Effect of Post-Partum Body Condition Score on Fertility and Milk Yield of Friesian X Bunaji Dairy Cows
Journal Title: Journal of Animal Science Advances - Year 2016, Vol 6, Issue 2
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of body condition score (BCS) on milk yield and fertility of Friesian x Bunaji dairy cows. Calving and insemination records of sixty Friesian x Bunaji dairy cows were used to calculate the fertility traits. The fertility traits were days to first insemination (DFI), days open (DO), number of insemination per conception (NIC) and non-return rate 56 days after the first insemination (NNR56). The BCS was measured on the scale 1 to 5 with an increment of 0.25. The analysis of these parameters showed that body condition score had significant effect (P<0.001) on all the fertility traits measured. The DFI, DO and NIC decreased with increase in BCS, however, NRR56 increased with BCS. Cows with moderate BCS of between 2.5 and 3.5 had better reproductive performance and higher milk yield than those of the lower (<2.5) and higher (>3.5) BCS. This suggests that the BCS is a major factor that influences the fertility of dairy cows. Therefore, the findings in this study suggest that the optimum BCS required for high reproductive performance and milk yield of low-medium yield dairy cows of the tropics is between 2.5 and 3.5 points.
Authors and Affiliations
C. Alphonsus , G. N. Akpa , B. I. Nwagu , P. P. Barje , I. M. Sam , I. Abdullahi , H. I. Finangwai , N. P. Achi , R. Y. Olobatoke , O. Olaiya , E. Opoola
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP143685
- DOI -
- Views 98
- Downloads 0
Effect of Biopro Liquid Supplement on Layer Performance and Egg Quality
The effects of dietary supplementation of a commercial probiotic (Biopro) on daily feed consumption, egg yield, egg weight, feed conversion ratio and humoral immune response in Hyline Brown layer hens from 27 to 34 weeks...
Comparative Effect of Dietary Supplementation of Synthetic Choline and Herbal Choline on Growth Performance, Carcass Traits and Some Serum Biochemical Alterations in Broiler Chicken
One hundred and eighty non sexed one day old Arber Acer chicks were randomly allotted into six experimental groups (30 chicks/group), received one out of the different experimental diets during the experimental period (6...
Genotyping Betacasein Gene (Exon 7) in Sahiwal Cattle by PCR-SSCP
Casein genetic polymorphisms are important and well known due to their effects on quantitative traits and technological properties of milk. At the DNA level, polymerase chain reaction–single strand conformation polymorph...
Effect of Harvesting Gliricidia Sepium at Different Cutting Frequencies on Quantity and Quality of Herbage Biomass for Dairy Cattle Nutrition
Herbage quantity and quality response of Gliricidia sepium to pruning intervals (1.0 to 6.0 months) was evaluated. Chemical composition of coppice re-growth was estimated and herbage was incubated in three rumen fistulat...
Molecular Typing of Clostridium perfringens Isolated from Diarrhoeic Cattle
Diarrhoea is the outward sign of a gut abnormality both in animal and human and should always be treated as potentially serious. Present research investigation was carried out to identify the prevalent genotypes of Clost...