Abstract
This study analyzed associations between the occurrence of mastitis, metritis and retained placenta with the reproductive performance and milk production of four Holstein dairy herds of southern Brazil. Calving-to-conception intervals (CCI) and daily milk production were compared across herds, number of artificial inseminations and clinical occurrences and occurrence of mastitis, metritis and retained placenta. The CCI of cows with three or more clinical occurrences was longer than for those with no occurrences, but shorter for cows with retained placenta than for those without it. Cows with clinical mastitis up to 60 days post-partum had shorter CCI than those with mastitis after 60 days. Cows with retained placenta also had higher frequency of metritis. The daily milk production was higher for cows with three or more clinical occurrences than for those with one or none and for those without retained placenta than for those with retained placenta. A high number of clinical occurrences was related to prolonged CCI and increased daily milk production.
Highlights
Reproductive efficiency is critical for dairy herds because suboptimal fertility is related to reduction in milk production and in reproductive efficiency (Maizon et al, 2004)
The frequency of clinical mastitis in the present study (36.7%) is lower than that reported in other study in Brazil (Gonzalez et al, 2004), which probably reflects differences in management between the herds analyzed in both studies
Among the diagnosed cases of clinical mastitis, 7.9% occurred up to 60 days within the conception interval (CCI), 5.5% occurred 60-120 days within the CCI, 4.4% were after more than 120 days within the CCI and 17.9% occurred after conception
Summary
Reproductive efficiency is critical for dairy herds because suboptimal fertility is related to reduction in milk production and in reproductive efficiency (Maizon et al, 2004). Calving and calving-to-conception intervals are commonly used as indicators of reproductive efficiency. Calving intervals of 365 days would be ideal, resulting in one calving per cow per year, but intervals of 13-13.5 months are considered acceptable (Weaver, 1992). A calving-to-conception interval (CCI) of 50 days is desirable, but longer intervals (e.g., 110 days) may be accepted as more realistic (Weaver, 1992), considering conditions that commonly affect highly productive cows, such as postpartum infections, negative energy balance and prolonged lactations. Milk production has drastically increased since 1990 due to improvements in nutrition, management and genetics (Washburn et al, 2002), both calving and CCI have been prolonged (Rajala-Schultz & Frazer, 2003).
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