Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Relationship between calving interval and profitability of Brown Swiss cows in a subtropical region of Mexico

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

Abstract

Brown Swiss cattle have replaced Zebus in some dual-purpose farms in tropical and subtropical regions of Mexico, under extensive grazing management. There is limited information about the productive and reproductive performance of this breed under tropical conditions; the lack of records from small farms may be the main reason. The objectives of the study were to evaluate the relationship between calving interval (CI) and milk and beef (weaned male calves) profit in Brown Swiss cows from a dual-purpose farm under extensive management in a subtropical region of Mexico. Data from 156 cows calving from 2000 to 2014 were analysed with both a linear and a survival model. Mean CI was 438 ± 49 days, mean age at first calving was 40 ± 6 months and length of productive life was 7 ± 3 years. The effects of parity, calving year and calving season were significantly related to CI (P < 0.05), whereas the effect of calf sex was not. Cows calving in the autumn and winter had shorter calving intervals, probably because supplements received during the dry season months improved energy balance. The highest culling rate was 28% at 45 months of age. Milk yield and total profit increased as CI increased from 12 to 20 months; beef contribution to total profit decreased as CI and milk yield increased. Calving intervals of more than 12 and up to 20 months had a positive effect on the milk production and profitability of dual-purpose cows in a subtropical region of Mexico.

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

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

Data availability

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

Code availability

Not applicable.

References

  • Absalón-Medina, V.A., Blake, R.W., Fox, D.G., Juárez-Lagunes, F.I., Nicholson, C.F., Canudas-Lara, E.G., and Rueda-Maldonado B.L., 2012. Limitations and potentials of dual-purpose cow herds in Central Coastal Veracruz, Mexico. Tropical Animal Health and Production, 44, 1131--1142. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-011-0049-1

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Aguilar-Pérez, C., Ku-Vera, J., Centurión-Castro, F., and Garnsworthy, P.C., 2009. Energy balance, milk production and reproduction in grazing crossbred cows in the tropics with and without cereal supplementation. Livestock Science, 122, 227--233. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.livsci.2008.09.004

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Albarrán-Portillo, B., Rebollar-Rebollar, S. García-Martínez, A., Rojo-Rubio, R., Avilés-Nova, F., and Arriaga-Jordán C.M., 2015. Socioeconomic and productive characterization of dual-purpose farms oriented to milk production in a subtropical region of Mexico. Tropical Animal Health and Production, 47, 519--523 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-014-0753-8

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Albarrán-Portillo, B., García-Martínez, A., Ortiz-Rodea, A., Rojo-Rubio, R., Vázquez-Armijo, J.F., and Arriaga-Jordán C.M., 2019. Socioeconomic and productive characteristics of dual purpose farms based on agrosilvopastoral systems in subtropical highlands of central Mexico. Agroforestry Systems, 93,1939–1947 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10457-018-0299-2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Aranda-Avila, I., Magaña-Monforte, J.G., and Segura-Correa, J.C., 2010. Effects of breed type and age at first calving on length of productive life in a cow-calf system in Southeastern Mexico. Tropical Animal Health and Production, 42,1737--1741 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-010-9629-8

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Arce-Recinos, C., Aranda-Ibáñez, E.M., Osorio-Arce, M.M., González-Garduño, R., Díaz Rivera, P., and Hinojosa-Cuellar, J.A., 2017. Evaluación de parámetros productivos y reproductivos en un hato de doble propósito en Tabasco, México. Revista Mexicana de Ciencias Pecuarias, 8,83--91 https://doi.org/10.22319/rmcp.v8i1.4347

  • Arellano, S., Martínez, J., Romero, E., Briones, F., Domínguez, M., and de la Garza, F., 2006. Factores genético-ambientales que afectan el intervalo entre partos y días a primer parto en ganado de doble propósito en el norte de Veracruz. Avances en Investigación Agropecuaria, 10, 43--53

  • Burgers, E.E.A., Kok, A. Goselink, R.M.A. Hogeveen, H. Kemp, B. and van Knegsel, A.T.M., 2021. Fertility and milk production on commercial dairy farms with customized lactation lengths. Journal of Dairy Science, 104, 443--458 https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2019-17947

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ducrocq, V., 2005. An improved model for the French genetic evaluation of dairy bulls on length of productive life of their daughters. Animal Science, 80, 249--256, https://doi.org/10.1079/ASC41720249

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hernández-Reyes, E., Segura-Correa, V.M., Segura-Correa, J.C., and Osorio-Arce, M., 2000. Calving interval, lactation length and milk production in a dual purpose herd in Yucatán, México. Agrociencia, 35, 699--705

    Google Scholar 

  • Murillo Medina, A.L., Córdova-Izquierdo, A., Soriano Robles, R., Mendoza Martínez, G.D., and Castillo-Juárez, H., 2009. Breed differences in calving interval in the humid Mexican tropic. Tropical Animal Health and Production, 41,1357--1362 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-009-9322-y

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ossa, G., Suárez, M., and Pérez, J., 2006. Factores ambientales y genéticos relacionados con el intervalo entre partos en la raza romosinuano. Revista Medicina Veterinaria y Zootécnia, Córdoba, https://doi.org/10.21897/rmvz.443

  • Pollott, G.E., 2000. A biological approach to lactation curve analysis for milk yield. Journal of Dairy Science, 83, 2448--2458 https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(00)75136-8

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pollott, G.E., 2011. Short communication: Do Holstein lactations of varied lengths have different characteristics? Journal of Dairy Scien, 94:6173--6180 https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2011-4467

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rodríguez-Godina, I.J., García, J.E., Mellado, J., Morales-Cruz, J.L., Contreras, V., Macías-Cruz, U., Avendaño-Reyes, L., and Mellado, M., 2021. Permanence time in the herd and milk production of Holstein cows with up to five successive extended lactations. Tropical Animal Health and Production, 53,https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-021-02581-x

  • Rojo-Rubio, R., Vázquez-Armijo, J.F. Pérez-Hernández, P. Mendoza-Martínez, G.D. Salem, A.Z.M. Albarrán-Portillo, B. González-Reyna, A. Hernández-Martínez, J. Rebollar-Rebollar, S. Cardoso-Jiménez, D. Dorantes-Coronado, E.J. and Gutierrez-Cedillo, J.G., 2009. Dual purpose cattle production in Mexico. Tropical Animal Health and Production, 41:715–721. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-008-9249-8

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Salas-Reyes, I.G., Arriaga-Jordán, C.M., Estrada-Flores, J.G., García-Martínez, A., Rojo-Rubio, R., Vázquez-Armijo, J.F., and Albarrán-Portillo, B., 2019. Productive and economic response to partial replacement of cracked maize ears with ground maize or molasses in supplements for dual-purpose cows. Revista Mexicana de Ciencias Pecuarias, 10, 335--352, https://doi.org/10.22319/rmcp.v10i2.4569

  • Salvador-Loreto, I., Arriaga-Jordán, C.M., Estrada-Flores, J.G., Vicente-Mainar, F., García-Martínez, A., and Albarrán-Portillo, B., 2016. Molasses supplementation for dual-purpose cows during the dry season in subtropical Mexico. Tropical Animal Health and Production, 48, 643--648, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-016-1012-y.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sehested, J., Gaillard, C., Lehmann, J.O., Maciel, G.M., Vestergaard, M., Weisbjerg, M.R., Mogensen, L., Larsen, L.B., Poulsen, N.A., and Kristensen, T., 2019. Review: extended lactation in dairy cattle. Animal, 13,:A65--A74 https://doi.org/10.1017/S1751731119000806

  • Steeneveld, W., and Hogeveen, H., 2012. Economic consequences of immediate or delayed insemination of a cow in oestrus. Veterinary Records, 171, 17-17. https://doi.org/10.1136/vr.100183

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Teyer, R., Magaña, J.G., Santos, J., and Aguilar, C., 2003. Comportamiento productivo y reproductivo de vacas de tres grupos genéticos en un hato de doble propósito en el sureste de México. Revista Cubana de Ciencia Agrícola, 37(4), 263--370

  • Veerkamp, R.F., Dillon, P., Kelly, E., Cromie, A.R., and Groen, A.F., 2002. Dairy cattle breeding objectives combining yield, survival and calving interval for pasture-based systems in Ireland under different milk quota scenarios. Livestock Production Science, 76,137--151, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0301-6226(02)00006-4

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vukasinovic, N., Moll, J., and Künzi, N., 1997. Analysis of Productive Life in Swiss Brown Cattle. Journal of Dairy Science, 80, 2572--2579, https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(97)76213-1

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the participating farmer for his cooperation towards the project. Special thanks to Dr. Geoff E. Pollott for his help in proofreading the manuscript. Our gratitude also to Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México for funding the project (grant UAEM 2564/2007U), and SEP-PROMEP (grant 103.5/07/2781); our thanks as well to the Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología—CONACYT.

Funding

This work was supported partially by the following institutions: Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, SEP-PROMEP (grant 103.5/07/2781) and the Mexican National Council for Science and Technology (CONACYT).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria Y Zootecnia, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Campus UAEM El Cerrillo, C.P. 50295, Toluca, Mexico

    Rodrigo Arroyo-Rebollar

  2. School of Agriculture and Environment, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand

    Nicolás López-Villalobos

  3. Centro Universitario UAEM Temascaltepec, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Carretera Toluca-Tejupilco Km.67.5, C.P. 51300, Temascaltepec, Mexico

    Nicolás López-Villalobos, Anastacio García-Martínez & Benito Albarrán-Portillo

  4. Instituto de Ciencias Agropecuarias y Rurales (ICAR), Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Campus UAEM El Cerrillo, C.P. 50295, Toluca, Mexico

    Carlos M. Arriaga-Jordán

Authors
  1. Rodrigo Arroyo-Rebollar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Nicolás López-Villalobos
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Anastacio García-Martínez
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Carlos M. Arriaga-Jordán
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Benito Albarrán-Portillo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Contributions

Data collection was performed by Rodrigo Arroyo-Rebollar, data analyses were performed by Nicolás López-Villalobos and Benito Albarrán-Portillo and manuscript preparation was performed by Rodrigo Arroyo Rebollar, Benito Albarrán-Portillo, Nicolás López-Villalobos, Anastacio García-Martínez and Carlos M. Arriaga-Jordán. All of the authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Benito Albarrán-Portillo.

Ethics declarations

Ethics approval

The study did not involve animal handling.

Consent to participate

The research did not involve human participants.

Consent for publication

Not applicable.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no competing interests.

Additional information

Publisher’s note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Arroyo-Rebollar, R., López-Villalobos, N., García-Martínez, A. et al. Relationship between calving interval and profitability of Brown Swiss cows in a subtropical region of Mexico. Trop Anim Health Prod 53, 373 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-021-02813-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-021-02813-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation