Evaluation of beef cattle genotypes and estimation of direct and maternal genetic effects in a tropical environment. 3. Fertility and calf survival traits

2004 ◽  
Vol 55 (8) ◽  
pp. 811 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. C. Prayaga
Keyword(s):  
Body Weight ◽  
Male Fertility ◽  
Dominance Effect ◽  
Female Fertility ◽  
Tropical Environment ◽  
Lactating Cows ◽  
Scrotal Circumference ◽  
Calf Survival ◽  
Breed Crosses ◽  
Direct Dominance

Data from a crossbreeding experiment were analysed to compare various breeds in a tropical environment. Data included male fertility [scrotal circumference at yearling age (YSC) and at 18 months of age (FSC)], female fertility [calving success (CS) and days to calving (DTC)], and calf survival [survival of calf up to 1 week after birth (WKS) and up to weaning (PWS)] traits. Male fertility traits were analysed as traits of the progeny generation, whereas female fertility and calf survival traits were analysed as traits of the dam (parental generation). Tropically adapted British breed bulls and taurine crossbreds (British × Sanga) had higher YSC and FSC than Zebu and its crosses when adjusted for their body weights. Large negative direct and maternal additive effects on scrotal circumference for Zebu relative to the British breed also suggested reduced scrotal circumference and fertility in Zebu and Zebu-derived crosses. Direct dominance effects for YSC and FSC were only significant when an adjustment for body weight was not included in the model, emphasising that the heterosis observed was only due to the increased body weight. In general, CS was higher in non-lactating cows and maiden heifers than in lactating cows. The advantage to crossbred genotypes was more pronounced in lactating cows. Among lactating purebreds, CS was significantly (P < 0.05) higher in Belmont Adaptaur (Hereford–Shorthorn, HS) than in Belmont Red (AX), Belmont Brahman cross (BX), and Brahman (Bh). Lactating crossbreds with a common dam breed of HS, AX, BX, and Bh had 19, 33, 21, and 14% greater CS than their respective purebreds. Boran-sired crossbred dams had higher CS than Brahman-sired crossbreds, indicating higher fertility levels of Borans. Significant direct dominance effect for CS in lactating taurine–indicine crosses and in non-lactating taurine–taurine crosses signifies the importance of use of appropriate breed crosses in improving female fertility. Significantly negative (desirable) direct dominance effects for DTC in indicine–indicine and taurine–indicine crosses suggest an advantage from crossbreeding in achieving early calvings. High mortalities were recorded in calves born to HS dams from matings with Brahman bulls due to dystocia. This resulted in low WKS and PWS for HS dam breeds. All additive and dominance effects for calf survival traits were non-significant except for the direct dominance effect in taurine–indicine crosses for PWS. Moderate percentage heterosis estimates in lactating cows for CS and desirable, significant, but low percentage heterosis estimates for DTC were observed. Percentage heterosis estimates for calf survival traits were low and non-significant.

scholarly journals Relationships Among Age, Body Weight, Scrotal Circumference, Semen Quality and Peripheral Testosterone and Estradiol Concentrations in Pubertal and Postpubertal Holstein Bulls

2008 ◽  
Vol 70 (1) ◽  
pp. 119-121 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bhuminand DEVKOTA ◽  
Tsugio KOSEKI ◽  
Motozumi MATSUI ◽  
Motoki SASAKI ◽  
Etsushi KANEKO ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Weight ◽  
Semen Quality ◽  
Scrotal Circumference ◽  
Holstein Bulls

EMPTY BODY WEIGHTS, CARCASS WEIGHTS AND OFFAL PROPORTIONS IN BULLS AND STEERS OF DIFFERENT MATURE SIZE

1984 ◽  
Vol 64 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-57 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. D. M. JONES ◽  
R. E. ROMPALA ◽  
J. W. WILTON ◽  
C. H. WATSON
Keyword(s):  
Body Weight ◽  
Small Animal ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Carcass Weight ◽  
Small Animals ◽  
Beef Steers ◽  
Body Weights ◽  
Breed Crosses ◽  
Large Animals ◽  
Animal Size

Empty body weights, carcass weights and offal proportions were compared in 33 young beef bulls and 33 beef steers of different mature body size (35 small or mainly British breed crosses, 31 large or Continental crosses). All cattle were fed a high energy diet based on corn silage and high moisture corn from weaning to slaughter. Slaughter was carried out once 6 mm of fat had been attained at the 11/12th ribs, determined ultrasonically. Feed was removed 24 h and water 16 h prior to slaughter. The offal components were all weighed fresh and the alimentary components emptied of digesta. Bulls weighed 8.0% heavier (P < 0.05) than steers at slaughter, while large animals were 38.7% heavier (P < 0.0001) than small animals. Bulls and large animals had carcasses that dressed out 1.5% heavier than steers and small animals. To eliminate the effect of gutfill, carcass weights and offal components were expressed as a proportion of empty body weight. Bulls had a higher proportion of warm carcass weight and lower proportions of liver, spleen, heart, lungs, rumen, abomasum, large intestine and front feet relative to empty body weight than steers. Large animals had a greater proportion of warm carcass weight and hind feet, and a lower proportion of head, hide, liver, kidneys, omasum and small intestine relative to empty body weight than small animals. All castration by size interactions for liveweight, carcass weight, empty body weight and offal proportions were not significant. Castration and small animal size both increased the proportion of noncarcass parts relative to empty body weight in animals slaughtered at similar finish. Key words: Body, carcass, offal, bull, steer, maturity

The control of appetite in lactating cows

1972 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 263-281 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. S. Monteiro
Keyword(s):  
Body Weight ◽  
Food Intake ◽  
Milk Yield ◽  
Closed Loop ◽  
Loop System ◽  
Closed Loop System ◽  
Lactating Cows ◽  
Body Reserves ◽  
Lactation Curve ◽  
Rate Of Increase

SUMMARYA closed-loop system is proposed for the control of voluntary food intake in lactating cows, and an expression is deduced relating the response of food intake to changes in milk yield and body-weight gain.A closed-loop system necessarily involves a delay in the response to changes in production. The rate of increase of food intake is there- fore slower than the rate of increase in milk yield. The consequent deficit in energy during the rising part of the lactation curve is met by the mobilization of body reserves, which are partly accounted for by losses in body weight. During the declining part of the lactation the delay effect leads to an excess of energy intake and to the replacement of body reserves and, consequently, of body weight.The expression deduced from the model was fitted to four different types of lactation curve corresponding to long and short lactations of Friesians and Jerseys fed ad libitum on a complete diet. The expected food intake based on the control model was contrasted with a linear regression model. The former gave a better account of the variation in food intake in all four types of lactation.The total change in body weight during lactation was partitioned between changes in weight due to the mobilization and replacement of reserves and gain directly attributable to food intake. There was, in general, good agreement between the observed losses in weight occurring at the beginning of lactation and those predicted from the mobilization of reserves for milk production.The physiological implications of the model and the values estimated for the parameters are discussed.

Genetic associations between age at first calving and heifer body weight and scrotal circumference in Nelore cattle

2009 ◽  
Vol 126 (5) ◽  
pp. 387-393 ◽  
Author(s):  
D.A. Grossi ◽  
G.C. Venturini ◽  
C.C.P. Paz ◽  
L.A.F. Bezerra ◽  
R.B. Lôbo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Weight ◽  
Genetic Associations ◽  
Age At First Calving ◽  
Scrotal Circumference ◽  
Nelore Cattle

scholarly journals Fertility Variation and its Impact on Effective Population Size in Seed Stands of Tamarindus indica and Azadirachta indica

2015 ◽  
Vol 64 (1-6) ◽  
pp. 91-99 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Kamalakannan ◽  
M. Varghese ◽  
J.-M. Park ◽  
S.-H. Kwon ◽  
J.-H. Song ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Azadirachta Indica ◽  
Male Fertility ◽  
Reproductive Traits ◽  
Fruit Production ◽  
Female Fertility ◽  
Tamarindus Indica ◽  
Individual Tree ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Fertility Variation ◽  
Status Number

Abstract Growth and reproductive traits were assessed in seed stands of two native Indian tree species Tamarindus indica and Azadirachta indica. Positive correlation between growth (height and GBH) and reproductive traits (male and female contribution) were found in both species. Fertility was estimated from the flower and fruit production of individuals. Based on the fertility variation among individuals, parental balance, femaleness index and status number (Ns) were determined. The option of equal seed collection among individuals was also considered for estimating Ns. The percentage of fertile trees was higher in the high flowering year in both species. The best male contributing individuals also showed high female contribution (fruit production). The parental contribution in seed stands showed high deviation from expectation; 20% individuals contributed about 70% of male and female gametes in both species. Femaleness index showed that female and male contribution of individual tree was more balanced in the good flowering year, compared to the poor year. Coefficient of variation in male and female fertility was higher in the low flowering year resulting in high fertility variation among individuals and low status number. In T. indica, the female contribution was less variable compared to that of male fertility whereas in A. indica the female fertility variation was higher than that of male fertility. The relative status number (Nr = Ns/N) of the stands was lower for male and female fertility compared to the combined (male and female) fertility of individual trees.

scholarly journals Scrotal Circumference and its Relationship with Testicular Growth, Age, and Body Weight in Murrah Buffalo Bulls

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (11) ◽  
pp. 2270-2274
Author(s):  
V.H. Shende ◽  
S.H. Sontakke ◽  
V.V. Potdar ◽  
Tejsjree V. Shirsath ◽  
J.R. Khadse
Keyword(s):  
Body Weight ◽  
Murrah Buffalo ◽  
Testicular Growth ◽  
Scrotal Circumference

RELATIONSHIPS OF SCROTAL CIRCUMFERENCE WITH BODY WEIGHT AND BACKFAT THICKNESS IN MULTIBREED SYNTHETIC POPULATIONS OF YOUNG BEEF BULLS

1982 ◽  
Vol 62 (4) ◽  
pp. 1049-1055 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. K. SHARMA ◽  
R. T. BERG
Keyword(s):  
Body Weight ◽  
Performance Test ◽  
Correlation Coefficients ◽  
Backfat Thickness ◽  
Simple Correlation ◽  
Scrotal Circumference ◽  
Synthetic Populations ◽  
Breed Group ◽  
Partial Correlations ◽  
Beef Bulls

Relationships of scrotal circumference (SC) with body weight (BW) and backfat thickness (FT) as measured from scanograms were studied. A total of 935 observations on growing multibreed synthetic beef bulls on a postweaning performance test were available from a commercial herd for this study. Significant breed group, period and group × period interaction effects were noted on SC, BW and FT. BW and SC increased significantly during the test in all breed groups, while FT showed no change in three breed groups. Repeatability pooled across groups for SC was estimated as 0.72; 0.66 after adjusting for BW. Significant correlations were noticed between SC and BW within each breed group. Partial correlations between SC and BW at constant FT were not different from gross correlations. Linear regression coefficients of SC on BW were significant in all groups and showed heterogeneity among groups but not between periods within groups. Adjustments of SC for BW should, therefore, be breed group specific. BW alone accounted for considerable variation in SC, from 38 to 76%. Simple correlation coefficients between SC and FT were low and significant in only two groups. A significant but low positive relationship was noted between SC and FT at constant BW in a group fed a high-concentrate diet during the postweaning gain period, but there was no relationship in four other groups. Results indicated that the method of adjusting SC for FT as an indirect way of adjusting for scrotal fat was not satisfactory. Key words: Bulls, scrotal circumference, growth

SULFUR METABOLISM AND NUTRITIONAL CHANGES IN LACTATING COWS ASSOCIATED WITH SUPPLEMENTAL SULFATE AND METHIONINE HYDROXY ANALOG

1974 ◽  
Vol 54 (4) ◽  
pp. 587-593 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. BOUCHARD ◽  
H. R. CONRAD
Keyword(s):  
Body Weight ◽  
Sulfur Metabolism ◽  
Latin Square ◽  
Basal Diet ◽  
Potassium Sulfate ◽  
Sulfur Concentration ◽  
Lactating Cows ◽  
Total Diet ◽  
Concentrate Mixture ◽  
Sulfur Balance

A split-plot 4 × 4 latin square experiment using four Holstein cows was designed to determine the effects of adding either the calcium salt of 2-hydroxy-4-(methylthio)-butyric acid, or a mixture of potassium and magnesium sulfates, or a combination of both sulfur supplements, to a basal diet containing corn silage and grain concentrate mixture. Methionine hydroxy analog (MHA) was consumed at the level of approximately 25 g per day. Sulfates were added to the concentrate in amounts sufficient to elevate the sulfur concentration of the total diet to 0.20%. The addition of 25 g of MHA to the basal diet did not affect dry matter (DM) intake, milk production, sulfur balance, and nitrogen balance. When compared to the basal diet, the addition of sulfates increased the DM digestibility from 67.0 to 69.4%, the sulfur retention from 1.0 to 5.4 g per day, and the apparent sulfur digestibility from 47.7 to 66.6%. The substitution of 4 g of sulfur per day from sulfates with an equivalent amount of sulfur from MHA decreased DM intake from 19.4 to 17.6 kg per day, but increased fat level in milk from 3.4 to 3.7%. Fat corrected milk yield was the same for all treatments. In a comparative study involving 40 lactating cows and 121 balance trials, DM digestibility became maximal at about 0.15% sulfur in the total diet when sodium sulfate, calcium sulfate, magnesium sulfate, and potassium sulfate were used as supplements, and about 0.18% sulfur when MHA was used. Raising the sulfur concentration from 0.05 to 0.12% in the total diet brought lactating cows into slightly positive sulfur balance when they were depositing 4–9 g per day of sulfur in the milk. It was concluded that supplemental inorganic sulfur from sodium, calcium, potassium, and magnesium sulfates sustained optimum utilization of sulfur when fed in the diet at 0.20% sulfur (53 mg per kg body weight per day) to cows producing as much as 35 kg of milk per day. Higher concentrations of sulfur intake did not have any effect on nitrogen, sulfur and DM digestibility, but concentrations of 0.35% sulfur and above in the ration (70–90 mg per kg body weight per day) were associated with diminished DM intakes.

scholarly journals Selection for bull fertility: a review

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 423-441 ◽  
Author(s):  
Madison L Butler ◽  
Jennifer M Bormann ◽  
Robert L Weaber ◽  
David M Grieger ◽  
Megan M Rolf
Keyword(s):  
Male Fertility ◽  
Assisted Reproductive Technologies ◽  
Average Daily Gain ◽  
Reproductive Technologies ◽  
Female Fertility ◽  
Cattle Production ◽  
Conception Rates ◽  
Beef Bull ◽  
Selection For ◽  
Fertility Traits

Abstract Fertility is a critically important factor in cattle production because it directly relates to the ability to produce the offspring necessary to offset costs in production systems. Female fertility has received much attention and has been enhanced through assisted reproductive technologies, as well as genetic selection; however, improving bull fertility has been largely ignored. Improvements in bull reproductive performance are necessary to optimize the efficiency of cattle production. Selection and management to improve bull fertility not only have the potential to increase conception rates but also have the capacity to improve other economically relevant production traits. Bull fertility has reportedly been genetically correlated with traits such as average daily gain, heifer pregnancy, and calving interval. Published studies show that bull fertility traits are low to moderately heritable, indicating that improvements in bull fertility can be realized through selection. Although female fertility has continued to progress according to increasing conception rates, the reported correlation between male and female fertility is low, indicating that male fertility cannot be improved by selection for female fertility. Correlations between several bull fertility traits, such as concentration, number of spermatozoa, motility, and number of spermatozoa abnormalities, vary among studies. Using male fertility traits in selection indices would provide producers with more advanced selection tools. The objective of this review was to discuss current beef bull fertility measurements and to discuss the future of genetic evaluation of beef bull fertility and potential genetic improvement strategies.

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