Dystocia in Friesian cows and its effects on postp

Authors: H M A Gaafar Sh M Shamiah M A Abu ElHamd A A Shitta M A Tag ElDin

Publish Date: 2010/09/11

Volume: 43, Issue: 1, Pages: 229-234

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Abstract

A total of 1243 records for 585 dairy Friesian cows from 1997–2004 were used to study the factors affecting dystocia and its effects on reproductive performance and milk production The overall incidence of dystocia was 69 The percentage of dystocia decreased with increasing live body weight age and parity of cows P  005 however it increased with increasing birth weight of calves P  005 The highest percentage of dystocia was detected in winter season but the least percentage was in summer season P  005 The percentage of incidence of dystocia was significantly P  005 higher with winter feeding compared to summer ration 82 vs 51 The percentage of incidence of dystocia was significantly P  005 higher with twinning than single calving 155 vs 65 while not significantly affected by the sex of born calves Incidence of dystocia had adverse effects on reproductive performance and milk yield The service interval service period days open and calving interval were significantly P  005 longer in cows afflicted with dystocia compared to normal cows The conception rate was lower P  005 but the number of service per conception was higher P  005 in cows afflicted with dystocia compared to normal cows 605 vs 730 and 34 vs 27 respectively Average daily milk yield was lower P  005 by 1 kg for cows with incidence of dystocia compared to normal cowsThe various factors affecting dystocia in cattle are grouped into four main categories direct factors phenotypic factors related to calf and cow nongenetic and genetic factors The first group includes malpresentations and uterine torsion The second one includes calf birth weight multiple calvings perinatal mortality cow pelvic area cow body weight and body condition at calving and gestation length The nongenetic factors are cow age and parity year and season of calving place of calving maintenance practices disorders and calf sex and nutrition Zaborski et al 2009 In general dystocia occurs when the size of the fetus is incompatible with the size of the pelvic opening of the cow when the fetus is abnormally presented breeched head or foot back or when the cow does not experience normal parturition due to weakness stress or hormonal abnormalities However many other factors may also influence the incidence of dystocia and these factors can be split into two categories factors affecting the size and shape of the calf and factors affecting the ability of the dam to give birth Roughsedge and Dwyer 2006 Nongenetic factors affecting the risk of dystocia include year time of year at calving dam parity Meyer et al 2001 Johanson and Berger 2003 Steinbock et al 2003 herd Steinbock et al 2003 age at calving within parity Ettema and Santos 2004 sex of calf Johanson and Berger 2003 Ettema and Santos 2004 calf birth weight Johanson and Berger 2003 gestation length Meyer et al 2001 Johanson and Berger 2003 and whether the calf was a singleton or twin Ettema and Santos 2004 Factors affecting the incidence of dystocia were parity of dam sex of calf whether the calf was a singleton or twin and a linear regression on the weight of the calf Berry et al 2007 Several studies have implicated dystocia as a contributing factor to reduced milk yield Berry et al 2007 and poorer fertility Lopez de Maturana et al 2007 The objective of this study was to investigate some factors affecting the incidence of dystocia and its effects on reproductive performance and milk yield in dairy Friesian cowsA total of 1243 records for 585 dairy Friesian cows from 1997–2004 were collected from Sakha Animal Production Research Station belonging to Animal Production Research Institute Agricultural Research Center Ministry of Agriculture Egypt All cows ranged between 350–650 kg live weight 3–13 years of age and 1–8 paritiesAnimals were housed in semiopened sheds and fed traditional summer ration consisting of concentrate feed mixture berseem hay rice straw with or without corn silage and traditional winter ration consisting of concentrate feed mixture fresh berseem and rice straw Cows were fed to cover the recommended requirements according to Animal Production Research Institute Recommendation 1997 in group feeding assigned according to live body weight milk yield and reproductive status Cows were artificially inseminated using frozen semen within 14 h after onset of the first spontaneously occurring estrusThe collected data included live body weight and age of dams parity calving season type of birth sex of born calf and type of feeding for the different years Also data were collected for the periods from parturition to first service conception service days open gestation period calving interval number of services per conception conception rate total milk yield and lactation periodOf the 1243 births studied 86 were afflicted with dystocia 69 which was nearly similar to the figure in cows being 7 as presented by Berry et al 2007 but was higher than the reported dystocia rates in dairy cattle internationally being 5 Mee 2008

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