Factors associated with negative energy balance in periparturient dairy cows raised under tropical climate of Thailand-A mini-review.

Supawit Triwutanon,Theera Rukkwamsuk

doi:10.5455/javar.2021.h526

Abstract

This review attempted to explain factors associated with negative energy balance (NEB) occurring during the periparturient period in dairy cows raised under tropical climatic conditions. The NEB has long been proven as an inevitable event in periparturient dairy cows. This condition had negative effects on the overall performances of dairy cows, including milk production, reproduction, and health condition. Therefore, periparturient management to overcome the NEB problem is vital for optimizing profit in dairy farming. In most tropical countries such as Thailand, dairy cows have been predominantly kept by small-holder farmers. Consequently, baseline milk yields, feed availability, feeding management, and general farming practices are different from typical commercial dairy farming. Heat stress also plays a crucial role in NEB conditions, and elevated temperature-humidity indexes above-normal conditions are recorded throughout the year. These factors influence the NEB in tropical dairy cows, which could result in different outcomes and consequences. Understanding the affecting components of NEB in dairy cows would help alleviate the severity of the NEB and its consequences, optimizing the dairy cow’s performance.

Highlights

The period from late pregnancy to early lactation in dairy cows is crucially essential for milk production, health condition, and reproductive performance [1]
This review attempted to explain factors associated with negative energy balance (NEB) occurring during the periparturient period in dairy cows raised under tropical climatic conditions
Heat stress plays a crucial role in NEB conditions, and elevated temperature-humidity indexes above-normal conditions are recorded throughout the year

Summary

Introduction

The period from late pregnancy to early lactation in dairy cows is crucially essential for milk production, health condition, and reproductive performance [1]. Even though elevated serum NEFA and BHBA postpartum were reported, average milk production was 29.1 ± 5.3 kg/cows/d in 30 days postpartum, which was much higher than other studies in Thailand. Data on serum insulin and IGF-I from cows with an average of 39 ± 7.2 kg/ day of milk production were reported in the same study Serum concentrations of both insulin and IGF-I increased slightly during the 1st month of the dry period and drastically decline at calving. The study showed sub-optimum milk yields, delayed the first estrus after calving, and low pregnancy rates in a group of suspected NEB cows due to significantly reduced serum glucose and increased NEFA at 2 weeks postpartum. The study of Chankrachang and Hongyantrachai [69] reported that days to the first service, days open, services per conception, and first service conception rate were 83.86 ± 4.11 days, 106.76 ± 5.66 days, 1.65 ± 0.14 times, and 47.62%, respectively, which are considered suboptimal for the expected reproductive parameter in a group of cows that are suspected of having NEB

Conclusions

Findings

Conflict of Interests