Effect of late prepartum fibre-based diets on the live weight changes and reproduction of Holstein cows in the subsequent lactation period

B.A Useni,C.W Cruywagen,C.J.C Muller

doi:10.4314/sajas.v49i1.13

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate two late prepartum fibre-based diets that differed in non-structural carbohydrate (NFC) and protein levels on live weight (LW) changes and fertility traits of Holstein cows until 120 days postpartum. At 30 days before calving, 120 pregnant Holsteins (heifers, n = 54 and dry cows, n = 66) from the Elsenburg herd were assigned to two nutritional treatments according to parity, expected calving date, LW, and milk production during the previous lactation. Prepartum heifers and cows were fed independently a similar type and level of a prepartum concentrate, associated with an ad libitum intake of either unchopped oat hay for the control group or a partial total mixed ration (pTMR: oat hay (48%), lucerne hay (43%) and soybean oil cake meal (9%)) for the treatment group. After parturition, cows in both the control and treatment groups were maintained on ad libitum cultivated irrigated kikuyu-ryegrass pastures, supplemented each with a post-partum concentrate of 7 kg/day from calving until 120 days in milk (DIM). As expected, young and still growing primiparous cows were significantly lighter in pre- and post-partum LW traits compared with mature multiparous cows (parity > 3). Prepartum LW of cows was similar between the control and the treatment in both parity groups. Post-partum LW of the primiparous cows differed significantly between the control and the treatment, which were 488 ± 9 and 507 ± 13 kg, respectively. However, no difference was observed in terms of post-partum LW of multiparous cows of the control and the treatment groups, which were 579 ± 10 and 579 ± 8 kg, respectively. Primiparous cows that received the prepartum oat hay-based diet showed significant decrease in post-partum LW loss changes, LWnadir, LW loss at nadir and rate of LW loss from calving to LWnadir in comparison with their counterparts on the prepartum pTMR-based diet, but these LW traits were similar in multiparous cows. Prepartum diets did not have an effect on post-partum fertility parameters of the multiparous cows, whereas primiparous cows that received the control diet recorded a significantly longer interval from calving to first service (CFS) in the subsequent lactation in comparison with their counterparts fed the treatment diet i.e. 117 ± 9 and 86 ± 8 days, respectively. Proportions of cows that were pregnant at 120 DIM were similar in the subsequent lactation between groups that received the prepartum oat hay- and pTMR-based diets in both parity groups. Further research is required to investigate different prepartum feeding periods and nutritional approaches involving various levels and sources of energy and protein nutrients to encourage post-partum metabolic and hormonal responses that benefit the fertility of dairy cows in the subsequent lactation.Keywords: Dairy, dry period, non-structural carbohydrate, protein, postpartum, pregnancy

Highlights

During the transition period, periparturient cows mobilize their stored body reserves in an attempt to meet the increased demands for maintenance and production
Sci. vol 49 after calving) (Wankhade et al, 2017). This condition is caused by the periparturient decline in dry matter intake (DMI), which creates a shortage in needed nutrients and a state of negative energy balance (NEB)
Fronk et al (1980) studied the eight-week prepartum overconditioning of dairy cows fed 2.7 kg/day alfalfa hay ad libitum and supplemented with 1.8 kg/day of grain or 6.4 to 8.2 kg/day grain, depending on body condition ratings. These researchers reported that feeding large amounts of grain to prepartum cows improved the digestible energy intake compared with those fed low amounts of grain, but their live weight (LW) changes did not differ

Summary

Introduction

It has been demonstrated that weighing animals regularly is a proxy to identify the energy balance (EB), nutritional status and physiological wellbeing of each cow in the herd in response to managerial purposes (e.g. nutritional treatment according to desired EB balance, LW loss or gain, health status, productivity and reproductive performances) (Alawneh et al, 2012). This technique is an easy and fast method to use at farm level, compared with the inherent difficulties with body condition score (BCS) measurement owing to inter-observer inconsistency and bias (Van Straten et al, 2008). BCS is not sensitive enough to detect differences in visceral fat deposition, which can affect metabolism and peripartal health compared with continuous LW monitoring (Drackley et al, 2014)

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