1st Parity Research Articles

Milk component ratios and their associations with energy balance indicators and serum calcium concentration in early-lactation spring-calving pasture-based dairy cows

Indirect assessment of metabolic status using milk samples provides a non-invasive and objective tool for cow-level health monitoring. Milk fat-to-protein ratio (FPR) has been commonly evaluated as an indirect measure for negative energy balance (EB) in confined dairy cows. However, milk component ratios have not been explored for their association with pasture-based cows' metabolic status. The objectives of this observational study were to 1) describe milk component ratios from 0 to 45 d postpartum, 2) evaluate the associations between milk component ratios [FPR, fat-to-lactose (FLR), protein-to-lactose (PLR)] and indicators of EB (serum β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) concentration at 5-45 d postpartum and body condition score (BCS) change during the transition period), and 3) evaluate the associations between milk component ratios and serum Ca concentration 0-4 d postpartum in spring-calving dairy cows from pasture-based commercial farms. Milk component ratios were determined on samples collected before AM or PM milkings from 548 cows at 0-45 d postpartum (n = 970). Serum BHB and Ca determinations were performed in blood samples collected at the time of milk sample collection at 5-45 d postpartum (n = 918) and 0-4 d postpartum (n = 50), respectively; and BCS change was calculated using BCS assigned between 29 d prepartum and 45 d postpartum (n = 851). Cows' calving date, parity (1st, 2nd-3rd or ≥ 4th) and breed (Holstein-Friesian or dairy crossbred) information was obtained from the farm records. Data was analyzed by multiple linear regression. Average milk FPR, FLR and PLR were 0.70, 0.53 and 0.72, respectively. Milk FPR linearly increased while milk FLR linearly decreased postpartum both at a rate of 0.004 units per day; milk PLR decreased 0.05 units per day for the first 30 d postpartum and moderately increased afterward. Milk FPR and FLR were 0.71 and 0.52 units lower before AM than PM milking, respectively; while milk PLR was similar before AM and PM milking. Milk FPR and FLR were 0.07 to 0.10 units higher for 2nd-3rd compared with 1st and ≥ 4th parity cows. Milk PLR was 0.03 units greater for ≥ 4th compared with 2nd-3rd and 1st parity cows. Further, crossbred cows had 0.07, 0.08 and 0.03 higher milk FPR, FLR and PLR than Holstein-Friesian cows, respectively. Moderate to high P-values along with moderate to small estimated slopes and wide 95% confidence intervals were observed for the associations between milk component ratios and indicators of EB. A positive linear association was observed between milk FPR and serum Ca concentration within 4 d postpartum; milk FPR increased 0.31 units per each mmol/L increase in serum Ca concentration. Cows with low serum Ca concentration within 4 d postpartum had 0.27 units lower milk FPR compared with cows at or above the threshold (2.12 mmol/L), and tended to have 0.15 units lower milk FPR compared with cows at or above the threshold (2.00 mmol/L). In conclusion, further research is needed to reach conclusions on the association between milk component ratios determined before milking and EB indicators. The potential of milk FPR for monitoring blood Ca status warrants further investigation in early-lactation pasture-based dairy cows.

Principal breeding factors influencing milk yield and reproduction of Red Chittagong cattle

The study aimed to investigate the principal breeding factors influencing milk yield and reproduction in the Red Chittagong cattle (RCC). Retrospective records of a total of 20 dairy cows from the 1st to the 2nd parities were collected from the record sheet from January 2020 to June 2022. Results indicated that birth weight of the RCC was 7.5% higher (P=0.023) in parity 2 when compared with parity 1. Accordingly, total milk yield per lactation was 10.2% higher (P=0.004) in parity 2 in comparison with parity 1. Age at first service was 34.7% higher (P=0.001) in parity 2 compared with parity 1. Accordingly, age at first conception was 38.3% higher (P=0.001) in parity 2 compared with parity 1. The dry period was 22.8% higher (P=0.001) in parity 1 compared with parity 2. Age at first service was 18.3% higher (P=0.014) in natural service (NS) compared with artificial insemination (AI). Age at first conception was 16.5% higher (P=0.023) in NS compared with AI. Post-partum period was 11.9% higher (P=0.008) in AI compared with NS. Days open was 8.9% higher (P=0.018) in AI compared with NS. Calving interval was 2.9% higher (P=0.006) in AI compared with NS. An increased probability of infertility was associated with NS compared with AI. Birth weight of the calf and dry period of the dam were negatively correlated while live weight and post-partum period of the dam were positively correlated milk yield at the expense of reproductive health. A decreased probability of milk fever, mastitis, metritis and infertility was associated with increased milk yield. Principal component analysis revealed that days open, calving interval and service per conception were the principal eigenvectors determining performance of RCC. Overall, RCC performed better in the 2nd parity compared with the 1st parity.

The production and reproductive traits among different goat breeds in southwestern region of Bangladesh

In Bangladesh, a comprehensive study was conducted over one year to compare the reproductive and productive performance of Black Bengal, Jamunapari, and crossbred goats. The study involved a sample size of 226 goats and provided insightful information on the distinctive capabilities of each type of goat breeds. Most of the doe were 21–30 months of age, and their weight was 21–30 kg. The feed supply for the doe was concentrated green grass, whereas the kids got supplementary feed like rice bran. Among the reproductive traits, age at puberty, age of first kidding, and age of the first conception were significantly (P<0.001) higher in Jamunapari goats, whereas aerial kidding intervals were found in 263.77 ± 54.26 days in crossbreeds. Postpartum heat periods were highest at 68.50 ± 5.53 days in Jamunapari goats at 1st and 2nd parity, though at 3rd parity, 22.96 ± 26.66 days were uppermost in Black Bengal. There was no significant effect of parity on lactation length or milk production. Though Jamunapari goats show the highest lactation length at 1st and 2nd parity, at 3rd parity, 2.56 ± 2.89 kg was the largest in Black Bengals. The mortality of kids was high in the second parity in Black Bengal and crossbreeds, whereas in Jamunapari, it was higher in the first and second parities. The mortality rate of kids under 20 days was high, which gradually decreased with the advancement of age. Different periparturient and postpartum diseases, like abortion, dystocia, retained placenta, etc., decreased the reproductive performance of goats. The Black Bengal goat exhibited superior productive and reproductive performance to Jamunapari and crossbred goats. The study's findings suggest that, in the southwestern region of Bangladesh, prioritizing Black Bengal goats for breeding programs could potentially enhance both productive and reproductive traits compared to Jamunapari and crossbred goats. Asian Australas. J. Biosci. Biotechnol. 2023, 8 (3), 78-87

Organic selenium and vitamin E for gilts and sows bred in equatorial climate.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the dietary supplementation of organic selenium (Se) and vitamin E for sows from 1st and 2nd parity order, without adiabatic cooling on physiological parameters, reproductive performance, milk composition, litter performance and blood concentrations of antioxidant enzymes. A total of 96 sows were allotted in a 4 × 2 completely factorial design, with 4 experimental groups and 2 parity orders (1st and 2nd). The experimental groups consisted of: ACCon-sows receiving adiabatic cooling and no dietary supplementation of organic Se and vitamin E; WACCon-sows without adiabatic cooling and no dietary supplementation of organic Se and vitamin E; WACSe-sows without adiabatic cooling with dietary supplementation of 0.3 mg/kg organic Se; WACSeE-sows without adiabatic cooling with dietary supplementation of 0.3 mg/kg organic Se and 90 UI of vitamin E. ACCon Sows had lower respiratory rate, rectal temperature and body surface temperature when compared to the others sows (p < 0.05). Sows without evaporative cooling had lower daily milk production and weaned litters with lower weight and average daily gain when compared to the other groups (p < 0.05). ACCon sows presented higher weaned piglets to WACSeE sows. WACSeE Sows had higher concentrations of GSH-Px when compared to other experimental groups and higher levels of SOD than sows from ACCon and WACSe. Piglets of sows from WACSeE group presented higher levels of GSH-Px and SOD when compared to the other experimental groups. ACCon sows have higher milk yield and higher litter weight than others groups. Under equatorial climate conditions, dietary supplementation of organic Se and vitamin E from first and second parity order sows does not respond efficiently on thermoregulatory physiology and performance compared to adiabatic cooling, but modulates the enzymatic antioxidant balance of sows and piglets.

Abstract 1899: Breast density comparison of Hispanic versus Non-Hispanic patients undergoing screening mammograms: Influence of age, parity and breast-feeding

Abstract Background: Higher mammographic breast density is associated with a 4 to 6-fold increased risk of breast cancer. Some single institution retrospective studies show higher breast densities in Hispanic patients (Oppong et al. Breast J. 2018). The prevalence of breast density based on Hispanic ethnicity has not been studied in large database studies. Methods: We performed a retrospective review of women &amp;gt; 40 years undergoing screening mammograms from 2016-2022. Patients with prior history of breast cancer were excluded. We reviewed demographic variables such as race, self-reported ethnicity, body mass index (BMI), parity, breastfeeding and menopausal status. Breast density was characterized as predominantly fatty (PF), scattered fibroglandular (SF), heterogeneously dense (HD) and extremely dense (ED). We used Chi-square and Kruskal-Wallace tests to compare breast density across measured variables, and Ordinal Logistic Regression to compare breast density levels between self-declared ethnicity while adjusting for other variables. Results: 15946 patients were studied; 7317 (46%) identified as Hispanic, the rest non-Hispanic (NH). 6131 (83%) of Hispanics identified as white. Mean age on 1st screening mammogram was 57.64 (SD 7.21). Compared to NH, Hispanics had mean earlier age of 1st mammogram (56.8 vs. 58.3 years), higher BMI (30.5 vs. 28.6) and higher parity (2.53 vs. 1.71). There were significant differences in BI-RADS density categories by Hispanic vs. NH (p&amp;lt;0.001), with differences in PF (20.2% vs. 18.5%), SF (41.7% vs. 39.0%), HD (35.8% vs. 37.2%), and ED (2.3% vs. 5.3%). The ordinal logistic regression model suggests that Hispanics have 17% lower odds than NH of 1 category higher density (OR, 95% CI: 0.83, 0.78-0.88). There were also significant ethnicity differences in age at first exam, BMI, parity, and number of children breast-fed (P&amp;lt;0.001). Adjusting for these ethnicity-associated differences explained the observed differences in density between Hispanic and NH individuals (ORadj, 95% CI: 0.98, 0.92-1.04); adjusting only for BMI served to explain the observed differences in density (ORadj, 95% CI: 0.99, 0.94-1.05). Conclusions: Hispanics were observed to have a lower age of first screening mammogram, higher BMI, higher parity, and breast-fed children compared to non-Hispanics. On univariate analysis, Hispanics were noted to have lower breast density compared to non-Hispanics, these differences do not persist on multivariate analysis. This suggests that BMI likely plays a predominant role in driving the ethnicity-related differences in breast density noted here. Further research efforts should focus on the influence of BMI and other individual-level factors on mammographic density, with a view towards understanding their potential roles in describing differential ethnicity-specific breast cancer risk. Citation Format: Sangeetha Prabhakaran, Vernon S. Pankratz, Jennifer L. Saline, Emily J. Reese. Breast density comparison of Hispanic versus Non-Hispanic patients undergoing screening mammograms: Influence of age, parity and breast-feeding [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2023; Part 1 (Regular and Invited Abstracts); 2023 Apr 14-19; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(7_Suppl):Abstract nr 1899.

Abstract P244: Gestational Glucose Intolerance is Associated With Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy in a Large Hospital-Based Multiethnic Cohort

Introduction: Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) are associated with higher future cardiovascular risk. Treatment of gestational diabetes (GDM) has been shown to reduce the risk of HDP. It is unknown if women with gestational glucose intolerance (GGI), defined as abnormal GDM screening but without a GDM diagnosis, are at higher risk of HDP. Currently, GGI is not treated. Hypothesis: We tested the hypothesis that GGI pregnancies have increased odds of HDP. Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study of 41,706 singleton pregnancies delivered at an academic center. Based on the results of GDM screening and diagnostic tests, pregnancies were categorized as normal glucose tolerance (NGT, glucose loading test &lt; 140 mg/dl), GGI (glucose loading test ≥140 mg/dl with 0 or 1 abnormal value on oral glucose tolerance testing [OGTT] thus without GDM), or GDM (≥ 2 abnormal values on OGTT). GGI was further classified into groups with zero (GGI-0) or 1 (GGI-1) abnormal OGTT values. We used laboratory, blood pressure, and delivery reports to capture HDP and exclude chronic hypertension. Generalized estimating equations for logistic regression were used to measure the risk of HDP after adjustment for age, 1st trimester BMI, parity, insurance, race/ethnicity, and marital status. A similar approach was used to test for associations between GGI and pre-eclampsia (PE). Results: A total of 84.5% of pregnancies were classified as NGT, 8.9% as GGI-0, 3.0% as GGI-1 and 3.6% as GDM. The unadjusted frequencies of HDP and PE were higher in GGI-1 (140 [11.2%] and 64 [5.1%] of 1,251) and GDM (165 [11.1%] and 94 [6.3%] of 1,485) compared to NGT (2,275 [6.5%] and 1,100 [3.1%] of 35,238) and GGI-0 (283 [7.6%] and 136 [3.6%] of 3,732). We observed greater odds of HDP in all 3 groups compared to NGT in adjusted models, and similar trends for PE (Figure 1). Conclusions: The risks of HDP and PE in GGI-1 are greater than for NGT pregnancies and similar to the risks in GDM. Our results suggest that women with GGI-1 should be considered for intervention, similar to GDM.

Factors Affecting Fatty Acid Composition of Holstein Cow's Milk.

Milk fatty acid composition has gained the interest of both manufacturers and consumers during recent years. The present paper aimed to perform an analysis of C14:0, C16:0, C18:0, C18:1, saturated (SFA), monounsaturated (MUFA), polyunsaturated (PUFA) and short chain fatty acid (SCFA) concentration in cow's milk in relation to the type of ration, parity, lactation phase and season. Cows' milk from animals being fed total mixed rations, including corn silage, had higher C14:0, C16:0 and SFA concentrations than those being fed pasture-based rations but lower concentrations of C18:0 and PUFA. Comparing to 1st parity cows, 2nd and 3rd parity animals had higher SFA and SCFA concentrations in milk. With respect to spring, C14:0, C16:0 and SFA concentrations increased in summer, autumn and winter while MUFA, PUFA and SCFA concentrations decreased. Considering the lactation phase, C14:0, C16:0 and SFA concentrations decreased in fresh cows with ketosis comparing to healthy fresh cows and increased in peak, mid and late lactation. C18:0, C18:1 and MUFA follow the opposite trend. The milk fatty acid profile varies significantly through the studied effects. The fact that the fatty acid profile is associated with animal health, organoleptic properties of milk or even methane production highlights the importance of studying factors that affect its variation.

Non-genetic factors affecting litter size, age at first lambing and lambing interval of Romanov sheep in Croatia

Reproductive traits are of paramountimportance in an efficient lamb production system. In Croatia, values of reproductive traits of Romanov sheep are below the average expected for this breed, indicating the need for improvement of these traits to exploit the breed’s full reproductive potential. This study was conducted on 260 Romanov ewes located at a commercial Romanov sheep farm in Croatia. All ewes were kept under similar conditions, and reproductive management was based on accelerated lambing with continuous mating. Linear models with fixed effects were used to estimate the influence of year of birth/lambing, season of birth/lambing, ram, parity and litter type on litter size (LS), age at first lambing (AFL) and lambing interval (LI). Average LS was 2.11 ± 0.71, while the year of lambing and parity were the most important factors affecting this trait. The smallest litters were recorded after 1st parity (1.77 ± 0.06), and the largest after 5th parity (2.21 ± 0.08). AFL averaged 388.5 ± 72.4 days. All investigated non-genetic factors had a significant (P&amp;lt;0.05) influence on AFL, with year of birth as most important. The average LI was 241.2 ± 70.8 days. A significant (P&amp;lt;0.05) influence of all factors on LI was observed. Ewes lambing in spring (200.2 ± 7.9 days) or summer (190.5 ±6.6 days) had a significantly (P&amp;lt;0.05) shorter LI than ewes lambing in autumn (227.7 ± 8.3 days) or winter (237.2 ± 6.7 days). The longest LI was observed after the first parity (284.0 ±5.5 days). Average values for reproductive traits in the examined population of Romanov sheep were higher than those reported in the official Croatian database for breeding sheep. Non-genetic factors have a significant influence on the variation of reproductive traits of Romanov sheep, and therefore should be considered when assessing ewes’ reproductive performance.

PSXVI-12 Marine-Derived Ca-Mg Complex Supplementation Enhances the Performance of Sows and Their Litters During Parity 1 to 4

Abstract Among several nutrients, minerals specifically constitute a small percentage of diets but have an impact on the growth, health, and productivity of sows. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of supplementing the basal diet with marine-derived Ca-Mg complex on the reproductive performance of sows during parity 1 to 4 in a 4 x 3 factorial arrangement. Cross-bred gilts (n = 72; average body weight 181 kg) in their first to fourth subsequent parity were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 dietary treatments (24 gilts/treatment): CON (corn-soybean meal-wheat-based basal diet with limestone as main Ca source), CM1 (CON- MgO+ 0.4% Ca-Mg complex), and CM2 (CM1-0.4% limestone). A greater number (P&amp;lt; 0.05) of total born and live piglets, increased feed intake during gestation and lactation, increased backfat thickness before and after farrowing and at weaning, and increased estrus interval were observed (P&amp;lt; 0.05) during 3rd and 4th parity compared with 1st and 2nd parity sows. Moreover, sows fed CM1 and CM2 diets led to an improvement (P&amp;lt; 0.05) in total piglets during 1st and 2nd parity as well as live-born piglets during 1st to 3rd parity. In addition, CM1 and CM2 group sows showed reduced (P &amp;gt;0.05) backfat thickness change during third and fourth parity. Piglets that were born to CM1 and CM2 group sows showed greater (P&amp;lt; 0.05) weaning weight and average daily gain (ADG) during the first, second, and third parity. Furthermore, sows fed CM1 and CM2 diets decreased (P&amp;lt; 0.05) the duration of first to last piglet birth and placental expulsion time compared with those fed CON diet. A significant interactive effect (P=0.042) between parities and treatment diets was observed for the duration of first to last piglet birth. Thus, supplementation of 0.4% marine-derived Ca-Mg complex to the diet could be recommended to enhance sow and their litter performance during parity 1 to 4.

1042-P: Large-for-Gestational-Age Birthweight in Gestational Glucose Intolerance

Background: Treatment of gestational diabetes (GDM) reduces the risk of large for gestational age (LGA) birthweight and associated complications in infants. Pregnant people with gestational glucose intolerance (GGI, abnormal glucose loading test (GLT) without GDM) usually remain untreated. We examined the risk of LGA among women with GGI in a large cohort. Methods: In a retrospective cohort study of 44,628 singleton pregnancies delivered at an academic center at &amp;gt;28 weeks' gestation, pregnancies with a GLT &amp;gt;140 mg/dl and either a normal 3-hour 100-gram oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) or one abnormal OGTT value were classified as GGI, and those with 2 abnormal OGTT values as GDM. We used generalized estimating equations for logistic regression to examine the risk of LGA (birthweight &amp;gt;90th percentile for gestational age) in GGI versus normal glucose tolerance (NGT, GLT &amp;lt;140 mg/dl) pregnancies after adjustment for age, gender, 1st trimester BMI, parity, insurance, race/ethnicity, and marital status. A second model adjusted for gestational weight gain (GWG) . Results: LGA was present in 7.7% of 36,964 pregnancies with NGT, 9.6% of 4357 with GGI and normal OGTT, 14.3% of 15with GGI and one abnormal OGTT value, and 14.5% of 1800 with GDM. The odds of LGA were higher in GGI than NGT pregnancies (adjusted OR 1.4 [1.3-1.5], p&amp;lt;0.001) . When compared separately with NGT, both types of GGI had elevated odds of LGA: normal OGTT adjusted OR 1.2 [1.1-1.4], p&amp;lt;0.001, one abnormal OGTT value adjusted OR 1.8 [1.5-2.1], p&amp;lt;0.001. The latter was similar to that in GDM compared to NGT: adjusted OR 1.8 [1.5-2.0], p&amp;lt;0.001. Increased odds of LGA were also present for GGI/GDM groups after GWG adjustment: normal OGTT OR 1.3 [1.2-1.5] p&amp;lt;0.001, 1 abnormal OGTT value OR 1.8 [1.5-2.1] p&amp;lt;0.0GDM OR 2.2 [1.9-2.5] p&amp;lt;0.001. Conclusion: Infants of untreated people with GGI have increased risk of LGA birthweight. The risk of LGA in GGI pregnancies with one abnormal OGTT value was similar to that in GDM in a clinical setting where only GDM was treated. Disclosure J.Maya: None. D.J.Selen: None. T.Thaweethai: None. S.Hsu: None. C.Yu: None. K.James: None. A.Kaimal: None. M.Hivert: Advisory Panel; American Heart Association, Research Support; American Diabetes Association. C.E.Powe: None. Funding MGH (Physician Scientist Development Award and Claflin Distinguished Scholar's Award)

Estimates of repeatability for reproductive traits in Large White sows

The main aim of this paper was to analyze the effect of parity number on the litter size and other reproductive traits in Large White sows during successive farrowings to determine the repeatability estimates. The population used for the present study is from a pig farm managed by the Limited Liability Company (LLC) “Tavriys’ki svyni” located in Skadovsky district (Kherson region, Ukraine). The experimental materials used for this study consisted of 100 inds. of productive parent sows of the Large White breed. The estimation of reproductive performance was conducted for each animal included in this study. The total number of piglets born (TNB), number piglets born alive (NBA), number weaned piglets (NW), number of stillborn piglets (NSB) and frequency of stillborn piglets (FSB) per litter, number of piglets that died between birth and weaning (NPWM) and frequency of piglets that died between birth and weaning (FPWM) per litter were monitored in the first eight parities in the period of eleven years (2007–2017). For TNB, of the 28 correlations between different parities, 19 (i.e., 68 %) were statistically significant (P &lt; 0.001…0.05). The correlation between TNB values at repeated farrowings was, as expected, positive and in most cases moderate, from 0.197 (between 1st and 4th parity) to 0.365 (between 6th and 7th parity). Highest significant correlation was determined between TNB values in four latest farrowings (5th–8th parities). For NBA, only 7 (i.e., 25 %) phenotypic correlations were statistically significant (P &lt; 0.002…0.025) and varied from 0.230 (between 1st and 8th parity) to 0.303 (between 6th and 7th parity). Finally, for NW only 5 (i.e., 18 %) phenotypic correlations were statistically significant (P &lt; 0.005…0.05) and varied from 0.200 (between 3th and 7th parity) to 0.281 (between 4th and 6th parity). Thus, while observing the phenotypic correlations for the same studied traits between different parities (P1–P8), it can be seen that the correlations for TNB are positive and stronger compared to the phenotypic correlations for NBA and NW. For all studied litter size traits, the weakest relationship was found between the first four farrowings (1st–4th parity) and more stronger correlation was found between the latest four farrowings (5th–8th parity). The repeatability estimates for the LW sow’ litter size traits were generally low, 0.217 ± 0.037, 0.141 ± 0.032 and 0.073 ± 0.027 for TNB, NBA and NW, respectively, indicating that most of the phenotypic variance is explained by other factors than sows’ variance (primarily, by environmental factors). In addition these results indicate that the repeatability estimates for TNB were higher than for NBA, and the repeatability estimates for NBA were higher than for NW. This may be due in part to the gain of the permanent environmental effect on the number of stillborn piglets and the high rate of pre-weaning mortality for later parities.

English

The purpose of this study was to analyze milk producing traits, correlation between milk production and parities of Chinese Jersey cattle, and to make accurate prediction. For this purpose, samples for this study were taken from a large-scale breeding farm of Chinese Jersey cattle and chemically and statistically analyzed. The results of ANOVA and LSD showed that milk yield, protein percentage, somatic cell, urea nitrogen and other lactating traits of Jersey cattle of different parities were significantly different. LSD results explored that milk fat percentage decreased gradually, as the parity increased from second to third parity, while there was no difference in milk fat percentage in third and fourth parity. Similarly, protein percentage in milk was highest in second parity and then it decreased in third parity and lowest protein percentage was observed in fourth parity. Results of coefficient of variation explored that milk yield, protein and somatic cells reached the maximum value at parity 2, and the coefficient of variation of milk fat percentage and urea nitrogen reached the maximum value at parity 4. There was a significant negative correlation between milk yield and milk fat percentage, protein percentage, somatic cell and urea nitrogen in all parities. There was a positive correlation between milk fat percentage and protein percentage, somatic cell and urea nitrogen. There was a positive correlation between the protein rate and somatic cells, which was significant only at the 1st and 4th parity. There was a significant positive correlation between urea nitrogen and somatic cells at parity 1, and a negative correlation at parity 2, 3 and 4. Results of realistic estimates of achievable prediction accuracy of lactating traits showed that the amplitude of realistic estimate of prediction of milk yield, milk fat percentage, protein percentage, somatic cell and urea nitrogen in four parities were -0.65%-23.41%, -3.23%-3.92%, -3.19%-2.94%, -44.43%-29.81% and -7.83% ~ 3.97%, respectively. Based on results it is concluded that a complex correlation between the lactating traits of Jersey cattle exist and parities can significantly affect milk yield, milk protein, somatic cells and urea nitrogen of Chinese Jersey cattle

The Impact of Re-Mating Interval and Genotype on Physiological Response of Rabbits after First Kindling

This is an experiment aimed to study the effect of re-mating interval on rabbit does after first kindling on hormonal (insulin, leptin, and T3) and metabolites (triglycerides, urea, and glucose) levels. DNA damage in ovary cells of rabbit does during the 2nd parity was also studied. Two varieties were used: APRI (synthetic line) and Baladi Black (BB, Egyptian breed). A total number of 120 mature rabbit does (60 does for each breed) were 6 months of age and were used at the beginning of the breeding season. Does of each breed were divided into three equal groups according to reproductive rhythm. The 1st group was postpartum (PP). The 2nd group was 11 days after parturition (P11). The 3rd group was post-weaning (PW). There were significant (P&amp;ge;0.05) differences in plasma leptin concentration during 1st parity. The highest value of plasma leptin concentration was recorded by the PW group at mating. Also, there were significant differences in plasma insulin and T3 hormones concentrations of doe rabbits. The highest value of plasma insulin concentration was recorded by the PW group at mating in 1st parity and the highest value of plasma T3 hormone concentration was recorded for the PS group at mating. While there were insignificant differences during 2nd parity in T3 hormone concentration in rabbits, the differences of plasma glucose and triglyceride concentrations of doe rabbits during 1st parity and 2nd parity were significant. However, the highest significant value of plasma glucose concentration was recorded by the PW group at mating. On the other hand, there were insignificant differences in plasma urea concentration of doe rabbits during 1st parity and 2nd parity. Finally, no significant effects were observed on comet length, head diameter, tail length, or DNA % tail.

Somatic Cell and Cheesemaking Variables of WAD Goat Milk: Influence of Parity and Lactation Stage

The suitability of any goat breed for dairy purposes depends on its assessment of milk-related traits. This study evaluates the influence of parity and lactation stage on somatic cell count (SCC) and cheese-making variables of West African Dwarf (WAD) goat milk. A total of 48 lactating WAD does of three different parities (the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd) were milked over a period of time-phased into three stages of lactation (early, mid, and late). The milk was subjected to SCC and cheese-making during which coagulation time, cheese yield (CY), whey volume, and whey pH were recorded. Collected data were subjected to analysis of variance and Pearsons’ correlation. The result revealed that the milk SCC of the does in the 3rd parity (2.16 x 105 cells) was significantly (p<0.05) higher than 1.89 x 105 and 1.87 x 105 cells in the milk of the 1st and the 2nd parity does respectively. There was a similar variation trend of SCC as lactation progresses in each of the parities. The CY significantly increased (p<0.05) as lactation progresses in the 1st parity (early – 16.95%; mid – 17.21%; late – 20.85%) while, the milk of the 2nd and the 3rd parity from mid to late lactation stage yielded statistically similar cheese that was comparable with late lactation CY of the 1st parity does. The lactation stage and SCC were positively correlated with CY. The volume and pH of the whey were neither affected by the lactation stage nor parity. The study concludes that parity uncovers the effect of lactation stage on the milk SCC of WAD does while the milk obtained from mid to late lactation stage yields more cheese.

Analysis of the stillborn piglet’s distribution in the Large White sows

The main aim of this paper was to estimate the piglet stillbirth incidence distribution in the Large White (LW) sows. The population used for the present study is from a pig farm managed by the Limited Liability Company (LLC) “Tavriys’ki svyni” located in Skadovsky district (Kherson region, Ukraine). The experimental materials used for this study consisted of 100 inds. of productive parent sows of the Large White breed. The estimation of reproductive performance was conducted for each animal included in this study. The total number of piglets born (TNB), number of stillborn piglets (NSB) and frequency of stillborn piglets (FSB) per litter were monitored in the first eight parities in the period of eleven years (2007–2017). The 800 farrowings averaged 11.3 piglets per litter. Of the 9037 piglets born, 7895 were live born and 1142 were stillborn. Stillborn pigs were observed in 63.3 ± 1.7 % of the litters and the pig stillbirth incidence was 12.6 ± 0.4 %. The percentage of pigs born dead in total pigs born, obtained in this study is within the range of rates (5 to 15 %) reported for commercial pig farms in other countries. The frequencies of litters with 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 or more stillborn piglets were 27.1, 14.8, 10.6, 5.8 and 5.0 %, respectively. The frequency of litters with at least one stillborn piglet varied from 44 % (2nd parity) to 76 % (6th parity). Significant factor in the analysis for frequency of litters with at least one stillborn piglet was parity number in sow (Chi-squared test: χ2 = 51.35; df = 7; P &lt; 0.001). This frequency increased as parity number in sow increased (Pearson correlation coefficient: r = 0.929; P &lt; 0.01). We noted that the piglet stillbirth incidence in the LW sow’s litter took place already during the first farrowing for almost half of the sows (46%). In general, this distribution is well approximated by the exponential model equation (y = 73.567*exp(-0.551x); R2 = 97.09 %). The LW sows with stillborn piglets in four out of eight farrowings were the most reported. The value of the entropy of the traits NSB and FSB varied significantly among sows of different parities (Chi-squared test: in both cases P &lt; 0.001). At the same time, a significant increase in the entropy estimates for both traits from the 1st parity to the 8th parity was noted (Spearman's rank correlation: P &lt; 0.001…0.002).

INFLUENCE OF BIRTH WEIGHT, YEAR AND PARITY ON PREWEANING MORTALITY IN YANKASA SHEEP

The influence of lamb birth weights, year of&#x0D; birth, and parity on pre-weaning death were observed in Yankasa sheep over a period of 4 years (1989-1992) in Misau, Bauchi State, Nigeria. Of the 150 lambs observed, birth weight fell into 4 categories; upto 1.5; 1.6-2.0; 2.1-23 and 2.6 -3.0 Kg, with percentage deaths in each being 33, 34,16 and 0, respectively. The overall mean birth weight was 23±0.03, and overall percentage mortality was 18%. Significant correlation (p &lt; 0.05, r = 0.49) was observed between birth weights and deaths incidence. Significant year and parity differences existed in lamb birth weights (P.&lt; 0.05). 90% of the ewes lambing were in their 1st parity, while 6% and 4% respectively were in the 2nd and 3rd parities. Mean birth weights were heaviest for lambs with ewes in their 2nd parity 2.6 (0.46), followed by those in their 1st parity 23 (0.27) and those in their 3rd parity 2.2(0.27). Percentage mortality increased with parity, being 14,27 and 50 for 1st, 2nd and 3rd parities respectively. Chi-square analysis showed no significant differences between the ratio of ram to ewe lambs, though ram lambs were significantly heavier than ewe lambs. Low lamb birth weight was found to be a major cause of pre-weaning mortality in Yankasa sheep in Misau, Nigeria.

THE HERD STRUCTURE OF BREEDING DOES OF SMALL HOLDER RED SOKOTO GOAT

A study to ascertain the heard structure of breeding does of small holder goat production system was conducted in Kano using l5 goat herds selected at random in 3 villages.A total of 250 breeding does were involved. The results indicate that parity of does in the observed herds ranged from one to ten.Twelve percent of the does within the age range, 5-25 months were yet to kid for the first time.In the herds, does that did not kid at least once, up to the age of 25 months were culled. However, majorities of the does were in their 2nd and 3rd parities and within the age range of 12-25 months. Twinning was common at 1st parity, irrespective of the age of does. Parity and litter size of does were the major determining factors on the observed herd structure for the breeding does.The observed structure indicates that &lt;12 months does constitute 20% of the herd; 12-25 months 48%; 26-39months 11.2% and; &gt; 40months 20.8%.Breeding does leave the herds starting from the 25th month of age at parity 2,4, 7 and 10, respectively.

Suckling behaviour of West African dwarf goat kids

During suckling, goat kids exhibit different kinds of behavior which could be germane to their general performance. The objective of this study was to determine suckling behaviour of West African dwarf (WAD) goat kids with respect to some behavioural measurements. A total number of 21 WAD does comprising of 1st and 2nd parity with live weight range of 9.5kg-16.5kg with a total of 26 kids (12males and 14females) in a small holder dairy goat were used. Data on suckling behaviour (suckling bout, duration of suckling and number of butts during suckling) was monitored to investigate the effect of birth type (singleton and twin) and kid sex (male and female). Behaviours were observed twice/day i.e. in the morning (7:00-8.30 am) and evening (4:30-6:00pm), 2 days/week starting from the 2nd week after kidding for 7 weeks. Suckling bout, duration of suckling and number of butts during suckling was greater in twin than in singleton. Kid sex had no significant effect on all behavioural parameters monitored. However, significant positive correlations were observed between suckling bout and number of butts during suckling, between suckling bouts and duration of suckling and between duration of suckling and number of butts during suckling. In conclusion, suckling behaviours in WAD kids were dependent on the birth type and not sex of the kids.

Effect of relationships among clinical mastitis incidence, reproductive performance, and culling rate on the lifetime of dairy cows at Hiroshima University Farm.

Farm managers' decision to cull dairy cows is based on the cows' milk production, history of disorder(s), and reproductive performance, each of which affects dairy cows' lifetime (herd life and productive lifespan). We investigated the relationships among the incidence of clinical mastitis (CM), the reproductive performance, and the culling rate. We also assessed the effects of these relationships on the lifetimes of dairy cows, using the records made before and after the introduction of an automatic milking system (AMS) at Hiroshima University Farm. Milk yield, CM incidence density, and culling rate of dairy cows increased after the AMS introduction. The CM incidence was associated with an elongation of the calving interval in cows with the same parity. CM in the 1st parity might have caused the reductions of the cows' lifetime and their parity at culling. A higher age at first calving (AFC) was associated with an increase in culling rate but did not lead to a significant decrease in lifetime. Investigations of the factors mediating CM in the 1st parity or AFC with CM incidence or culling rate in the later stages might contribute to the control of lifetime of dairy cows.

Productive and Reproductive Characterization, Breeding Season and Calving Season in Reference with the Effect of Parity Order on Milk Production of Camel in Egypt

This study aimed to characterize productive and reproductive performances, breeding season, and calving season of Maghrabi camels in reference with the effect of parity order on milk production in Egypt. Data were collected from camel herd raised at the Studies and Development of Camel Production Station, Animal Production Research Institute, Egypt. Means of parity order, age at 1st mating (year), number of services/conception, age at 1st calving (year), gestation period (d), days open, calving interval (d), sex ratio, and calf weight (kg) were 3.33, 7.68, 2.27, 8.71, 379.6, 169.1, 548.7, 35.6: 65.4, and 29.08, respectively. Means of total (TMY) and daily milk (DMY) yields were 1559 and 4.69 kg, respectively. Lactation (LP) and dry (DP) periods were 364.40 and 184.20 d, respectively. Breeding season lasted from November to Apile, while out of season lasted from May to October. Calving rates were during the interval from January to April with a peak in july. Average TMY increased (P<0.05) by avancing parity, being the lowest at the 1st parity and the highest at the 10th one. LP ranged between 348.2±34.17 d at the 6th parity and 423.6±34.87 d at the 7th parity, while DMY ranged between 4.05±0.156 kg at the 1st parity and 5.15±0.401 kg at the 6th parity, but the differences were not significant.In conclusion, the obtained information on Maghrabian camels raised in Egypt may be useful in different genetic breeding programs and optimal managerial applications for camel herds to increase their productive and reproductive performance in Egypt.