Relationships between growth and body condition development during the rearing period and performance in the first three lactations in Holstein cows

Abstract

ABSTRACT:The relationship between growth and development of body condition during the rearing of replacement heifers and their subsequent performance in the production period of Holstein cows in the Czech Republic was studied. The data set used in this study covered 733 Holstein heifers born on one farm during the years [2004][2005][2006][2007][2008][2009]. The evaluated effects considered were body weight (BW), average daily gain of live weight (ADG), and body condition score (BCS) of heifers. The results demonstrated the desirable effect of the higher achieved ADG in the period before sexual maturity on the lower age at first calving (AFC), the positive influence on milk yield in the first lactation, and the negative relationship to the conception rate of heifers before first calving. Similar effects were also found for growth in the period of 9-12 months of age. In heifers with a greater growth rate before puberty there was not a significant risk of excessive BCS during the breeding period. Heifers with the highest BCS (3.5 points (p.) and more) at 14 months of age had significantly the lowest milk yield in the first and second lactation compared to heifers with medium (3.5 p.) and low (3.25 p. or less) BCS. Over-conditioned heifers exhibited higher milk protein content in the first and second lactation. No effects on the third lactation were observed.

Keeping Dairy Cows for Longer: A Critical Literature Review on Dairy Cow Longevity in High Milk-Producing Countries

“…Additionally, housing automatically fed calves in small groups (6–9 calves) was associated with a higher growth rate (0.022 cm/day, about 40 g/day, p < 0.05) compared to calves housed in larger groups (12-18 calves; Svensson and Liberg [ 114 ]). In turn, the higher the average daily gain (ADG) of weight in different ages before the first calving, the younger ( p < 0.05) the AFC [ 115 ]. In pasture-based dairy herds, Chuck et al [ 116 ] reported a positive association ( p < 0.05) between ADG from 1 month of age to first breeding on cumulative milk, fat, and protein yield at 100 and 250 days in milk in primiparous.…”

Birth conditions affect the longevity of Holstein offspring

“…Brickell et al (2007) reported that cows with a higher BW at 6 mo old (183 kg; SD = 36 kg) had an age at first calving lower than 23 mo compared with animals with a lower BW at at 6 mo old (162 kg; SD = 35 kg). Additionally, a positive relationship was reported between first-lactation milk yield and the ADG from weaning to first service (Svensson and Hultgren, 2008) or conception (Vacek et al, 2015) as well as between the ADG during the first 2 mo of life and completing the first lactation (Bach, 2011).…”

“…The occurrences of health problems before the first calving were reported to negatively affect milk production (Svensson and Hultgren, 2008) and reproduction (Hultgren and Svensson, 2010) of dairy cows. In addition, a high ADG from birth to weaning was associated with early age at first calving (Vacek et al, 2015), high milk yield in the first lactation (Svensson and Hultgren, 2008;Vacek et al, 2015), and low occurrence of veterinarian-treated cases of mastitis at the beginning of the lactation of primiparous cows (Svensson et al, 2006). Because failure to reproduce, incidence of health issues such as mastitis and feet and leg problems, and low milk production are the main reported reasons for culling in high milk-producing countries (Dallago et al, 2021), altogether these studies provide evidence that early life conditions-especially during the rearing period-have an adverse effect on cow longevity.…”