J Vet Sci.  2006 Jun;7(2):161-166. 10.4142/jvs.2006.7.2.161.

Advancing parity is associated with high milk production at the cost of body condition and increased periparturient disorders in dairy herds

• Lee JY
• Kim IH

• KMID: 1059203
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4142/jvs.2006.7.2.161

Abstract

The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of parity on milk production, body condition change, periparturient health, and culling in Korean dairy herds. The data utilized included; milk yield, body condition score, cow parity, calving condition, periparturient disorders, culling, and reproductive status, which were recorded from 1290 calvings in eight dairy herds. The mean milk yield in cows over 305 days increased with increasing parity (p < 0.01). Cows with parities of 3, 4, and 5 or higher lost more body condition than those with a parity of 1 during month 1 of lactation (p < 0.01), and body condition recovery by cows with parities of 4 and 5 or higher was slower (p < 0.01) than recovery by cows with parities of 1, 2, or 3 until month 3 of lactation. The risk of retained placenta, metabolic disorder, and endometritis also increased with advancing parity (p < 0.05). Moreover, the incidence of ovarian cysts was lower in cows with a parity of one than in cows with greater parities (p < 0.01). Culling rate due to reproductive failure also increased with advancing parity (p < 0.01). These
results
suggest that parity increases milk yield, body condition loss during early lactation, the risk of periparturient disorders, and culling due to reproductive failure in dairy herds.

Keyword

body condition; culling; milk yield; parity; peritparturient disorder

MeSH Terms

Animals
Body Composition/*physiology
Cattle
Cattle Diseases/*epidemiology/physiopathology
Cesarean Section/veterinary
*Dairying
Dystocia/epidemiology/veterinary
Female
Korea/epidemiology
Lactation/*physiology
Parity/*physiology
Pregnancy

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 The mean 305 day milk yield (kg) in cows with parities of 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 or higher. Different letters (a-d) denote significant differences (p < 0.01).

• 

  Fig. 2 Monthly changes in body condition scores during lactation in cows with parities of 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 or higher. Different letters (a-c) denote significant differences among parities in each month (p < 0.01).

• 

  Fig. 3 Occurrence of periparturient disorders in cows with parities of 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 or higher. Different letters (a-c) denote significant differences between parities for each disorder (p < 0.05).

• 

  Fig. 4 Comparison of culling rates due to reproductive failure in cows with parities of 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 or higher. Different letters (a-c) denote significant differences (p < 0.01).

• 

  Fig. 5 Comparison of the intervals from calving to first service and conception in cows with parities of 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 or higher. Values are means ± SEM. No significant difference between parities (p > 0.05).

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