Prepartum body condition and weight influences on reproductive performance of first-calf beef cows

DeRouen, S. M.; Franke, D. E.; Morrison, D. G.; Wyatt, W. E.; Coombs, D. F.; White, Tony; Humes, P. E.; Greene, B. B.

doi:10.2527/1994.7251119x

Cited by 116 publications

(65 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…Results of the present study agree with those of other studies (Osoro and Wright 1992;DeRouen et al 1994;Morrison et al 1999). Although animal scientists and veterinarians use BCS more often than BW in their routine work, this study indicated that BW is the most appropriate indicator of body energy reserves and re-breeding performance of Bos indicus beef cows under extensive production systems in sub-tropic conditions.…”

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 82%

Effects of 12 hour calf withdrawal on conception rate and calf performance of Bos indicus cattle under extensive conditions

Escrivao

Webb

Garces

2008

Trop Anim Health Prod

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Fifty-two multiparous Brahman type cows with reproductive tract scoring (RTS) ≥4 at 45 days post-partum were randomly assigned to two groups of 26 cows each separated into an ad libitum suckling group (C) and treatment group (T). Calves in the T group were separated for 12 h during the night from 45 days post-partum to the onset of the breeding season. Body condition score (BCS) and body weight (BW) were recorded 45 days post-partum, at the start of the breeding season, and at pregnancy diagnosis. Calves were weighed at calving and weaning. Weaning weights were corrected to 205 days. BW and BCS at the onset of the breeding season were similar (p>0.05) between the experimental groups. Calving to breeding intervals were 93±18 d and 99±22 d for T and C groups, respectively. Calving to conception intervals differed significantly between the groups (111±10 d for T and 133±19 d for C) and a similar result was obtained for the breeding to conception intervals (18±15 d for T and 31±19 d for C). Conception rates were 80% for the T group and 59% for the C group, which correlated better with BW than BCS at the onset of the breeding season. Weaning weights differed (p<0.05) between C and T groups. From 45 days post-partum to the onset of the breeding season, cows in the T group experienced a positive energy balance (3%) while those in the C group had a negative energy balance (-0.1%). It was concluded that 12 h calf separation at night increases the conception rates and improves the calf weaning weights of Bos indicus beef cattle under extensive production systems in sub-tropical conditions.Abbreviations BCS body condition score -BW body weight -B w birth weight -BCI breeding to conception interval -C control group -CBI calving to breeding interval -CCI calving to conception interval -CR conception rate -RTS reproductive tract score -T treatment groupIntroduction

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Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 82%

Effects of 12 hour calf withdrawal on conception rate and calf performance of Bos indicus cattle under extensive conditions

Escrivao

Webb

Garces

2008

Trop Anim Health Prod

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“…Capital breeders are expected to invest in reproduction only after enough body reserves (the capital) have been accumulated to reach a "body-condition threshold" (sensus Stearns, 1992). Although the influence of body condition on reproduction has been demonstrated in many species (Albon, Mitchell, Huby, and Brown, 1986;Reznick and Braun, 1987;DeRouen, Franke, Morisson, et al, 1994;Festa-Bianchet, Gaillard, and Jorgenson, 1998), the no-tion of a condition threshold stricto sensu is far less clear (review in Naulleau and Bonnet, 1996;Bonnet et al, 1998b). Our experimental data demonstrate the coexistence of two contrasting reproductive systems within a single capital-breeding snake species: a clearcut condition threshold in females versus a flexible system in males.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 58%

Fat Is Sexy for Females but Not Males: The Influence of Body Reserves on Reproduction in Snakes (Vipera aspis)

Aubret

Bonnet

Shine

et al. 2002

Hormones and Behavior

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Reproduction is energetically expensive for both sexes, but the magnitude of expenditure and its relationship to reproductive success differ fundamentally between males and females. Males allocate relatively little to gamete production and, thus, can reproduce successfully with only minor energy investment. In contrast, females of many species experience high fecundity-independent costs of reproduction (such as migration to nesting sites), so they need to amass substantial energy reserves before initiating reproductive activity. Thus, we expect that the relationship between energy reserves and the intensity of reproductive behavior involves a threshold effect in females, but a gradual (or no) effect in males. We tested this prediction using captive vipers (Vipera aspis), dividing both males and females into groups of high versus low body condition. Snakes from each group were placed together and observed for reproductive behavior; sex-steroid levels were also measured. As predicted, females in below-average body condition had very low estradiol levels and did not show sexual receptivity, whereas males of all body condition indices had significant testosterone levels and displayed active courtship. Testosterone levels and courtship intensity increased gradually (i.e., no step function) with body condition in males, but high estradiol levels and sexual receptivity were seen only in females with body reserves above a critical threshold. The energetics of reproduction has been a central theme in the ecological study of life history variation (Hirshfield and Tinkle, 1975;Morris, 1987Morris, , 1992Winkler and Wallin, 1987;Stearns, 1992; Monaghan and Nager, 1997), and more recently this topic has become an important focus in behavioral endocrinology (Cherel, Mauget, Lacroix, and Gilles, 1994;Bronson, 1998). It is obvious that organisms cannot reproduce in the total absence of energy reserves (Frish, 1978;Frish and McArthur, 1974), but the relationship between the amount of energy reserves and reproductive output (or effort) is complex and varies among species. In some species there is a linear relationship between energy reserves and reproductive output. In others there appears to be no discernible relationship (e.g., if clutch and offspring sizes are fixed) or a complex nonlinear relationship between the two variables. For example, many organisms are "capital breeders" that rely on previously gathered energy stored in the form of body reserves (i.e., fat bodies, proteins) rather than on current energy intake to fuel the energetically costly process of reproduction (Drent and Daan, 1980;Jö nsson, 1997; Bonnet, Bradshaw, and Shine, 1998). In such species, life history theory predicts that a threshold level of energy reserves is necessary for a reproductive cycle to begin, rather than a linear relationship in which an increment in energy availability adds an increment in reproductive output (Schaffer, 1974;Bull and Shine, 1979;Stearns, 1992). Several empirical studies provide evidence for nonlinear relationships between...

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“…É conhecido o efeito negativo da mamada sobre o ciclo estral em vacas de corte (MALVEN, 1984;WHISNANT;KISER;THOMPSON, 1986), determinando anestro pós-parto em função da inibição da secreção de GnRH por opióides endógenos (encefalinas, endorfinas e dinorfinas), o que se torna mais grave em fêmeas com deficiências nutricionais (BUSTAMANTE et al, 1997) e o escore de condição corporal (ECC) baixo, dentre outros fatores que influenciam a duração do anestro (BARUSELLI et al, 2002;MARQUES et al, 2003) contribuindo para baixos índices reprodutivos (RIGOLON et al, 2008 PERKINS, 1999;DEROUEN et al, 1994;LAKE et al, 2005;FONTOURA JUNIOR et al, 2009). …”

Section: Introductionunclassified

Impacto da condição corporal sobre a taxa de prenhez de vacas da raça nelore sob regime de pasto em programa de inseminação artificial em tempo fixo (iatf)

et al. 2013

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ResumoO objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o impacto da condição corporal sobre a taxa de prenhez de vacas Nelore, rebanho comercial, submetidas a programas de inseminação artificial em tempo fixo (IATF). Foram utilizadas 181 vacas multíparas da raça Nelore, na região das baixadas litorâneas do estado do RJ, com mais de cem dias decorridos do parto, mantidas em regime de pasto e divididas em dois grupos submetidos ao mesmo protocolo de sincronização para IATF (D0-2,0mg de benzoato de estradiol + dispositivo intravaginal bovino com 1,0g de progesterona, D8-retirada do implante + 250µg de cloprostenol sódico+ 300 UI de eCG, D9-1,0mg Bz. Estradiol, D10-IATF). Os grupos foram divididos segundo escore de condição corporal (ECC com escala de 1-5) em: grupo I, n=96: vacas com ECC ≥ 3,0 e grupo II, n=85: vacas com ECC ≤ 2,5 ≥ 2,0. Todas as fêmeas foram expostas aos touros, a partir de 24 horas após a IATF para repasse, permanecendo com os mesmos até o fim da estação de monta. A taxa de prenhez total foi de 86,5% (83:96) e 65,9% (56:85) para os grupos I e grupo II, respectivamente. Os dados foram avaliados pelo teste do qui-quadrado e os resultados analisados apontam diferença estatisticamente significativa (P<0,05) entre os grupos, podendo-se concluir que as fêmeas de pior condição corporal (ECC ≤ 2,5 ≥ 2,0), apresentaram menor taxa de prenhez quando comparadas aquelas de melhor condição (ECC ≥ 3) quando submetidas a programa de IATF. Palavras-chave: Condição corporal, taxa de prenhez, IATF, vacas nelore AbstractThe aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of body condition on pregnancy rate of Nellore cows, commercial herd undergoing artificial insemination programs in fixed time (TAI). 181 cows were used multiparous Nellore, the coastal plains region of the state of Rio de Janeiro, with more than one hundred days after birth, kept on pasture and divided into two groups subjected to the same synchronization protocol for TAI (D0-2 , 0 mg of estradiol benzoate + device with 1.0 g bovine intravaginal progesterone implant removal D8-250μg of cloprostenol + + 300 IU of eCG, D9-Bz 1.0 mg. Estradiol, D10-TAI). The groups were divided according to body condition score (BCS with scale of 1-5) in Group I, n=96: BCS ≥ 3,0, Group II, n=85: BCS ≤ 2.5 ≥ 2.0. All females were exposed to bulls, from 24 hours to pass after

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Prepartum body condition and weight influences on reproductive performance of first-calf beef cows

Cited by 116 publications

References 25 publications

Effects of 12 hour calf withdrawal on conception rate and calf performance of Bos indicus cattle under extensive conditions

Effects of 12 hour calf withdrawal on conception rate and calf performance of Bos indicus cattle under extensive conditions

Fat Is Sexy for Females but Not Males: The Influence of Body Reserves on Reproduction in Snakes (Vipera aspis)

Impacto da condição corporal sobre a taxa de prenhez de vacas da raça nelore sob regime de pasto em programa de inseminação artificial em tempo fixo (iatf)

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