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PubMed2001

Dynamic ideal protein and limiting amino acids for lactating sows: the impact of amino acid mobilization.

The limiting amino acids for lactating sows were determined using 28 primiparous sows that were intentionally underfed both energy and protein during a 21-d lactation. Groups of four sows were allotted to litter-size treatments of 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, or 12 by cross-fostering as needed within 48 h postpartum. Sows were killed on d 21 of lactation. The carcass, liver, gastrointestinal tract, reproductive tract, mammary gland, and other viscera were separated, weighed, ground, and analyzed for dry matter, crude protein, and amino acids. Simple linear equations were obtained for each amino acid within tissues as a function of litter size. The mobilization of amino acids from carcass, liver, gastrointestinal tract, reproductive tract, and other viscera increased as litter size increased. Amino acids were accreted to mammary glands as litter size increased (2.65 g lysine/21 d for each one-pig increase in litter size). Milk production needs were estimated (49.9 g lysine/21 d for each one-pig increase in litter size). The quantity of each amino acid required additionally as litter size increased was obtained from the difference between amino acid needs for milk production and mammary gland growth and those provided from tissue mobilization. The relative ratio among amino acids that are required additionally (ideal amino acid pattern) was compared with the relative ratio of amino acids that can be provided from a corn-soybean meal lactation diet. From the comparison, it was shown that threonine and lysine are the first-limiting amino acids, followed by valine, when tissue mobilization occurs during lactation. Lysine is the first-limiting amino acid, and valine becomes second-limiting followed by threonine, when sows do not mobilize body tissues during lactation. Thus, the limiting order of essential amino acids changes depending on feed intake and tissue mobilization of sows during lactation. Proper feeding of lactating sows should consider the expected degree of tissue mobilization during lactation.

Amino Acids↗

PubMed2002

Lactational performance of first-parity transgenic gilts expressing bovine alpha-lactalbumin in their milk.

The goal of this study was to determine whether the presence of the bovine alpha-lactalbumin transgene in first-lactation gilts enhances lactational performance and litter growth. Transgenic and sibling nontransgenic gilts were bred to nontransgenic boars. Litters were standardized to 10 piglets within 24 h of farrowing. Milk production was measured by the weigh-suckle-weigh method on d 3, 6, 9, and 12 of lactation. Bovine alpha-lactalbumin was present in the colostrum and milk of transgenic gilts throughout lactation. The expression of the transgene was associated with alterations in composition of mammary secretions, especially in early lactation. Lactose concentrations were greater (P < 0.05) in mammary secretions of transgenic gilts during the first 12 h postpartum compared with controls. In contrast, total solids concentration in mammary secretions from transgenic gilts were lower (P < 0.05) relative to controls during the first 6 h postpartum. Transgenic gilts produced more milk than controls on d 3, 6, and 9 of lactation (P < 0.01). By d 12, differences in milk production between transgenic and control sows were no longer different. Lactose intake by transgenic-reared litters was greater than lactose intake by control-reared litters on d 6 of lactation (P < 0.05). Total solids intake was significantly greater (P < 0.05) by transgenic-reared litters on d 3 and 6 compared to control-reared litters. The day x genotype interaction on litter weight gain after birth was highly significant (P = 0.011), with transgenic-reared litters gaining weight at a greater rate than control-reared piglets. Expression of the transgene was associated with increased milk production in lactating gilts and increased growth of transgenic-reared piglets. Increased lactose synthesis in response to the presence of the transgene may result in increased milk production in early lactation, leading to increased milk component intake by transgenic litters, and ultimately to increased growth of litters reared by first-parity transgenic gilts.

Animals↗

PubMed2006

Lactational performance of Quackenbush Swiss line 5 mice.

We evaluated 2 strains of mice for their utility in the investigation of nutritional and molecular regulatory mechanisms of lactation. The lactational performance and milk composition were characterized for an inbred mouse strain, inbred Quackenbush Swiss line 5 (QSi5) selected persistently for fecundity, and a nonselected strain, CBA. The milk yield assessed by changes in BW in response to suckling of sustainable litter sizes for each strain was 3-fold greater (P < 0.001) in QSi5 mice than the CBA strain. The QSi5 mice also produced milk more efficiently (P < 0.001) than CBA mice, despite having the same quantity of mammary tissue per unit of BW. Milk composition did not vary between strains or by stage of lactation, with the exception of lactose concentration, which was greater (P = 0.003) in QSi5 mice. Expression of epsilon-casein was > or = 10-fold greater, and alpha(S1)-casein was > or = 3-fold greater, during mid and late lactation compared with early lactation in both strains, whereas kappa-casein underwent an apparent alteration in posttranslational modifications in both strains from early to mid lactation. Changes in casein composition coincided with an increased susceptibility to proteolytic degradation; hence milk from early lactation may be more readily degraded to facilitate digestion in the neonate. The greater milk synthetic capacity of QSi5 mice over the lactation cycle provides a useful model for studies of nutritional and molecular regulation of lactation.

Animals↗

PubMed1980

Effects of various hormone treatments on induction of lactation in the ewe.

In Exp. I and II, 52 of 68 ewes were induced into lactation with twice-daily injections of estradiol-17 beta (E2-beta) and progesterone (P4; .5 and 1.25 mg/kg body weight/day) for 7 days. Additional treatments were twice-daily injections (days 18 to 20) of hydrocortisone, growth hormone, thyroxine and thyrotropin releasing hormone alone or in various combinations. In Exp. III, 12 ewes were induced into lactation. In this experiment, all ewes were injected with E2-beta and hydrocortisone, as previously, but four ewes (III-2) had P4 injections extended to day 20, and four ewes (III-3) were not injected with P4. Across experiments, lowest milk yields during lactation and the lowest percentage of ewes induced into lactation (58%) occurred when only E2-beta and P4 were injected. Inclusion of hydrocortisone injections (50 mg/day) induced the highest percentage of ewes into lactation (86%, 38 of 44), the highest peak daily yields of milk and the highest total yields during lactation. Including injections of growth hormone, thyroxine or thyrotropin releasing hormone alone or in combinations did not produce better results than injections of E2-beta and P4 alone. Injections of E2-beta and hydrocortisone without concurrent injections of P4 were less effective. Intramuscular injections of P4 (10 mg/day) from days 8 to 20 did not inhibit lactogenesis or subsequent lactation. Across all experiments, 76% of multiparous (52/68) and 50% of nulliparous (6/12) ewes produced greater than 100 ml milk/day during their lactation (34 to 95 days). However, yields of milk for ewes that lactated were only 25 to 50% of those from postpartum ewes. The importance of including injections of hydrocortisone in the induction procedure was established, but determination of optimum time to inject and potential importance of other hormones requires additional research.

Animals↗

PubMed1983

Balance and urinary excretion of calcium, magnesium and phosphorus in response to high concentrate feeding and lactate infusion in lambs.

Two experiments were conducted to investigate the influence of dietary concentrate level and iv lactate infusion on the urinary excretion and balance of Ca, Mg and P in lambs. In Exp. 1, six ruminal fistulated, crossbred wethers (25 kg) were fed diets of 0, 50 and 70% concentrate for 5-d periods (periods 1, 2 and 3, respectively) followed by 25 d on a 90% concentrate diet (periods 4, 5 and 6, respectively). Collections were made for all days except 6 to 10 and 16 to 20 on the 90% concentrate diet. Dry matter intakes increased with each increase in dietary concentrate until the initial period of 90% concentrate (period 4) when intakes were lowest. Intakes increased (P less than .05) during the latter two periods of 90% concentrate feeding compared with period 4. Rumen fluid pH decreased and rumen L (+) lactate increased with increasing concentrate intake. Blood pH and bicarbonate both decreased with increasing concentrate intake indicating a mild disturbance in acid-base balance. Plasma concentrations of Ca, Mg and P decreased with increased concentrate intake and were elevated (P less than .05) for periods 5 and 6 compared with period 4. Plasma alkaline phosphatase activity and urinary hydroxyproline excretion both increased (P less than .05) for periods 5 and 6. Four of the six animals were in negative Ca balance for the initial period of 90% concentrate feeding, but showed highest Ca retentions for periods 5 and 6. Magnesium and P balance appeared unaffected by increased concentrate intake. Disturbances in Ca metabolism appeared to be short-term and nondetrimental; the animals responded with increased growth and Ca retentions once adjusted to the high concentrate diet. In Exp. 2, four Hampshire ewes (32 kg) were used in a 4 X 4 Latin square design with treatments being saline (.9% NaCl, w/v), L (+) lactate, D (-) lactate and D, L-lactate infused iv in a saline solution to supply .6 mM/kg body weight of each isomer in 15 min. Plasma and urine samples were taken 0, .5, 1, 1.5, 3, 6 and 12 h from the start of infusion. Total urinary excretion of Ca (P less than .04) and Mg (P less than .02) were elevated for all lactate infusions as compared with saline. Total P excretion was greater (P = .06) for all lactate infusions compared with saline and was increased (P less than .05) for the D, L-lactate treatment as compared with the D- and L-lactate treatments.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Animals↗

PubMed1986

Effect of lactation and rebreeding phase energy intake on primiparous and multiparous sow performance.

Fifty-three primiparous sows were used to study the effects of a high-energy, fat-supplemented diet on sow lactation and rebreeding performance. Sows received either a low [Lo, 12.5 Mcal metabolizable energy (ME)/d] or high (Hi, 16.0 Mcal ME/d) energy sorghum-soybean diet during a 28-d lactation. At weaning, sows were randomly allotted, within lactation treatment, to a low (lo, 5.54 Mcal ME/d) or high (hi, 9.61 Mcal ME/d) energy sorghum-soybean diet until the day of first postweaning estrus. Primiparous sows fed Lo weaned larger (P less than .05) litters than sows fed Hi; however, average pig weight was not affected by lactation treatments. Primiparous sows fed Hi had more backfat at weaning (P less than .01) than Lo sows. In contrast, sow weight was not affected by dietary treatments. Neither lactation nor rebreeding treatments influenced days to rebreeding; however, an interaction (P less than .01) was observed. Mean days from weaning to rebreeding for Lolo, Lohi, Hilo and Hihi sows were 10.0, 7.6, 6.9 and 17.1, respectively. Forty sows were maintained on the same dietary treatments during their second parity. Sows receiving Lo during their second parity farrowed and weaned more (P less than .05) pigs than Hi sows. Multiparous sows fed Hi nursed heavier (P less than .05) pigs on d 21 of lactation and at weaning compared with Lo sows. Sows fed Hi were heavier (P less than .05) and had more (P less than .01) backfat at weaning of their second litter compared to Lo sows. Days to postweaning estrus were not affected by lactation or rebreeding diets. Mean length of the second parity rebreeding interval for Lolo, Lohi, Hilo and Hihi sows was 6.2, 10.2, 7.0 and 10.5 d, respectively. These results suggest that feeding levels during lactation of 12.5 Mcal ME/d or higher supported adequate rebreeding performance. Postweaning feeding levels did not influence days to first estrus. Feeding a high energy diet continuously throughout the lactation and rebreeding phases in primiparous sows may lengthen the postweaning interval to estrus.

Animals↗

PubMed1990

Lactate-proton cotransport in rabbit corneal epithelium.

The presence of the membrane transport mechanism, lactate-H+ cotransport, was tested in explants of rabbit corneal epithelium. Basal corneal epithelial cells were loaded with the pH sensitive fluorescent dye BCECF. Intracellular pH (pHi) was measured by rationing the fluorescence emission output following excitation at 490 and 440 nm. Perfusion of explants in lactate-containing Ringer's, pH 7.40, produced a reversible decrease in pHi. The lactate induced proton influx (mM/min) followed saturating kinetics, Km = 10.7 mM lactate, Vmax = 10.2 mM/min. Proton influx following addition of 10 mM lactate was inhibited 36, 60 and 47% by pre-perfusion in 1 mM CHC (cyano-hydroxycinammic acid), 500 microM H2DIDS (4,4'-diisothiocyanato-dihydrostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid) and 1 mM LAIE (lactic acid isobutylester), respectively. These inhibitors of lactate-H+ cotransport were reversible. Mersalyl acid (500 microM) inhibited proton flux from 10 mM lactate addition by nearly 100%, but was irreversible. Stimulation of lactate production by perfusion in N2 equilibrated Ringer's (hypoxia) or the addition of 1 mM NaCN led to a slow alkalinization (0.1 pH unit in 10 min). Pre-perfusion with the reversible inhibitors slowed the hypoxic alkalinization by approximately 40%. It is concluded that lactate-H+ cotransport is present in the corneal epithelium and that it contributes to pHi regulation during hypoxia.

4,4'-Diisothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-Disulfonic Acid↗

PubMed2000

Modeling extended lactations of dairy cows.

Nine mathematical models were compared for their ability to predict daily milk yields (n = 294,986) in standard 305-d and extended lactations of dairy cows of Costa Rica. Lactations were classified by parity (first and later), lactation length (9 to 10, 11 to 12, 13 to 14, 15 to 16, and 16 to 17 mo), and calving to conception interval (1 to 2, 3 to 4, 5 to 6, 7 to 8, and 9 to 10 mo). Of the nine models, the diphasic model and lactation persistency model resulted in the best goodness of fit as measured by adjusted coefficient of determination, residual standard deviation, and Durbin-Watson coefficient. All other models showed less accuracy and positively correlated residuals. In extended lactations, models were also fitted using only test-day records before 305 d, which resulted in a different ranking. The diphasic model showed the best prediction of milk yield in standard and extended lactations. We concluded that the diphasic model provided accurate estimates of milk yield for standard and extended lactations. Interpretation of parameters deserves further attention because of the large variation observed. As expected, the calving to conception interval was found to have a negative effect on milk yield for cows with a standard lactation length. In extended lactations, these negative effects of pregnancy on milk yield were not observed.

Animals↗

PubMed2001

Technical note: Therapeutic cessation of lactation of Staphylococcus aureus-infected mammary quarters.

The objective of the present study was to compare the ability of chlorhexidine and povidone-iodine to cause cessation of lactation in Staphylococcus aureus-infected mammary quarters, assess milk production in the treated quarter in the subsequent lactation, and evaluate whether microbiological cure was obtained. Fourteen mid- to late-lactation Holstein-Friesian dairy cattle from the Washington State University dairy herd with single mammary quarter S. aureus intramammary infections were studied. Cows were randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups, povidone-iodine or chlorhexidine. Cows in the povidone-iodine group were infused with 120 ml of 5% povidone-iodine solution (0.5% iodine) after complete milk-out. Chlorhexidine-treated cows were infused with a proprietary chlorhexidine suspension after two milkings 24 h apart. Treated mammary quarters were not milked for the rest of the lactation. Milk production from each mammary quarter (kg of milk/quarter) was measured using in-line volume flow meters for 5 consecutive days before treatment and again at the start of the subsequent lactation. Povidoneiodine caused permanent cessation of lactation in the treated quarter, whereas 71% of the chlorhexidine-treated mammary quarters returned to function in the subsequent lactation. Hence, if the primary objective is to eliminate the mammary quarter from lactation, and thereby presumably lower the risk of herdmates acquiring new S. aureus intramammary infection, then povidone-iodine appears to be the best of the two methods. No difference in total milk production between lactation one and two in either group was found, suggesting that permanent loss of a quarter was not detrimental to overall milk production.

Animals↗

PubMed2002

Energy balance profiles for the first three lactations of dairy cows estimated using random regression.

Daily animal solutions were predicted using random regression analysis for feed intake, milk yield, live weight, and condition score recorded on 189 cows at the Langhill Dairy Cattle Research Centre. All cows had three successive lactations. Energy balance for days 1 to 305 of each of the three lactations was calculated both from daily measures of feed intake and milk output and from weekly measures of live weight and condition score. Cows returned to positive energy balance at days 72, 75, and 95 in lactations 1, 2, and 3, respectively, based on energy balance calculated from feed intake and milk output records (EB1), and at days 77, 83, and 73 based on energy balance calculated from body energy state changes (EB2). Correlations between energy balance at the same time in successive lactations ranged from 0.01 to 0.66 depending on the method of calculation and the stage of lactation. Energy balance over three lactations was modelled using sinusoidal functions which were associated with individual cows and allowed to vary between cows. The parameters of these curves are potentially useful since they have a biological interpretation. The phase relates to the period from calving to return to positive energy balance, and the amplitude relates to the degree of body energy loss (and recovery). The sinusoidal functions fitted to the curve removed a significant proportion of the variation, but accounted for only 45% and 40% of the variation in EB1 and EB2, respectively. The relationship between energy balance in the first three lactations is likely to be more complex than a simple linear function, but the profile of energy balance over the first three lactations may be a useful selection criteria in a multi-trait index. Energy balance profile over lactations one to three can be modelled with moderate accuracy using sinusoidal functions, and this warrants further research.

Animals↗

PubMed2003

Nonstarter lactic acid bacteria and aging temperature affect calcium lactate crystallization in cheddar cheese.

The occurrence of unappetizing calcium lactate crystals in Cheddar cheese is a challenge and expense to manufacturers, and this research was designed to understand their origin. It was hypothesized that nonstarter lactic acid bacteria (NSLAB) affect calcium lactate crystallization (CLC) by producing D(-)-lactate. This study was designed to understand the effect of NSLAB growth and aging temperature on CLC. Cheeses were made from milk inoculated with Lactococcus lactis starter culture, with or without Lactobacillus curvatus or L. helveticus WSU19 adjunct cultures. Cheeses were aged at 4 or 13 degrees C for 28 d, then half of the cheeses from 4 and 13 degrees C were transferred to 13 and 4 degrees C, respectively, for the remainder of aging. The form of lactate in cheeses without adjunct culture or with L. helveticus WSU19 was predominantly L(+)-lactate (> 95%, wt/wt), and crystals were not observed within 70 d. While initial lactate in cheeses containingL. curvatus was only L(+)-lactate, the concentration of D(-)-lactate increased during aging. After 28 d, a racemic mixture of D/L-lactate was measured in cheeses containing L. curvatus; at the same time, CLC was observed. The earliest and most extensive CLC occurred on cheeses aged at 13 degrees C for 28 d then transferred to 4 degrees C. These results showed that production of D(-)-lactate by NSLAB, and aging temperature affect CLC in maturing Cheddar cheese.

Calcium Compounds↗

PubMed2004

A multivariate approach to modeling shapes of individual lactation curves in cattle.

Milk test-day records of 5728 lactations of Italian Simmental cows were analyzed with multivariate factor analysis in order to extract 2 common factors, whose scores were used as quantitative measures of 2 main features of lactation curve shape-i.e., the increasing rate of yield in the first part of lactation and the rate of decline of milk yield after the lactation peak. The 2 indices, objectively derived from the correlation matrix of original test-day records, showed a high discriminant power in separating lactation curves with different shapes. The weak correlation between the 2 factors (0.11), together with the high correlation of factors and the total 305-d yield (about 0.70), suggests that an increase in lactation yield could be achieved by acting only on one of the 2 factors related to lactation-curve shape, with the other kept constant at a medium or low value. The suitability of the 2 factors as descriptors of lactation patterns has been confirmed by the relationships found between factor scores and the main environmental effects known to affect the shape of the lactation curve, such as parity and season of calving.

Analysis of Variance↗

PubMed2004

Genetic relationships between persistency and reproductive performance in first-lactation Canadian holsteins.

The main objective of this study was to estimate genetic relationships between lactation persistency and reproductive performance in first lactation. Relationships with day in milk at peak milk yield and estimated 305-d milk yield were also investigated. The data set contained 33,312 first-lactation Canadian Holsteins with first-parity reproductive, persistency, and productive information. Reproductive performance traits included age at first insemination, nonreturn rate at 56 d after first insemination as a virgin heifer and as a first-lactation cow, calving difficulty at first calving and calving interval between first and second calving. Lactation persistency was defined as the Wilmink b parameter for milk yield and was calculated by fitting lactation curves to test day records using a multiple-trait prediction procedure. An 8-trait genetic analysis was performed using the Variance Component Estimation package (VCE 5) via Gibbs sampling to estimate genetic parameters for all traits. Heritabilities of persistency, day in milk at peak milk yield and estimated 305-d milk yield were 0.18, 0.09 and 0.45, respectively. Heritabilities of reproduction were low and ranged from 0.03 to 0.19. The highest heritability was for age at first insemination. Heifer reproductive traits were lowly genetically correlated, whereas cow reproductive traits were moderately correlated. Heifers younger than average when first inseminated and/or conceived successfully at first insemination tended to have a more persistent first lactation. First lactation was more persistent if heifers had difficulty calving (r(g) = 0.43), or conceived successfully at first insemination in first lactation (r(g) = 0.32) or had a longer interval between first and second calving (r(g) = 0.17). Estimates of genetic correlations of reproductive performance with estimated 305-d milk yield were different in magnitude, but similar in sign to those with persistency (0.02 to 0.51).

Animals↗

PubMed2004

Induced lactation in nonpregnant cows: profitability and response to bovine somatotropin.

Significant culling of high-producing cows with low fertility reduces profitability of dairy farms as those cows are replaced with heifers. Induced lactation of nonpregnant cows may be a management alternative to reduce culling and increase profits. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the efficacy of bovine somatotropin (bST) to increase milk production in cows induced into lactation with estrogen plus progesterone, and to determine the profitability of inducing cows into lactation vs. using replacement heifers entering the herd as first-lactation cows. Parity 1 or greater, nonpregnant, healthy Holstein cows (n = 28) were induced into lactation by administration of estradiol-17beta (0.075 mg/kg of body weight [BW] per d) and progesterone (0.25 mg/kg of BW per d) for 7 d. Milking began on d 18. Cows were randomly assigned to control or bST treatment groups on d 37 +/- 20 of milking, and milk production was compared for 70 d. After the 70-d comparison, all cows received bST for the duration of lactation. Cows receiving bST produced more milk (28.4 kg/d) than controls (24.1 kg/d), with variable yields among cows. For the economic analysis, induced cows were compared to first-lactation cows in the same herd using fair market value for costs and multiple component pricing for milk. Net present value for an induced cow (1966 dollars) was significantly greater than that for a first-lactation cow (1446 dollars). Our data suggest that bST use in induced cows is profitable. If a reliable method were developed and approved by the FDA, inducing nonpregnant cows into lactation could be used by dairy producers to increase profitability.

Animals↗

PubMed2006

Evaluation of net energy expenditures of dairy cows according to body weight changes over a full lactation.

Equations that predict daily dry matter intake (DMI) of a lactating cow could be evaluated by comparing the predicted accumulation of energy in body weight (BW) over the course of lactation with the observed BW evolution. However, to do so requires that first the energy balance calculations from observed DMI are evaluated. The purpose of the work reported here was to determine the degree of deviation of predicted from observed BW, according to net energy for lactation (NE(L)) balance calculated from weekly observations of DMI, BW, and fat-corrected milk production in 21 sets of full-lactation data, and to determine an appropriate correction of the NE(L) bias for subsequent DMI prediction evaluations. When the National Research Council maintenance equation 0.08 x BW(kg)(0.75) was used in energy balance calculation, BW was overpredicted with an increasing difference between the cumulative predicted BW and observed BW as lactation progressed. Placing all the error of BW prediction into maintenance energy expenditures resulted in a best-fit equation of 0.096 +/- 0.003 Mcal/kg of BW(0.75). A time-dependent equation was also developed, in which weekly maintenance expenditures were determined as the NE(L) expenditure to yield a zero NE(L) balance and could be described by a second-order polynomial equation related to week of lactation (WOL) where maintenance NE(L) = [-0.0227(+/- 0.0098) x WOL2 + 1.352(+/- 0.456) x WOL + 78.09(+/- 4.92) Mcal/kg of BW(0.75)] x 10(-3). Average maintenance energy expenditure at the onset of lactation was approximately 0.08 Mcal/kg of BW(0.75), and this value increased to a plateau at wk 15 of lactation of approximately 0.098 Mcal/kg of BW(0.75). Standard deviations between data sets of weekly maintenance parameter estimates throughout lactation were large but consistent at approximately 25% of the mean. Revision of the maintenance energy expenditure estimate substantially improved BW prediction by the energy balance model. On average, the 0.096 Mcal of NE(L)/kg of BW(0.75) equation resulted in the best BW predictions, although substantial variation existed around this value.

Animals↗

PubMed1981

Genetic aspects of lactation curves.

Parameters of lactation curves were defined by a gamma-type function for 113,705 lactations from the California Dairy Herd Improvement Association. Heritabilities and genetic correlations were estimated from a mixed-model analysis of paternal half sisters for first, second, third, and later lactations. Daily milk production on day 6 postpartum was estimated from production at first test-day to reduce the percentage of atypical lactations to less than 1% instead of an expectation of 30% without estimating production for day 6. The natural logarithm of the gamma-type function was ln(yt) = ln(a) + b ln(t) - ct, where yt was daily milk production in the tth week and ln(a), b, and c were coefficients. Persistency (c-(b+1)), week of peak yield (b/c), peak yield (a(b/c)be-b), and coefficient of determination were estimated from coefficients for each lactation. Heritabilities in first lactation were: ln(a) . 10 +/- .01, b .06 +/- .01, c .14 +/- .02, persistency .02 +/- .01, week of peak yield .02 +/- .01, peak yield .23 +/- .02, and determination .03 +/- .01. Heritabilities for later lactations were similar. Cows in first lactation had lower ln(a), lower peak yield, lower c, greater persistency, and took longer to reach peak yield than did cows in later lactations. Genetic and phenotypic correlations indicated that selection for increased peak yield would be associated with increased ln(a), b, and c without changing persistency or week of peak yield.

Animals↗

PubMed1991

Effects of rearing diet, age at freshening, and lactation feeding system on performance.

This two-phase trial involved 83 Holstein heifers. The rearing phase consisted of two diets (alfalfa silage plus corn grain for ad libitum intake vs. corn silage plus urea for ad libitum intake) and two breeding age groups (13 vs. 16 mo). The lactation phase compared the above treatments plus two lactation feeding systems: concentrate fed individually to production versus a TMR. The heifers were assigned randomly to the rearing phase at 7 wk of age and fed their respective diets until 14 d prepartum. They were placed on preassigned lactation diets 14 d prepartum and remained on the lactation phase for 550 consecutive d. Daily gains and height at the withers were similar between forage groups during the first half of the rearing phase; in the second half, the heifers fed alfalfa silage were taller at the withers. Those fed corn silage consumed less DM and CP throughout the rearing phase and gained more BW than the heifers fed alfalfa in the latter half. There were no differences in daily gain or DMI between the breeding age groups. In the lactation phase, the group fed alfalfa for ad libitum intake consumed more DM and gave more milk during the first 90 d of lactation than heifers fed corn silage. However, after 90 d the difference in cumulative milk production was not significant. There were no differences in milk production. FCM, or DMI between breeding age groups. The cows fed concentrate consumed more DM and gave more milk during the first 90 d of lactation. By 550 d, there were no differences. Feeding high levels of corn silage can cause heifers to have lower DMI in early lactation. These differences tend to disappear during the second lactation.

Age Factors↗

PubMed1992

Effect on production traits of bovine somatotropin for up to three consecutive lactations.

Thirteen (control) cows were injected daily with saline and 22 with bST (12 at 10.3 mg/d and 10 at 20.6 mg/d) through wk 5 to 42 of lactation. Nine of the treated cows had received bST in the previous lactation, and 7 cows received bST in the previous two lactations. All control cows and 6 treated cows had not previously received bST. Treatment with bST caused substantial increases in milk production, feed intake, and efficiency of feed conversion in the current lactation, which is consistent with previous trials. Increases in feed intake were established fully within 9 wk of starting bST administration, somewhat earlier than usually reported. Treatment with bST in one or two previous lactations caused a statistically significant 14% reduction in production and 8% reduction in efficiency of feed conversion during the first 9 wk of bST treatment in the current lactation; reductions observed later in lactation were not statistically significant. Differences for other traits were not statistically significant. In combination with earlier trials, these results suggest that, although bST has beneficial effects on production and efficiency traits, these benefits may be considerably lower in the second and subsequent lactations of bST use. However, carry-over effects on cows not receiving bST in the current lactation were not explored in this trial.

Animals↗