Hormones, Metabolites, and Reproduction in Holsteins, Jerseys, and their crosses

Cows in first (n = 163) and second (n = 101) lactation were studied to determine if reproduction, progesterone (P4), IGF-I, insulin, NEFA, and milk production differed between genetic groups. Thirty-five cows were Holstein-Jersey (HJ) crosses, 48 were Jersey-Holstein (JH) crosses, 51 were Holsteins (HH), and 29 were Jerseys (JJ). Days open (DO) was affected by genetic group. HH had 168.6 ± 9.6 DO which was different from HJ (142.9 ± 11.3 d), JJ (132.1 ± 12.1 d), and JH (127.2 ± 9.3 d). HH had 2.4 ± 0.1 services per conception which was different from JH (1.9 ± 0.1), but not different from HJ (2.1 ± 0.2) or JJ (2.1 ± 0.2). In HH P4 concentrations (1.6 ± 0.11 ng/mL) were not different from HJ (1.5 ± 0.12 ng/mL), but lower than JH (1.8 ± 0.10 ng/mL) and JJ (1.8 ± 0.13 ng/mL). NEFA concentrations were greater in lactation 2 (0.52 ± 0.02 mEq/L) than in lactation 1 (0.45 ± 0.02 mEq/L). Insulin in HH (0.83 ± 0.03 ng/mL) was not different from HJ (0.87 ± 0.04 ng/mL) or JH (0.76 ± 0.03 ng/mL), but was greater than JJ (0.66 ± 0.04 ng/mL). IGF-I gradually increased over the 10 wk period. The HH produced 10,348 ± 208 kg of milk, which was greater than the HJ (9,129 ± 230 kg), the JH (9,384 ± 192 kg), and the JJ (7,080.9 ± 261 kg). Reproductive measures, milk yield, hormones and metabolites were affected by genetic groups.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science

Level thesis:degree_level

masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Dairy Science

Department dc:contributor.department

Dairy Science

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Tech

Year dc:date.issued

2010

Author dc:creator

• Brown, Karen Leigh

Chairs dc:contributor.committeechair

• Cassell, Bennet G.
• Gwazdauskas, Francis C.

Committee member dc:contributor.committeemember

• Hanigan, Mark D.

• Insulin
• NEFA
• Progesterone
• IGF-I

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Dc Identifier Other

etd-08242010-161432

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/34746