Angus x Hereford multiparous cows were assigned to four treatments: 1) mastectomized+calf weaned at birth (MCW; n = 7); 2) mastectomized+calf presence restricted to noninguinal contact (MCR; n = 7); 3) mastectomized+unrestricted calf presence (MCP; n = 7); and 4) udder-intact cows+unrestricted calf presence (UICP; n = 8). Except for MCW cows, cow-calf pairs were penned together individually fro...

The objectives of this study were to determine the effect of the dry cow management system (pasture or confined) on: (1) lying behaviour and activity; (2) feeding and heat stress behaviours; (3) intramammary infections, postpartum. Non-lactating Holstein cows were assigned to either deep-bedded, sand freestalls ( n = 14) or pasture ( n = 14) using rolling enrollment. At dry-off, cows were equip...

A study was conducted to determine if early weaning spring born calves can be an alternative management strategy during drought and if early weaning facilitates rebreeding of young cows. Our objectives were to determine effects of early weaning at the start of breeding on cow body weight, body condition score, and reproductive performance with or without estrous synchronization and AI in two he...

Survival of the neonatal calf is largely dependent on humoral immunity. The objective of three experiments reported here was to compare cow serum immunoglobulin (Ig) concentration, colostrum yield, composition and Ig concentration and calf serum Ig concentrations at ~8and 48-h post partum of spring-calving Charolais (C) and Beef × Holstein-Friesian (BF) cows and their progeny. Cows were individ...

Pyruvate carboxylase (PC; EC 6.4.1.1) is critical in gluconeogenesis from lactate and maintenance of tricarboxylic acid cycle intermediates. Whereas increases in PC mRNA have been observed during feed restriction, the mechanism of regulation is unknown; however, coinciding increases in circulating NEFA concentrations suggests that fatty acids may contribute to regulation of gene expression duri...

The aim of the present study was to investigate the relation between different indices of milk yield andbody condition score (BCS) with the commencement of the luteal activity (C-LA) during the postpartumperiod in high producing dairy cows. Seventy-one multiparous healthy (free of detectable reproductivedisorders) Holstein dairy cows (mean peak milk yield = 56.7 ± 7.4 kg) were used in the prese...

Background: It was hypothesized that under apparently good management practices in dairy farms, some cows may not be metabolically perfect during the breeding period and this may affect their performance. Aims: This study was conducted to assess probable metabolic drawbacks in mid-lactation dairy cows affecting their performance. Methods: Thirt...

this study was conducted to evaluate production response of early lactating cows to rumen protected fats. twelve (nine multiparous and three primiparous) holstein cows (26±4 d in milk) were empolyed in a replicated 3×3 latin square design of 21-d periods. each period consisted of 14 days of adaptation and 7 days of sampling. cows received diets containing either one of two types of protected fa...

Postpartum anestrous is one of the most important problems in the dairy industry in the world and especially in Iran. The objective of present study was to compare the efficacy of two hormonal programs for recycling of postpartum anestrous cows. For this reason, 230 Holstein cows from 4 similar dairy herds (with totally 2560 cow and unique management and feeding system) located on the suburb of...

Many dairy cows in the developed world are now housed exclusively indoors with fewer than 5% of the 10 million lactating cows in the United States having access to pasture during the grazing season. Indoor housing systems are designed to meet biological needs for food, water, hygiene, and shelter, but surveys of public and farmer opinion suggest that people think that pasture access is also imp...