Relationships between body condition score, body weight, and some nutritional parameters in plasma and resumption of ovarian cyclicity postpartum during pre-service period in high-producing dairy cows in a subtropical region in Japan

Abstract

The objective of this study was to investigate the relationships among body condition score (BCS), body weight and plasma metabolite concentrations, and resumption of ovarian cycles postpartum in high-producing dairy cows in a subtropical region in Japan. The study was conducted between May 2001 and January 2003 in a commercial dairy farm in Hiroshima. Cows were kept in free-stall barns with sawdust and wood shavings for bedding, and fed a total mixed ration consisting of alfalfa, timothy and oat hay, corn, tofu ground-wet, beet pulp, cottonseed and soybean. Milk samples were collected twice weekly from 2 to 11 weeks postpartum, and progesterone concentrations in skim milk were determined by ELISA. At 8 and 2 weeks before calving and 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11 weeks after calving, both BCS and body weights were determined and blood samples were collected to determine plasma concentrations of total cholesterol (T-cholesterol), non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), total protein, and urea nitrogen. The average 305 days milk yield was 10,422 kg. Out of 110 cows, 44.5% had normal resumption (ovulation occurred ≤45 days after calving, followed by regular ovarian cycles), 33.6% had a prolonged luteal phase (luteal activity >20 days), 12.7% had delayed first ovulation (no ovulation until ≤45 days after calving), 4.6% had a short luteal phase (luteal activity <10 days, except in the first cycle), and the remaining 4.6% had cessation of cyclicity (no luteal activity ≥14 days between cycles). The BCS of cows with delayed first ovulation were lower than the BCS of cows with normal resumption and prolonged luteal phase at 5 weeks (2.9 ± 0.1 versus 3.1 ± 0.1 and 3.2 ± 0.1; P < 0.05), 7 weeks (2.8 ± 0.1 versus 3.1 ± 0.1 and 3.2 ± 0.1; P < 0.01), 9 weeks (2.7 ± 0.1 versus 3.0 ± 0.1 and 3.2 ± 0.1; P < 0.01) and 11 weeks (2.6 ± 0.1 versus 3.0 ± 0.1 and 3.2 ± 0.1; P < 0.01) after calving. None of the plasma parameters differed ( P > 0.05) among different groups of cows. Cows loosing ≥1 unit BCS after calving had a prolonged interval to commencement of luteal activity, and were at greater risk of having delayed first ovulation. Poor postpartum nutritional status was associated with delayed first ovulation postpartum. Regular monitoring of BCS before and after calving would be useful in nutritional management, and help in preventing delayed first ovulation in high-producing dairy cows.