Publikationsdatenbank

Association of body weight at first calving with milk production, health and culling risk in lactation 1 and 2 (2025)

Art

Poster

Autoren

Schildhauer, Antonia (WE 18)

Stock, Annegret (WE 18)

Drillich, Marc (WE 18)

Meier, Kim (WE 18)

Borchardt, Stefan (WE 18)

Kongress

Vlaamse Buiatric Congress

Dilbeek, 23. – 24.10.2025

Quelle

Sprache

Englisch

Kontakt

Nutztierklinik

Königsweg 65
14163 Berlin
+49 30 838 62261
klauentierklinik@vetmed.fu-berlin.de

Abstract / Zusammenfassung

The objective of this retrospective cohort study was to determine the association between body weight (BW) at first calving with milk production, health and culling risk in lactation 1 and 2.

A total of 4,263 primiparous Holstein cows from a commercial dairy farm in Northern Germany calving from June 2021 until December 2024 were enrolled in this study. Body weight at calving was recorded in all cows. Cows were categorized into 4 quartiles according to their BW: BW_Q1: 394 - 564kg (n = 1,019), BW_Q2: 566 - 588kg (n = 996), BW_Q3: 589 - 612kg (n = 923), BW_Q4: 614 - 768kg (n = 953). Calving related events (i.e., dystocia, stillbirth, vaginal lacerations) and uterine health disorders (i.e., retained fetal membranes, metritis) were recorded by farm personnel. Milk production data at wk 2, 4, 6, and 8 were extracted from the herd management software. Generalized linear mixed models were used to analyze continuous and categorical data. Cox proportional hazard models were used for time to event data.

Nulliparous heifers from BW_Q1, BW_Q2 and BW_Q3 had a reduced age at first calving (652 ± 1.14 d; 654 ± 1.15 d; 655 ± 1.20 d) compared to heifers from BW_Q4 (671 ± 1.18 d; P = 0.001). There was no association between the BW at first calving and the occurrence of calving related events, including stillbirth (P = 0.104), dystocia (P = 0.849), or vaginal lacerations (P = 0.292). However, there was an association between body weight quartile and the incidence of retained fetal membranes (P = 0.006; BW_Q1 3.7 %; BW_Q2 2.3%; BW_Q3 1.3 %; BW_Q4 2.3 %) and metritis (P = 0.002; BW_Q1 10.5 %; BW_Q2 8.1%; BW_Q3 6.8%; BW_Q4 6.2%) showed intermediate numbers. Milk production within the first 8 weeks of lactation 1 was associated with quartile (P = 0.001), time (P = 0.001), and an interaction between quartile x time (P = 0.001). Overall, cows in BW_Q1 (30.8 ± 0.16 kg/d) produced less milk compared with all other quartiles (P < 0.001; BW_Q2 32.0 ±0.15 kg/d; BQ_Q3 32.3 ± 0.16 kg/d; BW_Q4 33.3 ± 0.16 kg/d). Body weight at first calving was associated with culling risk in the first lactation (P = 0.001). Compared to cows in BW_Q1 there was a reduced hazard risk for culling for cows in BW_Q2 (HR = 0.562; 95% CI 0.475 – 0.665; P = 0.001); BW_Q3 (HR = 0.614; 95% CI 0.518 – 0.727; P = 0.001), and BW_Q4 (HR = 0.524; 95% CI 0.438 – 0.626; P = 0.001).

There was an association of the cow’s age at second calving and BW quartile at first calving (P = 0.001). Cows from BW_Q4 (1,047 ± 2.73 d) were older than the cows from all other quartiles (BW_Q1 1,031 ± 2.56 d; BW_Q2 1,030± 2.34 d; BW_Q3 1,031 ± 2.58 d). Among the quartiles an association of body weight at first calving and BW at second calving was observed (P = 0.001). Cows from BW_Q1 (658.1 ± 2.09 kg) were lightest and cows from BW_Q4 (716.1± 2.23 kg) were heaviest. Cows from BW_Q2 (675.9± 1.96 kg) and BW_Q3 (693.5± 2.12 kg) showed intermediate body weight at second calving. There was no association between the BW at first calving and the occurrence of calving related events, including stillbirth (P = 0.593), dystocia (P = 0.374), vaginal lacerations (P = 0.807) or retained fetal membranes (P = 0.264) at second calving. Milk production within the first 8 weeks of lactation 2 was associated with quartile (P = 0.001), time (P = 0.001). Overall, cows in BW_Q1 (44.4 ± 0.26 kg/d) produced less milk compared with all other quartiles (P = 0.001; BW_Q2 45.2 ± 0.25 kg/d; BW_Q3 45.6 ± 0.27 kg/d; BW_Q4 46.4 ± 0.29 kg/d). Body weight at first calving was not associated with culling risk in the second lactation (P = 0.348).

Lighter primiparous cows produced less milk in lactation 1 and 2 and had a greater culling risk in lactation 1.