Intuitionistic L-Fuzzy Submodules

Effects of environment on fertility measures early in lactation, such as the interval from calving to first luteal activity (CLA), proportion of samples with luteal activity during the first 60 days after calving (PLA) and interval to first ovulatory estrus (OOE) were studied. Traditional measurements of fertility, such as pregnancy to first insemination, number of inseminations per service period and interval from first to last insemination were studied as well as associations between the early and late measurements. Data were collected from an experimental herd during 15 years and included 1106 post-partum periods from 191 Holsteins and 325 Jersey dairy cows. Individual milk progesterone samples were taken twice a week until cyclicity and thereafter less frequently. First parity cows had 14.8 and 18.1 days longer CLA (LS-means difference) than second parity cows and older cows, respectively. Moreover, CLA was 10.5 days longer for cows that calved during the winter season compared with the summer season and 7.5 days longer for cows in tie-stalls than cows in loose-housing system. Cows treated for mastitis and lameness had 8.4 and 18.0 days longer CLA, respectively, compared with healthy cows. OOE was affected in the same way as CLA by the different environmental factors. PLA was a good indicator of CLA, and there was a high correlation (−0.69) between these two measurements. Treatment for lameness had a significant influence on all late fertility measurements, whereas housing was significant only for pregnancy to first insemination. All fertility traits were unfavorably associated with increased milk production. Regression of late fertility measurements on early fertility measurements had only a minor association with conception at first AI and interval from first to last AI for cows with conventional calving intervals, i.e. a 22 days later, CLA increased the interval from first to last insemination by 3.4 days. Early measurements had repeatability of 0.14-0.16, indicating a higher influence by the cow itself compared with late measurements, which had repeatability of 0.09-0.10. This study shows that early fertility measurements have a possibility to be used in breeding for better fertility. To improve the early fertility of the cow, there are a number of important factors that have to be taken into account.

Animal Reproduction Science, 2005

Nutrient balance affects the resumption of ovarian cyclic activity following calving in dairy cattle. However, few data are available about the relationships between nutrient balance and expression of oestrus or conception. It was hypothesised that previously anoestrous cows that conceived to first insemination and cows that expressed oestrus at the subsequent expected return to oestrus would be less likely to be in negative energy balance (i.e. would have higher body condition score, higher glucose, insulin-like growth factor (IGF), leptin or insulin concentrations, and lower non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), ␤ hydroxy butyrate (BOH) concentrations 12-15 days after insemination) than herd mates not conceiving or expressing oestrus. Anoestrous cows were treated with progesterone and oestradiol benzoate (Day 0 = end of treatment period) and retrospectively categorised as conceiving (n = 108) or not conceiving (n = 108) to insemination. A subset of cows not conceiving to insemination were categorised as expressing (n = 44) or not expressing (n = 44) oestrus between Days 14 and 28 after initial insemination. Cows conceiving had a lower NEFA concentration (P = 0.014) than non-conceiving cows. Cows subsequently detected in oestrus had higher body condition scores (P = 0.016), IGF concentrations (P = 0.008) and milk protein percentages (P = 0.038), and lower BOH concentrations (P = 0.018) than cows not expressing oestrus. No difference in concentrations of leptin, insulin, glucose, blood urea

Banat's Journal of Biotechnology, 2017

In this experiment, relationships and correlations among some blood metabolites associated with energy and protein balance and their effects on pregnancy failure were investigated in lactating Holstein dairy cows. Blood and milk samples were collected from fifty-six lactating Holstein dairy cows based on their reproductive status (in 35-45 d post AI) and blood urea, milk urea, glucose, triglyceride, cholesterol and betahydroxy butyric acid were measured by enzymatic colorimetric and blood progesterone was measured by ELISA method. Cows at 56 to 63 day post Artificial Insemination, were divided in to two groups of Pregnant (PG; n=25) and Nonpregnant (NPG; n=31) by touché rectal pregnancy diagnosis. In NPG group, there were significant correlations among milk yield and some energy balance related metabolites (betahydroxy butyric acid and glucose) concentrations and correlations among milk yield and protein balance related metabolites (blood urea and milk urea) were significant in both NPG and PG groups. Furthermore, there were significant differences between means of monthly milk yield record, cholesterol, betahydroxy butyric acid and progesterone between two groups. In conclusion, although evidence exists for adverse effects of elevated circulating urea on fertility, pregnant cows were able to adapt to elevated circulating urea over several days. However fluctuating concentrations of metabolites in the early postpartum period may offer potential explanations for latent effects of early postpartum energy balance on subsequent fertility. Furthermore, in pregnant cows, the importance of progesterone and cholesterol as a precursor of ovarian steroidogenesis for pregnancy stability has been observed.

Animal Reproduction Science, 2011

In this study, features of progesterone profiles were examined in relation to the outcome of insemination. Three groups of estrous cycles were analyzed: resulting in pregnancy, not resulting in pregnancy and resulting in lost pregnancy. The aim of the study was to identify a complex of progesterone profile features associated with successful insemination. The features used were (1) from the estrous cycle preceding the artificial insemination: estrus progesterone concentration, post-estrus maximum rate of increase in progesterone, luteal phase peak, pre-estrus maximum rate of decline in progesterone and the length of follicular and luteal phase and (2) from the estrous cycle following insemination: estrus progesterone concentration, post-estrus maximum rate of increase in progesterone and days from estrus to post-estrus maximum rate of increase in progesterone.

International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences

Theriogenology, 1994

The present research was conducted 1) to investigate the usefulness of progesterone profiles for the study of reproductive efficiency, 2) to identify new reproductive indexes and 3) to examine the possibility of modelling changes in the biological status of animals. Two groups of dairy cows were chosen for this investigation: Italian Simmental and Italian Friesian cows. Milk samples were taken from each cow every 3 to 4 d between Day 10 and Day 240 after calving, and whey progesterone was determined by RIA. The cows were classified into the following 4 categories on the basis of their luteinic activity: 1) Acyclic cows with P4 values cl00 pg/ml; 2) Cyclic cows with a normal cycle (1 or 2 samples ~100 pg./ml, followed by 1 sample 2120 pg/ml, followed by at least 3 samples 2200 pg/ml, followed by 1 sample ~100 pg/ml) or a short cycle (1 or 2 samples ~100 pg./ml, followed by 1 sample 2120 pg/ml, followed by 2 samples 2 200 pg/ml, followed by 1 sample ~100 pg/ml followed by a normal cycle); 3) pregnant cows with P4 values >120 pg/ml at 21 to 24 d from AI; and 4) cows with atypical luteinic activity and P4 values ~120 @ml in a single sample.

Animal Reproduction Science, 2006

Environmental effects on fertility measures early in lactation, such as the interval from calving to first luteal activity (CLA), proportion of samples with luteal activity during the first 60 days after calving (PLA) and interval to first ovulatory oestrus (OOE) were studied. In addition, traditional measurements of fertility, such as pregnancy to first insemination, number of inseminations per service period and interval from first to last insemination were studied as well as associations between the early and late measurements. Data were collected from an experimental herd during 15 years and included 1106 post-partum periods from 191 Swedish Holsteins and 325 Swedish Red and White dairy cows. Individual milk progesterone samples were taken twice a week until cyclicity and thereafter less frequently. First parity cows had 14.8 and 18.1 days longer CLA (LS-means difference) than second parity cows and older cows, respectively. Moreover, CLA was 10.5 days longer for cows that calved during the winter season compared with the summer season and 7.5 days longer for cows in tie-stalls than cows in loose-housing system. Cows treated for mastitis and lameness had 8.4 and 18.0 days longer CLA, respectively, compared with healthy cows. OOE was affected in the same way as CLA by the different environmental factors. PLA was a good indicator of CLA, and there was a high correlation (−0.69) between these two measurements. Treatment for lameness had a significant influence on all late fertility measurements, whereas housing was significant only for pregnancy to first insemination. All fertility traits were unfavourably associated with increased milk production. Regression of late fertility measurements on early fertility measurements had only a minor association with conception at first AI and interval from first to last AI for cows with conventional K.-J. Petersson et al. / Animal Reproduction Science 91 (2006) 201-214 calving intervals, i.e. a 22 days later, CLA increased the interval from first to last insemination by 3.4 days. Early measurements had repeatabilities of 0.14-0.16, indicating a higher influence by the cow itself compared with late measurements, which had repeatabilities of 0.09-0.10. Our study shows that early fertility measurements have a possibility to be used in breeding for better fertility. To improve the early fertility of the cow, there are a number of important factors that have to be taken into account.

Reproduction in Domestic Animals, 2008

Resumption of luteal activity postpartum and fertility were investigated in an Estonian Holstein high milk production and good fertility dairy herd. Body condition was scored after every 10 days in 54 multiparous dairy cows (71 lactations) calving inside from December to March during 4-year period. Blood samples were taken 1-14 days before calving and 1-14, 28-42 and 63-77 days after calving: analytes estimated were serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST), glucose, ketone bodies, total cholesterol, non-esterified fatty acids and triglycerides. The general linear mixed model was used to compare the data for cows with different characteristics in luteal activity postpartum based on their milk progesterone profiles. Fortyfive per cent of cases had abnormal profiles; delayed resumption of ovarian cyclicity postpartum (DC) was the most prevalent abnormality. There was no difference in body condition scores between the groups. The DC and prolonged luteal phase groups had higher serum AST activity (p < 0.01) 1-14 days postpartum compared with normal group. The DC group also had higher cholesterol and triglyceride values (p < 0.05) 28-42 days postpartum and higher milk fat/protein ratio (p < 0.01) on the first month of lactation compared with normal profile group. Despite long post-calving anoestrous period (71 ± 5.0 days; mean ± SEM) DC group had 64.7% first service pregnancy rate (normal group 48.6% and PLP group 37.5%). This study did not find any detrimental effect of prolonged anovulatory period postpartum on subsequent fertility.

Animal Reproduction Science, 2013

The effect of nutrition before and after calving on metabolic status and the resumption of ovulation postpartum was examined in multiparous sucked beef cows on subtropical pastures. At 6-7 months of gestation, Droughtmaster cows were randomly assigned on body weight (BW) and stage of gestation to two groups that received either standard subtropical pasture (SP, n = 7, 543 ± 12 kg BW) or improved pasture (IP, n = 7, 564 ± 12 kg BW). The two nutritional treatments were maintained after calving. Starting at 1 week after calving, cows were monitored for BW and body condition score (BCS, biweekly) and for circulating concentrations of insulin, glucose, IGF-1, GH and leptin (weekly). Ovarian follicular status was monitored weekly by trans-rectal ultrasonography. Fecal samples were obtained at 3-week intervals to ascertain percentage crude protein (%CP) and dry matter digestibility (DMD) of pastures. Crude protein and DMD were greater (P < 0.05) for cows on IP during the first 9 weeks after calving after which there were no differences between nutritional treatments. Cows on IP were heavier (P < 0.05) and had a greater (P < 0.01) BCS than cows on SP at 1 week after calving (585 ± 9 kg and 3.7 ± 0.2 BCS and 528 ± 21 kg and 2.3 ± 0.2 BCS, respectively). Cows on SP showed a gradual increase in BW and there were no differences in BW after approximately 7 weeks postpartum whilst BCS remained less for cows on SP. Plasma concentrations of insulin, glucose, IGF-1 and leptin were all greater (P < 0.01) for cows on IP compared with cows on SP, whilst GH did not differ. The diameter of the largest follicle did not differ between cows on IP and SP throughout the postpartum period. However, 7 of 7 cows on IP resumed ovulations between 12 and 15 weeks postpartum whilst only 1 of 7 cows on SP had resumed ovulation during the study. It is concluded from the findings that exposure of cows to IP and SP before and after calving resulted in two groups of cows with different metabolic homeostasis and that the greater circulating concentrations of insulin, glucose, IGF-1 and leptin promoted the earlier resumption of ovulation for cows on IP.

Animal Reproduction Science, 1985

The postpartal ovarian activity was studied in healthy cows and in those affected by subclinical fatty liver disease and subclinical primary ketosis. Twenty-six dairy cows, 4-7 years old, with not less than 5000 I milk yield in the preceding lactation, were monitored for the following blood parameters: aspartate-amino-transferase (AST)]glutamicoxalacetic transaminase (GOT), albumin, total protein, total lipid, cholesterol, nonesterified fatty acid (NEFA) and triglyceride levels, glucose and ketones. The ratios albumin : total protein and NEFA : triglyceride were also calculated. Blood samples were collected once a week between days 255 and 260 of gestation and days 1-15 postpartum, and subsequently on the 30th, 45th and 60th days postpartum. Based on the biochemical parameters, the cows were assigned in retrospect to three groups: (1) healthy (n = 5), (2) subclinical fatty liver disease (n = 6), and (3)subclinical primary ketosis (n = 10). The postpartal ovarian activity was assessed by rectal palpation and by milk progesterone levels, determined by radioimmunoassay in samples collected 2-3 times weekly between days 5 and 70 postpartum. As early as 10-18 days postpartum, ovarian activity was evident in healthy cows. This was confirmed by the progesterone profiles indicating three regular ovarian cycles with normal hormone levels within 70 days postpartum. All five healthy cows were detected in estrus and only one failed to conceive after insemination. The six cows with subclinical fatty liver disease had no regular cycles and only a few small follicles were palpable on their ovaries. The milk progesterone fluctuated around the basal level (~< 1.6 nmol/l). The first Graafian follicles appeared as late as days 30-35 postpartum and the luteal function commenced only between days 38 and 60, as indicated by palpation of corpora lutea and a concomitant rise in milk progesterone. The progesterone peaks were at the lower physiological limits characteristic of luteal function. The ovarian activity of the ten cows with subclinical primary ketosis was intermediate between that of healthy and fatty liver cows. The first follicles and corpora lutea were somewhat delayed, and the progesterone levels fluctuated considerably during the luteal phase. One cow in this group resumed ovarian inactivity during the 70-day postpartal observation period.