Phenotypic variation in live weight and live-weight changes of lactating Holstein-Friesian cows

Koenen, Epc.; Groen, Af.; Gengler, Nicolas

doi:10.1017/S135772980005013X

Download

Article (Scientific journals)

Phenotypic variation in live weight and live-weight changes of lactating Holstein-Friesian cows

Koenen, Epc.; Groen, Af.; Gengler, Nicolas

1999 • In Animal Science, 68 (1), p. 109-114

Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi

Permalink
https://hdl.handle.net/2268/22674

DOI
10.1017/S135772980005013X

Files (1)Send to Details Statistics Bibliography Similar publications

Files

Full Text

1999_KOENEN_GROEN_GENGLER.pdf

Publisher postprint (325.84 kB)

Download

All documents in ORBi are protected by a user license.

Send to

RIS BibTex APA Chicago Permalink X Linkedin

Details

Keywords :

dairy cattle; live weight; phenotypic variation; repeatability

Abstract :

[en] This study quantified individual phenotypic variation in live weight and live-weight changes during the first three lactations and estimated the effects of age, lactation week and pregnancy on live weight. Data comprised weekly averaged live weight (calculated from daily observations) during 452 lactations of 239 Holstein-Friesian cows. Unadjusted mean live weights were 553 (s.d. 50), 611 (s.d. 55) and 654 (s.d. 57) kg during first, second and third parity, respectively. Estimated effect of growth during parity was 46, 52 and 23 kg for the first three parities. Mean maximum weight loss was 26, 22 and 22 kg for first, second and third parity and variation was large among individuals. Week of lactation when cows had their maximum weight loss ranged from 7 weeks in first lactation to 13 weeks in third lactation. Estimated maximum effect of pregnancy on live weight during the lactation varied from 27 to 59 kg. Phenotypic variance in live weight increased with parity. Repeatabilities of live-weight observations within parity were 0.85. Across parities, high repeatabilities were found for calving weight and mean live weight but not for parameters associated with maximum weight loss. Correlations between weekly means and mean live weight during the whole of lactation were high. It was concluded that single live-weight observations of heifers are a good measurement of mean live weight during the first three parities.

Disciplines :

Animal production & animal husbandry
Genetics & genetic processes

Author, co-author :

Koenen, Epc.

Groen, Af.

Gengler, Nicolas ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech

Language :

English

Title :

Phenotypic variation in live weight and live-weight changes of lactating Holstein-Friesian cows

Publication date :

February 1999

Journal title :

Animal Science

ISSN :

1357-7298

Publisher :

Cambridge University Press, Wallingford, United Kingdom

Volume :

Issue :

Pages :

109-114
109-114

Peer reviewed :

Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi

Available on ORBi :

since 17 September 2009

Statistics

Number of views

178 (10 by ULiège)

Number of downloads

293 (11 by ULiège)

More statistics

Scopus citations^®

Scopus citations^®
without self-citations

OpenCitations

OpenAlex citations

Bibliography

Agricultural Research Council. 1980. The nutrient requirements of ruminant livestock. Commonwealth Agricultural Bureaux, Slough.
Ahlborn, G. and Dempfle, L. 1992. Genetic parameters for milk production and body size in New Zealand Holstein-Friesian and Jersey. Livestock Production Science 31: 205-219.
Andersen, S. and Pedersen, B. 1996. Growth and food intake curves for group-housed gilts and castrated male pigs. Animal Science 63: 457-464.
Bereskin, B. and Touchberry, R. W. 1967. Some effects of pregnancy on body weight and paunch girth. Journal of Dairy Science 50: 220-224.
Berglund, B. and Danell, B. 1987. Live weight changes, feed consumption, milk yield and energy balance in dairy cattle during the first period of lactation. Acta Agriculturae Scandinavica 37: 495-509.
Bines, J. A. 1976. Regulation of food intake in dairy cows in relation to milk production. Livestock Production Science 3: 115-128.
Cobby, J. and Le Du, Y. L. P. 1978. On fitting curves to lactation data. Animal Production 26: 127-133.
Elzakker, P. J. M. van and Arendonk, J. A. M. van. 1993. Feed intake, body weight and milk production: genetic analysis of different measurements in lactating dairy heifers. Livestock Production Science 37: 37-51.
Groen, A. F. 1989. Economic values in cattle breeding. I. Influences of production circumstances in situations without output limitations. Livestock Production Science 22: 1-16.
Hietanen, H. and Ojala, M. 1995. Factors affecting body weight and its association with milk production traits in Finnish Ayrshire and Friesian cows. Acta Agriculturae Scandinavica Section A, Animal Science 45: 17-25.
Hohenbroken, W. D., Foldager, J., Jensen, J., Madsen, P. and Bech Andersen, B. 1995. Breed and nutritional effects and interactions on energy intake, production and efficiency of nutrient utilization in young bulls, heifers and lactating cows. Acta Agriculturae Scandinavica, Section A. Animal Science 45: 92-98.
Kirkpatrick, M. and Heckman, N. 1989. A quantitative genetic model for growth, shape, reaction norms, and other infinite dimensional characters. Journal of Mathematical Biology 27: 429-450.
Koenen, E. P. C. and Groen, A. F. 1998. Genetic evaluation of body weight of lactating Holstein heifers using body measurements and conformation traits. Journal of Dairy Science 81: 1709-1713.
Korver, S. 1988. Genetic aspects of feed intake and feed efficiency in dairy cattle. Livestock Production Science 20: 1-13.
Korver, S., Arendonk, J. A. M. van and Koops, W. J. 1985. A function for live-weight change between two calvings in dairy cattle. Animal Production 40: 233-241.
Miller, R. H., Hooven Jr, N. W. and Creegan, M. E. 1969. Weight changes in lactating Holstein cows. Journal of Dairy Science 52: 90-94.
Oldenbroek, J. K. 1984. Holstein Friesians, Dutch Friesians and Dutch Red and Whites on two complete diets with a different amount of roughage: performance in second lactation. Livestock Production Science 11: 417-428.
Persuad, P., Simm, G. and Hill, W. G. 1991. Genetic and phenotypic parameters for yield, food intake and efficiency of dairy cows fed ad libitum. 1. Estimates for 'total' lactation measures and their relationship with live-weight traits. Animal Production 52: 435-444.
Schaeffer, L. R. and Dekkers, J. C. M. 1994. Random regressions in animal models for test-day production in dairy cattle. Proceedings of the fifth world congress on genetics applied to livestock production, Guelph, vol. 18, p. 443 (Abstr).
Silvey, M. W. and Haydock, K. P. 1978. A note on the live-weight adjustment for pregnancy in cows. Animal Production 27: 113-116.
Touchberry, R. W. and Batra, T. R. 1976. Body weight changes in lactating purebred and crossbred dairy cattle. Journal of Dairy Science 59: 733-743.
Visscher, P. M., Bowman, P. J. and Goddard, M. E. 1994. Breeding objectives for pasture based dairy production systems. Livestock Production Science 40: 123-137.
Wood, P. D. P. 1967. Algebraic model of the lactation curve in cattle. Nature 216: 164-165.
Wood, P. D. P., King, J. O. L. and Youdan, P. G. 1980. Relationships between size, live-weight change and milk production characters in early lactation in dairy cattle. Animal Production 31: 143-151.