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Effect of heat stress during the dry period on milk yield and reproductive performance of Holstein cows

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Abstract

This study aimed to determine the influence of heat stress during the dry period on milk yield and reproductive performance of Holstein cows in a hot environment. Breeding and milk production records of cows, as well as meteorological data between 2017 and 2020 from a commercial dairy herd (n = 12,102 lactations), were used to determine the relationship between climatic conditions during the dry period (average of the temperature-humidity index (THI) at the beginning, middle, and end of the dry period) and reproductive efficiency and milk yield traits. THI was divided into < 70 (no heat stress), 70–80 (moderate heat stress), and > 80 (severe heat stress). First-service pregnancy rate of cows decreased (P < 0.01) with increasing hyperthermia during the dry period (9.5, 7.3, and 3.4% for THI < 70, 70–80, and > 80, respectively). All-service pregnancy rate was highest (P < 0.01) for cows not undergoing heat stress during the dry period (60.2%) and lowest (42.6%) for cows with severe heat stress during the dry period. Cows not experiencing heat stress during the dry period required a mean ± SD of 5.6 ± 3.8 services per pregnancy compared with 6.5 ± 3.6 (P < 0.01) for cows subjected to THI > 80 during the dry period. Cows not suffering heat stress during the dry period produced more (P < 0.01) 305-day milk (10,926 ± 1206 kg) than cows subjected to moderate (10,799 ± 1254 kg) or severe (10,691 ± 1297 kg) heat stress during the dry period. Total milk yield did not differ (P > 0.10) between cows not undergoing heat stress (13,337 ± 3346 kg) and cows subjected to severe heat stress during the dry period (13,911 ± 4018 kg). It was concluded that environmental management of dry cows during hot months is warranted to maximize reproductive performance and milk yield in the following lactation.

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Data Availability

The raw data used in the current study will be made available by the authors, without undue reservation.

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Funding

This work was supported by a grant from Autonomous Agrarian University Antonio Narro (research project 3001–2419).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Animal Nutrition, Autonomous Agrarian University Antonio Narro, 25315, Saltillo, Mexico

    Iris J. Rodríguez-Godina, José E. García & Miguel Mellado

  2. Department of Veterinary Science, Autonomous Agrarian University Antonio Narro, 27054, Torreon, Mexico

    Juan L. Morales, Viridiana Contreras & Francisco G. Véliz

  3. Institute of Agriculture Science, Autonomous University of Baja California, 21705, Mexicali, Mexico

    Ulises Macías-Cruz & Leonel Avendaño-Reyes

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  1. Iris J. Rodríguez-Godina
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  2. José E. García
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  3. Juan L. Morales
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  4. Viridiana Contreras
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  5. Francisco G. Véliz
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  6. Ulises Macías-Cruz
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  7. Leonel Avendaño-Reyes
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  8. Miguel Mellado
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Correspondence to Miguel Mellado.

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The Autonomous Agrarian University Antonio Narro Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee approved all actions connected with cows used for the current study (protocol number 3001–2114).

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Rodríguez-Godina, I.J., García, J.E., Morales, J.L. et al. Effect of heat stress during the dry period on milk yield and reproductive performance of Holstein cows. Int J Biometeorol 68, 883–890 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-024-02633-5

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