Abstract
A global analysis of several productive indicators and the postpartum anoestrous interval (PPI) of 549 beef cowswas carried out to determine the management factors related with postpartum ovarian reactivation in extensive mountainfarming systems. Multivariate statistic methods (Multiple Correspondence Analysis and Cluster Analysis) were usedto analyse the data due to the multifactorial nature of the processes involved. PPI was associated to four factors thatexplained 59% of the total inertia of the sample and were defined as follows: «Prepartum feeding level» (19% of theinertia), «Postpartum feeding level-Parity» (16.4%), «Suckling frequency» (13%) and «Calving difficulty» (10.5%).These factors were introduced into a Cluster Analysis that identified five types of cows: «Primiparous cows», «Twicedailysuckling», «Ad libitum suckling-Brown Swiss», «Autumn calving season» and «Spring calving season». Cowbreed was not related to PPI, although the Cluster Analysis associated the suckling-induced prolonged PPI with BrownSwiss animals. In Brown Swiss breed, PPI was longer in the spring than in the autumn due to nutritional differencesrather than to a seasonal effect. Autumn calving was better adapted to dry mountain conditions.
Highlights
Management factors associated to the duration of postpartum anoestrus interval in Brown Swiss and Pirenaica beef cows
A global analysis of several productive indicators and the postpartum anoestrous interval (PPI) of 549 beef cows was carried out to determine the management factors related with postpartum ovarian reactivation in extensive mountain farming systems
PPI was associated to four factors that explained 59% of the total inertia of the sample and were defined as follows: «Prepartum feeding level» (19% of the inertia), «Postpartum feeding level-Parity» (16.4%), «Suckling frequency» (13%) and «Calving difficulty» (10.5%)
Summary
Se recogieron los datos productivos y la duración del APP de 549 de vacas nodrizas pertenecientes a la finca experimental La Garcipollera, en el Pirineo Central (42o 37’N, 0o 30’W), entre los años 1987 y 1998. En el rebaño experimental se utilizó el manejo tradicional de las explotaciones pirenaicas, basado fundamentalmente en tres periodos, uno de estabulación invernal, otro de pastoreo en puertos durante el verano (1.500-2.200 m) y el último de pastoreo en áreas boscosas o praderas de fondo de valle durante la primavera y el otoño. El manejo reproductivo se caracterizaba por la concentración de partos en dos épocas: una de primavera (marzo a mayo), manejo tradicional de las áreas de montaña, y otra de otoño (septiembre a noviembre), como manejo alternativo al anterior, que fue practicado únicamente en las vacas de raza Parda de Montaña. Durante el periodo de estabulación, en el sistema tradicional los terneros permanecían separados de sus madres en un cubículo anexo al de las vacas, permitiéndoles mamar durante dos períodos diarios de 15 minutos cada uno (acceso restringido). Practicado únicamente con vacas multíparas por cuestiones de manejo general, los terneros permanecieron con sus madres durante toda la lactación (acceso libre)
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