Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Impact of stillbirth and abortion on the subsequent fertility and productivity of Holstein, Brown Swiss and their crosses in subtropics

  • Regular Articles
  • Published:
Tropical Animal Health and Production Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Stillbirth and abortion are serious problems in cattle breeding, from both economic and animal welfare standpoints. The aim of this study was to estimate the incidence and implications of stillbirth and abortion on the subsequent reproductive and production performance of the pure Holstein (HO), Brown Swiss (BS), and their F1 crosses (BF) in Egypt. The total number of records was 9275. The pure BS heifers had significantly (P < 0.05) lower incidence of stillbirth, abortion, and twinning (4.5, 2.3, and 1.5 %, respectively), compared with pure HO heifers (15.4, 5.3, and 4.8 %, respectively). Pure BS and BF cows coped with the harsh conditions of abnormal births, even though their subsequent reproductive indices were slightly reduced after stillbirths. In contrast, pure HO cows had significantly (P < 0.05) longer calving intervals and days open (475 and 198 days and 427 and 151 days, respectively) after stillbirths and abortions, compared with those that had normal births (381 and 149 days, respectively). Stillbirths decreased 305-day milk yield (305-MY, 14.5 %) and peak milk yield (Peak-MY, 29.1 %) in pure HO cows when compared with those calved normally. However, productive indices of pure BS and BF cows exposed to stillbirth or abortion were more tolerant. In conclusion, pure BS and BF cows can endure the difficult consequences of stillbirths or abortions under subtropical conditions. Nevertheless, fertility and milk yield had been deteriorated in pure HO.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Andreu-Vázquez, C., García-Ispierto, I., Ganau, S., Fricke, P.M., López-Gatius, F., 2012. Effects of twinning on the subsequent reproductive performance and productive life span of high-producing dairy cows. Theriogenology, 78, 2061-2070.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Atashi, H., 2011. Factors affecting stillbirth and effects of stillbirth on subsequent lactation performance in a Holstein dairy herd in Isfahan. Iranian Journal Veterinary Research, 12, 24-30.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bartels, C.J.M., Van Schaik, G., Veldhuisen, J.P., Van den Borne, B.H.P., Wouda, W., Dijkstra, T., 2006. Effect of Neospora caninum-serostatus on culling, reproductive performance and milk production in Dutch dairy herds with and without a history of Neospora caninum-associated abortion epidemics. Preventive Veterinary Medicine, 77, 186-198.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bicalho, R.C., Galvão, K.N., Cheong, S.H., Gilbert, R.O., Warnick, L.D., Guard, C.L., 2007. Effect of stillbirth on dam survival and reproduction performance in Holstein dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science, 90, 2797-2803.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bicalho, R.C., Galvão, K.N., Warnick, L.D., Guard, C.L., 2008. Stillbirth parturition reduces milk production in Holstein cows. Preventive Veterinary Medicine, 84, 112-120.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cole, J.B., Wiggans, G.R., VanRaden, P.M., 2007. Genetic evaluation of stillbirth in United States Holsteins using a sire maternal grandsire threshold model. Journal of Dairy Science, 90, 2480-2488.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Correa, M.T., Erb, H., Scarlett, J., 1993. Path analysis of seven postpartum disorders of Holstein cows. Journal of Dairy Science, 76, 1305-1312.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dobson, H., Tebble, J.E., Smith, R.F., Ward W.R., 2001. Is stress really all that important? Theriogenology, 55, 65-73.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • El-Tarabany, M.S., 2015. Effects of non-lactating period length on the subsequent calving ease and reproductive performance of Holstein, Brown Swiss and the crosses. Animal Reproduction Science, 158, 60-67.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • El-Tarabany, M.S., El-Bayoumi, K.M., 2015. Reproductive performance of backcross Holstein x Brown Swiss and their Holstein contemporaries under subtropical environmental conditions. Theriogenology, 83, 444-448.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • El-Tarabany, M.S., Nasr, M.A.F., 2015. Reproductive performance of Brown Swiss, Holstein and their crosses under subtropical environmental conditions. Theriogenology, doi: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2015.04.012

    Google Scholar 

  • Ferris, C.P., Patterson, D.C., Gordon, F.J., Watson, S., Kilpatrick, D.J., 2014. Calving traits, milk production, body condition, fertility, and survival of Holstein-Friesian and Norwegian Red dairy cattle on commercial dairy farms over 5 lactations. Journal of Dairy Science, 97, 5206-5218.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fricke, P.M., Wiltbank, M.C., 1999. Effect of milk production on the incidence of double ovulation in dairy cows. Theriogenology, 52, 1133-1143.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gädicke, P., Vidal, R., Monti, G., 2010. Economic effect of bovine abortion syndrome in commercial dairy herds in Southern Chile. Preventive Veterinary Medicine, 97, 9-19.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ghavi Hossein-Zadeh, N., Ardalan, M., 2011. Evaluation of the potential effects of abortion on the productive performance of Iranian Holstein dairy cows. Animal Science Journal, 82, 117-121.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ghorbani, G., Assadi-Alamouti, A., 2004. Developed management of dairy cattle, 1st ed. Industrial Unit of Jahad, Isfahan, Iran. 260 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Grimard, B., Freret, S., Chevallier, A., Pinto, A., Ponsart, C., Humblot, P., 2006. Genetic and environmental factors influencing first service conception rate and late embryonic/foetal mortality in low fertility dairy herds. Animal Reproduction Science, 91, 31-44.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hansen, M., Misztal, I., Lund, M.S., Pedersen, J., Christensen, L.G., 2004. Undesired phenotypic and genetic trend for stillbirth in Danish Holsteins. Journal of Dairy Science, 87, 1477-1486.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Heins, B.J., Hansen, L.B., Seykora A.J., 2006. Calving Difficulty and Stillbirths of Pure Holsteins versus Crossbreds of Holstein with Normande, Montbeliarde, and Scandinavian Red. Journal of Dairy Science, 89, 2805-2810.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • López-Gatius, F., Hunter, R.H., 2005. Spontaneous reduction of advanced twin embryos: its occurrence and clinical relevance in dairy cattle. Theriogenology, 63, 118-125.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • López-Gatius, F., Szenci, O., Bech-Sàbat, G., García-Ispierto, I., Serrano, B., Santolaria, P., Yániz, J., 2009. Factors of noninfectious nature affecting late embryonic and early foetal loss in high producing dairy herds in north-eastern Spain. Magyar Allatorvosok Lapja, 131, 515-531.

    Google Scholar 

  • Meyer, C.L., Berger, P.J., Koehler, K.J., 2000. Interactions among factors affecting stillbirths in Holstein cattle in the United States. Journal of Dairy Science, 83, 2657-2663.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Meyer, C.L., Berger, P.J., Koehler, K.J., Thompson, J.R., Sattler, C.G., 2001. Phenotypic trends in incidence of stillbirth for Holsteins in the United States. Journal of Dairy Science, 84, 515-523

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Peter, A.T., 2000. Abortions in dairy cows: New insights and economic impact. Advances in Dairy Technology, 12, 233-244.

    Google Scholar 

  • Philipsson, J., Steinbock, L., Berglund, B., 1997. Considering stillbirths in the breeding program? Interbull Bull, 18, 25-27.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pryce, J.E., Royal, M.D., Garnsworthy, P.C., Mao, I.L., 2004. Fertility in the high-producing dairy cow. Livestock Production Science, 86, 125-135.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rafati, N., Mehrabani-Yeganeh, Hansonb T.E., 2010. Risk factors for abortion in dairy cows from commercial Holstein dairy herds in the Tehran region. Preventive Veterinary Medicine, 96, 170-178.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • SAS, 2003. SAS/STAT users guide. SAS Institute Inc, Cary, NC 27513, USA.

  • Silva del Río, N., Kirkpatrick, B.W., Fricke, P.M., 2006. Observed frequency of monozygotic twinning in Holstein dairy cattle. Theriogenology, 66, 1292-1299.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Silva del Río, N., Stewart, S., Rapnicki, P., Chang, Y.M., Fricke P.M., 2007. An observational analysis of twin births, calf sex ratio, and calf mortality in Holstein dairy cattle. Journal of Dairy Science, 90, 1255-1264.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Thurmond, M.C., Branscum, A.J., Johnson, W.O., Bedrick, E.J., Hanson, T.E., 2005. Predicting the probability of abortion in dairy cows: A hierarchical Bayesian logistic-survival model using sequential pregnancy data. Preventive Veterinary Medicine, 68, 223-239.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Weigel, K.A., Barlass K.A., 2003. Results of a producer survey regarding crossbreeding on US dairy farms. Journal of Dairy Science, 86, 4148-4154.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wiltbank, M.C., Fricke, P.M., Sangsritavong, S., Sartori, R., Ginther, O.J., 2000. Mechanisms that prevent and produce double ovulations in dairy cattle. Journal of Dairy Science, 83, 2998-3007.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Yao, C., Weigel, K.A., Cole, J.B., 2014. Genetic evaluation of stillbirth in US Brown Swiss and Jersey cattle. Journal of Dairy Science, 97, 2474–2480.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The author expresses his appreciation to Dr. Nasr MAF, Bristol University, UK, for revising the English and scientific style of the text.

Conflict of interest

The author has no conflict of interest to declare.

Ethical standards

Experimental procedures were conducted in accordance with the Zagazig University Animal Ethics Committee guidelines (ANWD-215).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Animal Wealth Development, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Zagazig University, El-Zeraa str. 114, 44511, Zagazig, Egypt

    Mahmoud Salah El-Tarabany

Authors
  1. Mahmoud Salah El-Tarabany
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mahmoud Salah El-Tarabany.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

El-Tarabany, M.S. Impact of stillbirth and abortion on the subsequent fertility and productivity of Holstein, Brown Swiss and their crosses in subtropics. Trop Anim Health Prod 47, 1351–1356 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-015-0870-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-015-0870-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation