Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of energy balance in dairy cows at pre-partum and early lactation periods on their subsequent reproductive and productive performance. High producing, Ayrshire cows were randomly selected from the heavy pregnant, dry cow herd of Ambewela dairy farm in Up-Country, Sri Lanka. The serum NEFA (non esterifie fatty acid) and milk BHBA (beta hydroxyl butyric acid) concentrations were used as indicators of energy status of the cows. Days for the first AI, open days and conception rate were used to evaluate the reproductive performance. Sub-clinical ketosis (milk BHBA≥200 μmol/L BHBA level in milk during the lactation period from 10 to 60 days took longest period for the first AI and had the highest open days. Only 36% cows were pregnant at 100 days post-partum. Further, none of the cows showed sub-clinical ketosis during 100 days post-partum was pregnant. They had higher circulating NEFA levels at 5 days pre-partum and 10 days post-partum periods and significantly lower (p<0.05) in milk production compared to their pregnant counterparts. This study indicated that the magnitude and duration of the prepartum energy status (i.e., negative energy balance) has a detrimental effect on subsequent reproductive and productive performances in high producing dairy cows.

Keywords:

BHBA, Conception rate, NEFA, open days, Postpartum, Pre-partum,

References

Competing interests

The authors have no competing interests.

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The authors have no competing interests.