Reproductive consequences of deficiency of uridine monophosphate synthase in Holstein cattle

Abstract

Summary Cattle heterozygous for deficiency of uridine monophosphate synthase required more breeding services per calving when mated to other heterozygotes than did matings of normal cattle. Gestation length, number of breeding services per calving, and days from breeding to pregnancy examination were monitored on 759 complete gestations, 76 false-positive pregnancy diagnoses, 14 false-negative pregnancy diagnoses, and 413 negative pregnancy diagnoses in a dairy herd between 1983 and 1987. For complete gestations, 15 heterozygote × heterozygote matings required 3.13 ± 0.37 breeding services per calving, which was significantly more than the 2.05 ± 0.05 breeding services required for normal × normal matings; gestation length and days from breeding to pregnancy examination were similar between mating types. For false-positive pregnancy diagnoses, females diagnosed pregnant, but subsequently found not to be pregnant, 5 heterozygote × heterozygote matings averaged 51 ± 23 days of gestation, which was less than the 93 ± 6 days required for 71 normal matings; services and days from breeding to pregnancy examination were similar between mating types. All false-negative pregnancy diagnoses, females diagnosed not pregnant but later found to be pregnant, were made on cattle with normal matings. For negative pregnancy diagnoses, heterozygous matings averaged 0.3 more breeding services per examination than normal matings.