Livestock Studies 2013, Vol 53, Num, 1     (Pages: 017-027)

Effect of Parity and Reproductive Status on Peak Milk Yield and Some Reproductive Traits of Holstein Cows

Serkan ERAT 1 ,Hakan KALENDER 2 ,Olgu ÇELİK 3

1 Kırıkkale Üniversitesi Veteriner Fakültesi, Zootekni Anabilim Dalı, KIRIKKALE
2 Kırıkkale Üniversitesi Veteriner Fakültesi, Doğum ve Jinekoloji Anabilim Dalı, KIRIKKALE
3 Veteriner Hekim, AYDIN
- The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of parity and reproductive status on peak milk yield and some reproductive traits of Holstein cows reared in a private dairy farm of Konya province. Parities were 1 (n=105), 2 (n=97), 3 (n=42), 4 (n=72) and 5+ (n=24). Investigated characters were peak milk yield (PMY), calving interval (CI), number of artificial insemination per pregnancy (AIN) and service period (SP). Parity least squares means (1, 2, 3, 4, 5+), respectively, were; PMY (24.11±1.89, 32.90±1.33, 33.28±2.57, 29.47±1.58, 35.72±1.62 kg), BA (528.77±29.45, 438.37±20.78, 417.18±40.07, 406.57±24.63, 424.46±25.27 days), AIN (2.56±0.46, 1.92±0.33, 2.03±0.63, 1.76±0.39, 2.26±0.40) and SP (137.63±13.00, 96.60±9.17, 92.94±17.69, 85.46±10.87, 77.81±11.16 days). Reproductive status least squares means (aborted, open, pregnant, inseminated), respectively, were; PMY (30.58±1.38, 32.13±1.88, 29.60±0.40, 34.59±0.79 kg), CI (510.66±22.18, 403.47±30.38, 418.41±6.50, 390.64±12.81days), AIN (3.11±0.35, 1.23±0.48, 2.02±0.10, 1.69±0.20) and SP (90.94±9.89, 115.87±13.54, 87.34±2.90, 84.78±5.71 days). Parity significantly affected PMY (P<0.001), CI (P<0.05) and SP (P<0.01). Reproductive status significantly affected PMY (P<0.001), CI (P<0.001) and AIN (P<0.01) The Significant phenotypic correlations were found between PMY and CI (-0.12; P<0.05), PMY and AIN (-0.19; P<0.001), CI and AIN (0.71; P<0.001), CI and SP (0.29; P<0.001) and AIN and SP (-0.14; P<0.01). As as result, better feeding and herd management practices should be provided to improve the reproductive performance of Holstein cows in this dairy farm. Keywords : Calving interval, Parity, Peak milk yield, Service period, Holstein, Number of artificial insemination per cow