Relationship between plasma anti-Müllerian hormone concentrations in female Holstein calves immediately after birth and milk yield and composition in dams during early to mid gestation

Abstract

Graphical Abstract Summary: This study investigated the anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), used as an indicator of ovarian reserves, in female Holstein calves immediately after birth and examined the relationship between AMH concentration and milk yield and the composition of dams during early pregnancy. Large individual variations were observed in plasma AMH concentrations in female calves immediately after birth and before the first colostrum feeding (0.106-1,542.3 pg/mL). Both milk yield and the number of milk components during early pregnancy strongly influenced the plasma AMH concentrations of offspring in primiparous cows in the growth phase. Conversely, the development of the uterine artery and placenta may compensate for nutritional deficiencies in the fetus in multiparous cows; these factors, however, do not affect the plasma AMH concentrations of their calves.