EVALUATION OF BULL FERTILITY IN MULTIPLE-SIRE MATING AT PASTURE

1987 ◽  
Vol 67 (1) ◽  
pp. 27-35 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. MAKARECHIAN ◽  
A. FARID ◽  
R. T. BERG

Pregnancy rates and calving dates of beef cows in four multiple-sire breeding herds in 1980 and 1981 were used to evaluate bull fertility. The bulls were from Hereford, Beef Synthetic and Dairy Synthetic breed groups, and were measured for scrotal circumference, scored for libido and evaluated for semen characteristics 1 wk before the commencement of breeding. Three yearling bulls were assigned to approximately 70 cows in each of the four herds (a total of 12 bulls) during a 60-d breeding season. The progeny of each sire were identified by blood typing. There was one bull in each breeding herd which sired at least 50% of the calves. The average age was higher in bulls with the maximum fertility (P < 0.05) than those with the minimum fertility within each herd. The bulls with minimum fertility within each herd tended (P = 0.08) to lose more weight during the period between yearling and breeding man those with higher fertility. Age of bull and percent normal spermatozoa were the only traits which were associated (P < 0.05) with bull fertility when data were pooled over the herds. Scrotal circumference, sperm volume, preweaning average daily gain, weaning weight and daily gain in the period between yearling and breeding showed positive but insignificant correlation with bull fertility. The measures of libido did not show any association with fertility. Key words: Cattle (beef), bull fertility, multiple-sire mating

1985 ◽  
Vol 65 (4) ◽  
pp. 799-809 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. MAKARECHIAN ◽  
A. FARID ◽  
R. T. BERG

Pregnancy rates and calving dates of beef cows in 27 single-sire breeding herds mated to yearling or 2-yr old bulls were used in this study. The breed groups of bulls were Hereford and Beef Synthetic and cow herds were Hereford, Hereford cross and Beef Synthetic, respectively. A week before the start of the breeding season the bulls were scored for libido, their scrotal circumferences were measured and semen samples were collected. Semen volume, sperm motility and percent normal cells were evaluated. The average bull to cow ratio was 1:20. Pregnancy rate increased as age and body weight of cows increased, but it was independent of the previous calving date. Calving date was not related to body weight or age of cow, but it was influenced by the previous calving date. Each day delay in calving after the first 5 wk of calving season resulted in a 0.7-day delay in the date of calving during the next calving season. The Beef Synthetic-sired herds had higher pregnancy rates (P < 0.05) than the Hereford-sired herds, but the average calving dates of the two groups were similar. Cows mated to 2-yr-old bulls had 5% higher (P = 0.12) pregnancy rate than those mated to yearling bulls. Five of the herds showed low fertility and late calving, probably due to low fertility of the bulls. Yearling weight and feedlot average daily gain were positively (P < 0.05) related to bull fertility. The number of services performed by a bull during a 10 min libido test and total libido score were also found to be useful in assessing bull fertility, but scrotal circumference or semen traits were not related to fertility of bulls when used in single-sire mating at pasture. Key words: Beef cattle, bull fertility, single-sire mating


Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. 2830
Author(s):  
Kayla M. Lucas ◽  
Dawn A. Koltes ◽  
Laura R. Meyer ◽  
John D. Tucker ◽  
Donald S. Hubbell ◽  
...  

Beef cattle phenotypes are affected by the consumption of toxic fescue. Toxic fescue’s impact is dependent on heat stress and breed composition, with genetic variability for robustness to toxin exposure believed to exist within and across breeds. The study objective was to characterize the effect of fescue toxicosis across breeds for known and novel heat and fescue stress-associated phenotypes. One-hundred crossbred fall-calving Charolais- and Hereford-sired cows of parities 1–3 were allocated to graze either toxic fescue (n = 50), non-toxic fescue (n = 25), or a rotation between toxic and non-toxic fescue (n = 25) for 156 days. Phenotypes impacted by breed (genetics) included hair coat score (p < 0.0001), hair reduction/shedding rate (p < 0.05), rectal temperature (RT) (p < 0.0001), vaginal temperature (p < 0.05), serum phosphorus concentration (p < 0.02) and respiration rate (RR) (p < 0.003). Cows on toxic fescue experienced reduced hair shedding efficacy (p < 0.0001), higher vaginal temperatures (p < 0.0001), increased systolic blood pressure (p < 0.04), increased RR (p < 0.0001) and reduced average daily gain (p < 0.0001), compared to cows grazing non-toxic fescue. Calves born from cows with higher RT during the last third of gestation had higher RT at weaning (p < 0.02), indicating potential physiological effects of in utero heat stress. The study indicates that beef cows exhibit variable responses to toxic fescue within and across breeds which may impact future calf phenotypes.


1972 ◽  
Vol 52 (1) ◽  
pp. 11-21 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. B. JEFFERY ◽  
R. T. BERG

A study involving three sets of data from the University of Alberta beef breeding herd (1966–67, 176 cows; 1967–68, 167 cows; 1968–70, 285 cows) was conducted to determine the influence of birth weight of calf (BW), postcalving weight of dam (PCW), and breed effect on calf performance to 365 days of age. The influence of preweaning on postweaning performance was also considered. Calves heavier at birth tended to excel in both preweaning and postweaning growth rate. A 1-kg increase in BW resulted in an increase of 2.86–4.42 kg in calf weight at 365 days of age. For male calves, PCW was negatively associated with calf weight at both 180 and 365 days of age for 1966–67 data; however, for 1967–68 and 1968–70 data, a 10-kg increase in PCW resulted in 0.70- and 0.92-kg increases, respectively, in calf weight at 180 days, and 1.96- and 2.12-kg increases in calf weight at 365 days, respectively. For female calves, a 10-kg increase in PCW resulted in 1.40-, 0.88-, and 0.29-kg increases in calf weight at 180 days of age, and 0.68-, 1.31-, and 0.31-kg increases in calf weight at 365 days of age, respectively, for the three sets of data. Breed difference explained from 22 to 43% of the variance in average daily gain of calf to weaning (ADG) but only 0.2–13.8% of the variance in postweaning average daily gain (PWADG). Male calves with higher ADG to weaning or heavier weaning weights tended to have slightly higher PWADG. A 10-kg advantage in weaning weight for male calves resulted in a 12–14-kg advantage in weight at 365 days of age.


2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  

The current study was presented to conclude the influence of different ratio of pomegranate peel powder (PP) in feed of Karadi male lambs, they divided to 4 groups (0% as a control, 1% treatment 1, 2% treatment 2 and 4% as treatment 3), on scrotal circumference (SC), scrotum height (SH), body weight (BW) and blood serum testosterone concentration (T). In this study, sixteen (16) of Karadi male lambs used with 24.30 ± 0.40 kg weight and with 4-5 months old, all lambs have been randomly divided equally into four (4) groups and individually penned in a box for during 63 days. Results in our study showed that SC was significantly different and recorded higher 17.875±0.54 cm in group that fed on 1% PP, also SH recorded higher and significant different in group fed on 1% PP compared with other groups 10.000±0.32 cm. Average blood serum testosterone reduces in all groups compared to control group that fed on 0% of PP (11.418±0.15 n.mol/L). Final body weight in our study had significantly different (P < 0.05) between groups, 1% PP recorded higher weight (34.9 ± 0.58) kg. Each average daily gain, total body gain and initial body weight had not significant different in all groups. Correlation coefficient between SC, SH, blood serum testosterone concentration and final BW computed and ranged between (-0.397 to + 0.914).


2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Matheus Fellipe de Lana Ferreira ◽  
Luciana Navajas Rennó ◽  
Isabela Iria Rodrigues ◽  
Edenio Detmann ◽  
Mário Fonseca Paulino ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Metabolic profile evaluation is a tool widely used in ruminant nutrition as metabolic cues that relate nutrition to physiology. Metabolic and hormonal traits change during pre-partum and lactation according to parity in dairy cows, but studies of beef cows under grazing are scarce. The present study aimed to evaluate how metabolic and hormonal traits change over time, their relationship to performance, and determine if these factors differ according to the parity order of grazing beef cows. Thirty-six pregnant Nellore cows (12 nulliparous, 12 primiparous, and 12 multiparous) were used. The study started at 60 d prepartum until 203 d of lactation. Results The initial body weight (BW) and final BW were higher for multiparous cows (P > 0.05). An interaction occurred between parity and day (P < .0001) for body condition score. Nulliparous and primiparous body condition score were reduced from − 60 prepartum to 30 postpartum, then stabilized 60 postpartum (P < 0.05), while multiparous maintained body condition score from − 60 days until 60 days postpartum (P > 0.05). Calf BW, final BW, and average daily gain did not differ between parities (P > 0.05). Effect of day (P < 0.05) was detected for non-esterified fatty acids, triglycerides, total cholesterol, LDL, VLDL, progesterone, and insulin. An interaction was observed between parity and days for glucose, HDL, β-hydroxybutyrate, creatinine and IGF-1 (P < 0.05). Parity affected serum urea nitrogen, total proteins, albumin, and globulins (P < 0.05). Parity and day relative to calving did not impact total T3 and T4 (P > 0.05). Conclusions Hormonal and metabolic profile is strongly influenced by the stage of lactation. Time effects (pre-partum and lactation period) were more pronounced in nulliparous since they displayed more unbalanced metabolic and hormonal traits and lowered BCS pre- and postpartum.


2015 ◽  
Vol 36 (5) ◽  
pp. 3431 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lívia Vieira de Barros ◽  
Mário Fonseca Paulino ◽  
David Steban Conteras Marquez ◽  
Carla Heloisa Avelino Cabral ◽  
Felipe Gomes da Silva ◽  
...  

<p>This study was conducted to evaluate the productive and nutritional performance of suckling calves fed only a mineral mix (MM) or different levels of multiple supplement and the milk yield and nutritional parameters of beef cows on <em>Uruchloa decumbens </em>pastures. Thirty-two suckling calves, with an average age of 3 months and average initial weight of 109.3 ± 0.84 kg, and their respective mothers, with an average initial weight of 447.2 ± 47.1 kg, were used. The experimental design was completely randomized. The supplement contained approximately 25% crude protein (CP), and treatments consisted of the supply of different of multiple supplement levels for the calves. The levels of supply of the supplements were 0.2, 0.4, and 0.6% of the body weight for treatments N0.2, N0.4, and N0.6, respectively. The animals from the control treatment (MM) received only an MM <em>ad libitum</em>. The average daily gain (ADG) of the calves was 731.2, 810.6, 822.7, and 895.2 grams for treatments MM, N0.2, N0.4, and N0.6, respectively. Supplemented calves showed greater weight gain. The multiple supplement levels offered to the calves had a positive linear effect (P&lt;0.10) on their ADG. The intakes in kg/ day of dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), CP, non-fibrous carbohydrates (NFC), digestible DM, digestible neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and total digestible nutrients (TDN) were higher (P&lt;0.10) for animals that received multiple supplements compared with those fed only an MM. The levels of supply of multiple supplements had an increasing linear effect on ether extract (EE) intake, and a quadratic effect was found on DM intake, forage DM, OM, forage OM, CP, NFC, digestible DM, and TDN. The total apparent digestibility coefficients of DM, OM, NDF, NFC, and TDN were higher (P&lt;0.10) for the animals that received multiple supplements. With the levels of supply of multiple supplements, an increasing linear effect was observed on EE digestibility. Calf supplementation did not affect the performance, milk yield, or nutritional parameters of the cows (P&gt;0.10).</p>


1968 ◽  
Vol 48 (3) ◽  
pp. 323-333 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. M. Gleddie ◽  
R. T. Berg

Milk yield in lactating range beef cows was estimated by milking 42 cows four times at approximately monthly intervals during the lactation. Milking was by machine after oxytocin injection. Weights of calves, before and after suckling, over a 24-hour period were used to estimate calf consumption. Breed-age group averages for 24-hour milk yield varied from 3.7 to 8.4 kg, with an overall average of 6.4 kg. Breed of cow accounted for 82.5% of the variance in milk yield in these data. Milk yield declined on the average by 0.02 kg per day of lactation. The correlation between calf consumption and milk yield was 0.58. Butterfat was 3.9% on the average, protein 3.5%, solids-not-fat 9.1% and total solids 13.0%. Breed-age group or month of test did not significantly influence milk constituent percentages, although butterfat and total solids tended to rise as lactation progressed.A good estimate of milk yield was obtained by one test milking. Milk composition based on one test milking was not reliable. Milk yield as estimated in any month was highly related to calf average daily gain from birth to weaning. Use of two test milkings improved the relationship only slightly. Milk solid component percentages showed little relationship to calf gains.


1991 ◽  
Vol 71 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. D. H. Cohen ◽  
B. D. King ◽  
P. S. W. Hunter ◽  
E. D. Janzen

In 1984–1985 and 1985–1986, groups of 136 and 127 male calves were used to assess the effects of multiple implants (Ralgro or Steeroid), castration time (early or late) and castration method (surgical or chemical) on testicular development and weight gain for 28 d following castration. Ralgro-implanted bull calves had smaller scrotal circumference (P < 0.001) and testicle weight (P < 0.001) than nonimplanted calves at early castration (59 ± 1 d), late castration (157 ± 1 d) and at slaughter (459 ± 3 d). Steeroid had no effect on testicle weight at early castration (40 ± 1 d) but reduced testicle weight (P < 0.001) at late castration (148 ± 1 d). Average daily gain (ADG) during the first 7 d postcastration was less for surgically castrated than chemically castrated calves or bulls following early castration (P < 0.05) but in the 7 d following late castration, bull calves grew faster than surgical castrates (P < 0.05) and surgical castrates grew faster than chemical castrates (P < 0.05). The ADG of calves implanted with Ralgro was greater than that of nonimplanted calves during the 28-d period following early and late castration (P < 0.05) but Steeroid had no effect (P > 0.05) on 28-d postcastration ADG. Chemical castration increased scrotal circumference at 7, 14 and 28 d postcastration (P < 0.001) but by day 56, testicular atrophy was complete in those calves that were successfully castrated. Chem-cast was an effective method of castration in young calves (< 90 kg liveweight), particularly those that had been implanted with Ralgro, but efficacy was reduced (P < 0.05) in older calves (> 150 kg liveweight). Key words: Castration, Chem-cast, Ralgro, Steeroid, testosterone, beef


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 1082-1090 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jay A Daniel ◽  
Alison Crane ◽  
Peter D Krawczel ◽  
Johann F Coetzee ◽  
Brian K Whitlock

Abstract The objective of this study was to determine if oral meloxicam (M; a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug) administered at castration to pre-weaning age calves affected average daily gain (ADG) or behavior. Prior to castration (d −14), Angus bulls were weighed and randomly assigned to be band castrated (BAN; n = 8; age = 90.2 ± 6.5 d; BW = 146.3 ± 11.4 kg; scrotal circumference = 16.0 ± 0.5 cm) or castrated with M (BAN + M; n = 9; age = 102.1 ± 6.2 d; BW = 146.0 ± 7.7 kg; scrotal circumference = 16.1 ± 0.3 cm). Six bulls selected to remain bulls based on pedigree and phenotype were maintained in the same pasture (BULL; age = 104.2 ± 6.1 d; BW = 172.1 ± 8.7 kg; scrotal circumference = 17.5 ± 0.4 cm). On d 0, BAN and BAN + M had a rubber band applied tightly around the scrotum, and BAN + M also received oral M (2 mg/kg BW). On d 1, 14, and 28, animals were weighed and a blood sample was collected to determine circulating concentrations of haptoglobin and fibrinogen. Data loggers were affixed to the legs of calves immediately prior to castration (d 0) to record behaviors [mean lying time (h/d), mean lying bouts (n/d), and steps (n/d)] at 1-min intervals and removed on d 28. Behavior and plasma data were tested for effect of treatment, day, and treatment × day interaction, and ADG data were tested for effect of treatment, period (d −14 to 1, d 1 to 14, and d 14 to 28), and treatment × period interaction using JMP procedures for repeated measures (SAS Inst. Inc., Cary, NC). BULL in period d 0 to 14 had greater ADG than all other treatment period combinations, and BULL had greater ADG than BAN or BAN + M overall (P &lt; 0.05). There was no effect of M treatment on circulating concentrations of fibrinogen or haptoglobin (P &gt; 0.05). On d 7 and 15, BAN took more steps than BAN + M (P &lt; 0.05). BAN + M had more lying bouts than BAN on d 13 and 14 (P &lt; 0.05). Overall, M administration had no effect on ADG post-castration and only had minor impacts on behavior in calves band castrated pre-weaning.


1996 ◽  
Vol 76 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. M. Stookey ◽  
L. A. Goonewardene

Data from two record of performance test stations (ROP) were used to compare selected traits of polled and horned bulls. The University of Saskatchewan (SASK) ROP test station provided data on 578 Charolais (CH) and 375 Hereford (HE) bulls from 1985 to 1992, while the Alberta (ALTA) Hereford ROP station provided data on 1485 HE bulls from 1985 to 1993. Polled and horned CH bulls from SASK showed similar (P > 0.05) on-test average daily gain (ADG), while polled HE bulls from SASK showed significantly higher (P < 0.03) ADG than their horned counterparts (1.41 ± 0.01 and 1.36 ± 0.02, respectively). Polled CH bulls were 11.4% fatter than horned bulls at the end of the test (P < 0.01). No significant differences in ADG, weight per day of age (WPDA) or scrotal circumference (SC) were observed between polled and homed HE bulls in ALTA. These results show no disadvantage for polled bulls compared to horned for ADG, WPDA, adjusted SC and adjusted yearling weight. From a welfare perspective, it may be advantageous to use polled bulls to circumvent the need for dehorning. Key words: Polled horned bulls ADG test station


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