Blood metabolites and their relatioriship to dairy cattle productive and reproductive performance in Smallholder farms in Morogoro, Tanzania

Autor: Nkya, R, Kessy, BM, Aboud, AA
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2015
Zdroj: Tanzania Journal of Agricultural Sciences; Vol 5, No 2 (2002)
Popis: Sixty-four dairy cows (B taums x B indicus crosses) belonging to 40 peri-urban smallholder farms were investigated for relationship of their blood metabolites, body condition score (BCS) and body weight to milk yield and reproductive performance. Feed availability and quality were monitored monthly. Plasma concentrations of selected metabolites [albumin globulin beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) inorganic phosphorus urea] and packed cell volume (PCV) were measured at one month before calving at 30 days and 60-90 days postpartum (DPP). Milk yield BCS and body weight were taken once a month. The reproductive status was monitored by measuring milk progesterone (P4) concentrations and rectal palpation. Average daily food intake was 98=0.3 kg DM/day. Cows calved in good BCS (4-6) had mean milk yield between 6. 4±0. 44 and 7.3±0.66 L day in the first 90 days of lactation and delayed calving to conception interval (126.1 ± 6. 3 days) There was no relationship between apparent feeding level and therefore change in body weight and BCS with milk yield and reproductive performance (P>0.0.5). The mean body weight and BCS dropped within one month after calving which gradually recovered within the second month postpartum. A large proportion of cows (22-38%) had low PCV values (
Databáze: OpenAIRE