Moreover, assessing the fertility of various breeds and their different responses to herd and individual productivity levels could be useful in devising more profitable crossbreeding programs in different dairy systems.

show abstract

Modelling impacts of performance on the probability of reproducing, and thereby on productive lifespan, allow prediction of lifetime efficiency in dairy cows

Cited by 13 publications

References 45 publications

Disentangling the relative roles of resource acquisition and allocation on animal feed efficiency: insights from a dairy cow model

Disentangling the relative roles of resource acquisition and allocation on animal feed efficiency: insights from a dairy cow model

Review: extended lactation in dairy cattle

Fertility traits of Holstein, Brown Swiss, Simmental, and Alpine Grey cows are differently affected by herd productivity and milk yield of individual cows

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