1
Management Barriers to High Fertility
Paul M. Fricke, Ph.D.Professor of Dairy Science
Outline• The High Fertility Cycle
• Carvalho et al., 2014• Barletta et al., 2017• Middleton et al., 2019
• Effect of Mastitis on Fertility• Fuenzalida et al., 2015
The High Fertility Cycle
P. M. Fricke1, M. C. Wiltbank1, and J. R. Pursley2
1University of Wisconsin – Madison2Michigan State University
1995 to 2015
Pursley et al.Ovsynch
95 1110090807069796 12 13030201009998 04 05 14 15
Pursley et al.Ovsynch Field Trial
Moriera et al.Presynch-Ovsynch
Fricke et al.Resynch
Bello et al.G6G
Souza et al.Double-Ovsynch
Carvalho et al.Resynch + 2nd PGF
Brusveen et al.DO + 2nd PGF
SynchProtocols
FertilityPrograms
http://www.dcrcouncil.org/
http://www.dcrcouncil.org/
2
Question?• How can we explain variation
among herds using the exact same repro programs?–Compliance!
ThinEmaciated Average Fat Obese
1 2 3 4 5
BCS is a noninvasive method for estimating fat stores in live cows.
Define: Ratio between amount of fat to the amount of nonfat matter (water, protein, ash) in the body of a living animal.
Body condition change is an easy way to assess energy balance on farms.
Body Condition Scoring
Britt, 1992 Britt, 1992
Item Maintained Lost
n 46 30
Milk yield (Kg)
Mean during first 10 weeks 26 27
Mean 305 d lactation 8,155 8,272
Conception rate (%)
First service 62 25All services 61 42
Britt Hypothesis 1992
Adapted from Britt 1992
Three Studies: Relationships among changes in body condition score (BCS) and reproduction in lactating dairy cows
• Carvalho et al., 2014 J. Dairy Sci. 97:3666-3683
• Barletta et al., 2017Theriogenology 104:30-36
• Middleton et al., 2019J. Dairy Sci. 102:5577-5587
3
Does Body Weight change early postpartum affect embryo quality?
Cows losing more BW early postpartum will have poor embryo quality
Maintain
Materials & Methods
71 lactating dairy cows from 1 farm wereSynchronized and superstimulated for 1st
service
15
8 x FSH – decreasing doses
~24 H~34 H
PGF2α
hCG
7 Days
Embryo Collection
Follicular Ablation
AI 12h and 24h after hCG
P4 – 3.5 Days
US USBS7 Days
Ovsynch
+CIDR
% Body weight change%
Bod
y W
eigh
t Cha
nge
from
firs
t wee
k
-10
-8
-6
-4
-2
0
2
4
6First Quartile
Second Quartile
Third Quartile
Fourth Quartile
AGroup P < 0.001Week P < 0.001
Group x Week P < 0.001
Week Postpartum
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
NEFA concentrations
First Quartile
Second Quartile
Third Quartile
Fourth Quartile
NE
FA
(m
Eq/
L)
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800 B
Group P = 0.11Week P < 0.001
Group x Week P = 0.002
Week Postpartum
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Embryo Characteristics
Quartile
Fourth QLost +
Third QLost
Second QMaintain
First QGain
P-value
CL (no.) 18.4 ± 2.6 18.4 ± 1.7 19.0 ± 1.7 16.0 ± 2.0 0.67
Fertilized embryos (%)
76.9 ± 7.1 77.0 ± 6.6 77.6 ± 7.6 78.4 ± 7.1 0.99
Quality 1 & 2 embryos (%)
38.0 ± 8.7 61.3 ± 8.2 60.6 ± 9.4 63.4 ± 8.6 0.14
Degenerate embryos (%)
35.2 ± 8.5a 12.6 ± 4.6b 14.5 ± 6.3b 9.6 ± 3.7b 0.02
Qual 1 & 2 of Fertilized (%)
48.4 ± 9.5a 78.3 ± 6.6b 72.6 ± 9.5b 77.7 ± 7.4b 0.05
Degenerate of Fertilized (%)
46.9 ± 9.6a,A 17.4 ± 6.4b,B 24.8 ± 9.3ab,A 16.2 ± 7.0b,B 0.04
4
• Cows from 91 dairy herds were sampled for NEFA and BHBA prepartum (n = 1,164) or postpartum (n = 1,095).
• Cows with NEFA concentrations > 0.27 mEq/L resulted in 16% decreased risk of conception within 70 d after the VWP (P = 0.05).
Does a change in BCS early postpartum affect fertility to TAI?
Cows losing more BCS early postpartum will have decreased fertility at first TAI
Maintained
% of cows, BCS at calving and 21 DIM
BCS Change P-Value
Lost Maintained Gained BCS
% cows 41.8 (789/1887)
35.8 (675/1887)
22.4 (423/1887)
-
% Primi. 47.3 (373/789)
52.7(356/675)
55.1 (233/423)
0.02
BCS atcalving 2.93±0.01ª 2.89±0.02ab 2.85±0.02b 0.005
BCS at21 DIM 2.64±0.01c 2.89±0.02b 3.10±0.02a <0.001
BCS Δ -0.29 0.0 +0.25
ECM (kg/d)1 30.9±0.4 31.5±0.4 28.7±0.4 0.3
1From calving to 21DIM
P/AI to Double-Ovsynch
0
20
40
60
80
100
40 d after TAI 70 d after TAI
Lost Maintained Gained
BCS change: P < 0.001Parity: P < 0.001
789 789675 675
25.1c22.8c
38.2b36.0b
Pre
gn
an
cie
s/A
I (%
)
83.5a
78.3a
423 423
BCS change: P < 0.001Parity: P < 0.001
Question:How do I get cows to gain BCS after calving?
BCS change from 21 days before calving to 21 days after calving
5
Effect of BCS Change on Health EventsBarletta et al., 2017; Theriogenology 104:30-36.
Event Lost Maintained Gained
50% (116/234)
22%(52/234)
28%(66/234)
Metritis 23% 21% 20%
Mastitis 29%b 17%a,b 17%a
Ketosis 27% 19% 15%
Pneumonia 15% 12% 9%
>1 Event 63%b 46%a 39%a 0
20
40
60
30 d after TAI 60 d after TAI
Lost Maintained Gained
66 6652 52
18c16c
27b25b
Pre
gn
an
cie
s/A
I (%
)
53a
46a
116 116
P/AI to TAI after a fertility programBarletta et al., 2017; Theriogenology 104:30-36
Overall, 50% of cows lost BCS from 21 d before to 21 days after calvingBarletta et al., 2017; Theriogenology 104:30-36
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
BCS < 3.0 BCS = 3.0 BCS > 3.0
lost Maintained Gained
BCS 21 d before expected calving
P = 0.005
a
Co
ws
P = 0.049
P < 0.001
b
a,b
a
a
b
b
b
a34% Lost 51% Lost 92% Lost
Question:How do I get cows to gain BCS after calving?
Answer:Avoid calving overconditioned cows!
Question:How do I avoid calving over-conditioned cows?
Effect of previous calving interval on BCS at calvingMiddleton et al., 2019; J. Dairy Sci. 102:5577-5587
6
Effect of previous calving interval on BCS change (calving to 30 DIM)Middleton et al., 2019; J. Dairy Sci. 102:5577-5587
Effect of BCS change on health eventsMiddleton et al., 2019; J. Dairy Sci. 102:5577-5587
7 Health Events Retained placenta, twins, dystocia, ketosis,
displaced abomasum, pyometra, metritis
Effect of BCS change after calving on fertility to first TAIMiddleton et al., 2019; J. Dairy Sci. 102:5577-5587
More pregnancy
loss
ThinEmaciated Average Fat Obese
1 2 3 4 5
Implement and use BCS evaluations
• At dry-off• At 3 wk before calving• At calving• At breeding• At pregnancy diagnosis
ThinEmaciated Average Fat Obese
1 2 3 4 5
Re-think BCS targets2001 BCS Recommendations:
Calving: 3.25 to 3.75Early: 2.50 to 3.25Mid: 2.75 to 3.25Late: 3.00 to 3.50
Dry Off: 3.25 to 3.75
Too High!
7
Double-Ovsynch for first TAI
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
GnRH
PGF
GnRH
GnRH
PGF PGF GnRH TAI
7 Days
G1 PGF G2
16 h
TAI
Pre-
G1
56 hPGF G216 h
TAI
CL+
25-32 dAfter TAI
32-39 d After AIPregnancy
Diagnosis with US
Resynch for 2nd
and greater TAI
P4 Insert
PGF
56 hCL-
24 h 32 h
24 h 32 h7 d
TAI for First Three Inseminations
76 DIM
176 DIM
Parity 21-d Preg Rate Service Rate P/AI
All cows 31% 66% 50%Primiparous 41% 70% 61%
Multiparous 29% 65% 47%
VWP = 76 d
BREDSUM By Times BredJanuary, 2016 to January, 2017
90%pregnantafter 3 AI
Outline• Relationships among changes in body
condition score (BCS) and reproduction in lactating dairy cows• Carvalho et al., 2014• Barletta et al., 2017• Middleton et al., 2019
• Effect of mastitis on fertility• Fuenzalida et al., 2015
8
IntroductionThe specific mechanisms by which mastitis affects reproduction remain unclear• Cytokines could lead to
induction of PGF2αrelease and induce an early luteolysis of corpus luteum, thus jeopardizing establishment of pregnancy (Hansen et al., 2004). Figure adopted from
Hansen et al., 2004
Herd Characteristics
Table 1. Descriptive characteristics of enrolled cows (n = 3,164) from 4 Wisconsin dairy herds
Farm
Number of cows per herd
Eligible for the study
Enrolled in the study
Used for analysis P/AI (%)
Use of TAI (%)
Milk yield (kg per cow)
SCC(cells
per mL)
A 1,429 913 889 888 39.0a 93.9c 46.1b 51,823b
B 1,382 1,017 981 965 44.7b 87.6b 46.0b 47,492ab
C 817 761 735 734 48.7b 99.5d 48.6c 44,723a
D 750 586 559 557 38.6a 57.6a 43.0a 72,639c
Overall 4,378 3,277 3,164 3,144 42.9 86.7 46.1 51,788
Breeding Risk Period
Calving AIPregnancy diagnosis
3 d before AI 32 d after AIusing US
Breeding risk period (BRP)
Microbiological analysis
• UW Milk quality laboratory (NMC, 1999)
• Microbiological diagnosis was defined at the quarter level
• Bacteria were identified at the species level
• An intramammary infection was defined as the isolation of 100 cfu/ml of identical colonies
MJ4
Microbiological diagnosis of quarter milk samples from clinical mastitis cases (n=279) occurring during the Breeding Risk Period on 4 WI dairies
2.5 1.3 0.4
18.1
3.8 2.9
18.9
6.3 7.1
38.7
6.85.1
2.9
0.0
10.0
20.0
30.0
40.0
50.0
15 17 92 19 14
Pro
po
rtio
n o
f is
ola
tes
(%)
Gram-positive(n = 69)
Gram-negative(n = 45)
8
Slide 47
MJ4 Staph aureus was defined with at least 10 cfu/mlMaría Josesita, 7/13/2014
9
36.5
44.6
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Yes No
P/A
I (%
)
Subclinical mastitis
P<0.001
Relationship between P/AI and Mastitis
32.6
43.9
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Yes No
P/A
I (%
)
Clinical mastitis
P<0.001
279 2,865 672 2,442
45.048.0
37.041.0
33.028.0
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Healthy Mastitis beforeBRP
SM duringBRP
Chronic SM CM duringBRP
Chronic CM
P/A
I (%
)
Mastitis risk group
P<0.001
Relationship between P/AI and Mastitis Risk Group
a,c
2,103
a,c
221
b
271
b,c
270
b
207
b
72
Relationship between P/AI and Severity and Etiology of CM
45
3328
0
10
20
30
40
50
P/A
I (%
)
Severity of CM
P<0.00144
39
3025
0
10
20
30
40
50
P/A
I (%
)
Etiology of CM
P=0.003
a
2,103
b
171
b
108
a
2,103
a,b
92
b
73
b
53
Effect of mastitis on fertility• Mastitis events occurring during the breeding
risk period have a profound negative effect on fertility
• Prevention and control of mastitis is essential for high fertility
• A total of 687 primiparous Holstein cows from 1 dairy farm were included in a matched case-control study.
• Mastitis before breeding was not associated with pregnancy loss.
• The odds of pregnancy loss were 2.21 times greater in cows affected with clinical mastitis during gestation compared with cows without mastitis.
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