Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/21041
Title: Effects of Selection for Fertility on Lactation Curves
Contributor(s): Strucken, Eva  (author)orcid ; Laurenson, Yan  (author); Brockmann, Gudrun A (author)
Publication Date: 2015
Open Access: Yes
Handle Link: https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/21041
Open Access Link: http://www.aaabg.org/aaabghome/AAABG21papers/Strucken21362.pdfOpen Access Link
Abstract: Breeding indices have enabled farmers to select for multiple traits simultaneously, including negatively correlated traits such as milk production and fertility. This negative correlation is believed to be either caused by an energy deficit during early lactation or serves a functional purpose in providing optimal birth spacing. A linear regression was carried out between parameters describing a lactation curve and a fertility index (RZR) and milk yield EBVs (mEBVs) to determine the effects of selection on the lactation curve. Breeding values of first lactation milk yield and a RZR were available for 2,405 sires. Additionally, these sires had test-day records of the first lactation of ~2M daughters. There was a negative correlation between mEBVs and RZR (r=-0.27, P<0.0001). Selection for fertility resulted in higher initial milk yield with an early peak yield. This suggests that an early peak occurs to provide offspring with sufficient milk despite a potential energy deficit. Further, an early peak provides an increased duration over which milk production declines and therefore sufficient time for the cow to recover from the energy deficit prior to a subsequent pregnancy. Finally, current production environments could be optimised to fulfil the genetic potential of high producing dairy cows.
Publication Type: Conference Publication
Conference Details: AAABG 2015: 21st Conference of the Association for the Advancement of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Lorne, Australia, 28th - 30th September, 2015
Source of Publication: Proceedings of the Association for the Advancement of Animal Breeding and Genetics, v.21, p. 362-365
Publisher: Association for the Advancement of Animal Breeding and Genetics (AAABG)
Place of Publication: Armidale, Australia
ISSN: 1328-3227
Fields of Research (FoR) 2008: 070201 Animal Breeding
Fields of Research (FoR) 2020: 300305 Animal reproduction and breeding
Socio-Economic Objective (SEO) 2008: 970107 Expanding Knowledge in the Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences
Socio-Economic Objective (SEO) 2020: 280101 Expanding knowledge in the agricultural, food and veterinary sciences
Peer Reviewed: Yes
HERDC Category Description: E1 Refereed Scholarly Conference Publication
Publisher/associated links: http://www.aaabg.org/aaabghome/proceedings21.php
Appears in Collections:Conference Publication

Files in This Item:
3 files
File Description SizeFormat 
Show full item record

Page view(s)

1,532
checked on Aug 4, 2024
Google Media

Google ScholarTM

Check


Items in Research UNE are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.