Dependence of milk productivity and reproductive capacity of cows on their growth intensity under different conditions of maintenance
Abstract
The growth rate of replacement heifers significantly impacts their reproductive capacity and subsequent milk production. Therefore, breeding methods should be evidence-based to maximize the productivity of animal s throughout their lives. To study this issue, we analyzed the zootechnical records of dairy cattle breeding enterprises in the Kharkiv and Poltava region s of Ukraine. We found that production technology on a particular farm most influenced heifer growth intensity. The influence of the "farm" factor on heifers' live weight at 3 months of age was 6.4%; at 6 months, 3.8%; at 9 months, 6.1%; at 12 months, 7.0%; and at 15 months, 13.2%. The youngest age at first insemination was observed in heifers from the Kutuzivka and Stepne farms due to their accelerated growth. Heifers from the "Gontarivka" and "Agroprogress" farms were inseminated later (after 3 months). Except for the SE RF "Named after Decabrysty", all farms showed a tendency to reduce the service period duration with an i n crease in lactations. This indicates similar selection methods on these farms. The results of the study showed that animals with the greatest live weight gain were significantly younger at first insemination. The milk yield of first-born heifers positively correlated with live weight at 15 months of age. The early maturity of replacement heifers contributes to the intensive reproduction of the herd and increases the profitability of dairy farming. Further research should determine the effect of growth intensity on cow fertility and calf survival.References
Archbold, H., Shalloo, L., Kennedy, E., Pierce, K. M., & Buckley, F. (2012). Influence of age, body weight and body condition score before mating start date on the pubertal rate of maiden Holstein-Friesian heifers and implications for subsequent cow performance and profitability. Animal, 6, 1143–1151.
Busanello, M., Sousa, D. G., Poczynek, M., de Almeida, R.. Bittar, C. M. M., Mendonça, F. A C., & Lanna, D. P. D. (2022). Body growth of replacement dairy heifers from 3 distinct genetic groups from commercial Brazilian dairy herds. Journal of Dairy Science, 105, 3222–3233.
Chester-Jones, H., Heins, B. J., Ziegler, D., Schimek, D., Schuling, S., Ziegler, B., de Ondarza, M. B., Sniffen, C. J., & Broadwate, N. (2017). Relationships between early-life growth, intake, and birth season with first-lactation performance of Holstein dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science, 100, 3697–3704.
Costa, A., Boselli, C., & de Marchi, M. (2021). Effect of body weight and growth in early life on the reproductive performances of Holstein heifers. Agriculture, 11(2), 159.
Davis Rincker, L. E., Vande Haar, M. J., Wolf, C. A., Liesman, J. S., Chapin, L. T., & Weber Nielsen, M. S. (2011). Effect of intensified feeding of heifer calves on growth, pubertal age, calving age, milk yield, and economics. Journal of Dairy Science, 94, 3554–3567.
Eastham, N. T., A. Coates, A., Cripps, P., Richardson, H., Smith, R., & Oikonomou, G. (2018). Associations between age at first calving and subsequent lactation performance in UK Holstein and Holstein-Friesian dairy cows. PLoS One, 13(6), 197764.
Eetvelde, M., Kamal, M. M., Vandaele, L., & Opsomer, G. (2017). Season of birth is associated with first-lactation milk yield in Holstein Friesian cattle. Animal, 11, 2252–2259.
Froidmont, E., Mayeres, P., Picron P., Turlot, A., Planchon, V., & Stilmant, D. (2013). Association between age at first calving, year and season of first calving and milk production in Holstein cows. Animal, 7, 665–672.
Geletu, U. S., Usmael, M. A., Mummed, Y. Y., & Ibrahim, A. M. (2021). Quality of cattle meat and its compositional constituents. Veterinary Medicine International, 2021, 7340495.
Gelsinger, S. L., Heinrichs, A. J., & Jones, C. M. (2016). A meta-analysis of the effects of preweaned calf nutrition and growth on first-lactation performance. Journal of Dairy Science, 99, 6206–6214.
Ghavi Hossein-Zadeh, N. (2011). Estimation of genetic and phenotypic relationships between age at first calving and productive performance in Iranian Holsteins. Tropical Animal Health and Production. 43, 967–973.
Handcock, R. C., Lopez-Villalobos, N., McNaughton, L. R., Back, P. J., Edwards, G. R., & Hickson, R. E. (2019). Positive relationships between body weight of dairy heifers and their first-lactation and accumulated three-parity lactation production. Journal of Dairy Science, 102, 4577–4589.
Handcock, R. C., Lopez-Villalobos, N., McNaughton, L. R., Back, P. J., Edwards, G. R., & Hickson, R. E. (2020). Body weight of dairy heifers is positively associated with reproduction and stayability. Journal of Dairy Science, 103, 4466–4474.
Hawkins, A., Burdine, K. H., Amaral-Phillips, D. M., & Costa, J. H. C. (2020). Effects of housing system on dairy heifer replacement cost from birth to calving: Evaluating costs of confinement, dry-lot, and pasture-based systems and their impact on total rearing investment. Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 16, 625.
Hayes, C. J., McAloon, C. G., Kelly, E. T., Carty, C. I., Ryan, E. G., Mee, J. F., & O'Grady, L. (2021). The effect of dairy heifer pre-breeding growth rate on first lactation milk yield in spring-calving, pasture-based herds. Animal, 15(3), 100169.
Hutchison, J. L., Van Raden, P. M., Null, D. J., Cole, J. B., & Bickhart, D. M. (2017). Genomic evaluation of age at first calving. Journal of Dairy Science, 100, 6853–6861.
Kiezebrink, D. J., Edwards, A. M., Wright, T. C., Cant, J. P., & Osborne, V. R. (2015). Effect of enhanced whole-milk feeding in calves on subsequent first-lactation performance. Journal of Dairy Science, 98, 349–356.
Klimkovetskyi, А. А. (2020). The relationship between growth rates of Kyiv factory type Ukrainian black-and-white dairy breed heifers and cows lifelong productivity. Animal Science and Food Technology, 11, 32–44.
Krpálková, L., Cabrera, V. E., Kvapilík, J., Burdych, J., & Crump, P. (2014). Associations between age at first calving, rearing average daily weight gain, herd milk yield and dairy herd production, reproduction, and profitability. Journal of Dairy Science, 97, 6573–6582.
Krpálková, L., Cabrera, V. E., Vacek, M., Štípková, M., Stádník, L., & Crump, P. (2014). Effect of prepubertal and postpubertal growth and age at first calving on production and reproduction traits during the first 3 lactations in Holstein dairy cattle. Journal of Dairy Science, 97, 3017–3027.
Kuipers, A., Østergaard, S., Loges, R., Zijlstra, J., & Brocard, V. (2024). Assessing solutions for resilient dairy farming in Europe. Animals, 14(20), 2991.
Martin, N. P., Hickson, R. E., Clifford, de R. P., Tulley, W., Lopez-Villalobos, N., & Back, P. J. (2020). Production benefits from meeting liveweight targets in dairy heifers. New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research, 63, 220–232.
McCarthy, M. C., O'Grady, L., McAloon, C. G., & Mee, J. F. (2021). The effect of contract-rearing on the health status of replacement dairy heifers. Animals, 11(12), 3447.
McNaughton, L. R., & Lopdell, T. (2013). Effect of heifer live weight on calving pattern and milk production. Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production, 73, 103–107.
Overton, M. W., & Dhuyvetter, K. C. (2020). Symposium review: An abundance of replacement heifers: What is the economic impact of raising more than are needed? Journal of Dairy Science, 103(4), 3828–3837.
Paliy, A., Aliiev, E., Paliy, A., Ishchenko, K., Shkromada, O., Musiienko, Y., Plyuta, L., Chekan, O., Dubin, R., & Mohutova, V. (2021). Development of a device for cleansing cow udder teats and testing it under industrial conditions. Eastern-European Journal of Enterprise Technologies, 109, 43–53.
Paliy, A., Nanka, А., Marchenko, M., Bredykhin, V., Paliy, A., Negreba, J., Lazorenko, L., Panasenko, A., Rybachuk, Z., & Musiienko, O. (2020). Establishing changes in the technical parameters of nipple rubber for milking machines and their impact on operational characteristics. Eastern-European Journal of Enterprise Technologies, 104, 78–87.
Plomaritou, A., Hanlon, M., Kantas, D., Georgakoudis, K., Dovolou, E., & Foskolos, A. (2025). A Review of nitrogen use efficiency of dairy replacement heifers: Improving management practices and minimizing nitrogen losses. Animals, 15(7), 1031.
Polupan, Y., Stavetska, R., Melnyk, Y., & Siryak, V. (2024). Influence of growth retardation of heifers on the development, production, duration and efficiency of productive lifespan of dairy cows. Veterinarija ir Zootechnika, 81, 36–43.
Rueda García, A. M., Fracassi, P., Scherf, B. D., Hamon, M., & Iannotti, L. (2024). Unveiling the nutritional quality of terrestrial animal source foods by species and characteristics of livestock systems. Nutrients, 16(19), 3346.
Salte, R., Storli, K. S., Wærp, H. K. L., Sommerseth, J. K., Prestløkken, E., & Klemetsdal, G. (2020). Designing a replacement heifer rearing strategy: Effects of growth profile on performance of Norwegian Red heifers and cows. Journal of Dairy Science, 103, 10835–10849.
Snelling, W. M., Kuehn, L. A., Thallman, R. M., Bennett, G. L., & Golden, B. L. (2019). Genetic correlations among weight and cumulative productivity of crossbred beef cows. Journal of Animal Science, 97(1), 63–77.
Soberon, F., Raffrenato, E., Everett, R. W., & van Amburgh, M. E. (2012). Preweaning milk replacer intake and effects on long-term productivity of dairy calves. Journal of Dairy Science, 95, 783–793.
Sommerseth, J. K., Shrestha, S., MacLeod, M., Hegrenes, A., Hansen, B. G., & Salte, R. (2024). How increased heifer growth rate and reduced dairy cow replacement rate can improve farm economy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions – a win to win situation? Animal, 18, 101294.
Vacek, M., Krpálková, L., Syrůček, J., Štípková, M., & Janecká, M. (2015). Relationships between growth and body condition development during the rearing period and performance in the first three lactations in Holstein cows. Czech Journal of Animal Science, 60, 417–425.
Ventura, G., Lorenzi, V., Mazza, F., Clemente, G. A., Iacomino, C., Bertocchi, L., & Fusi, F. (2021). Best farming practices for the welfare of dairy cows, heifers and calves. Animals, 11(9), 2645.
Wathes, D. C., Brickell, J. S., Bourne, N. E., Swali, A., & Cheng, Z. (2008). Factors influencing heifer survival and fertility on commercial dairy farms. Animal, 2, 1135–1143.
Wathes, D. C., Pollott, G. E., Johnson, K. F., Richardson, H., & Cooke, J. S. (2014). Heifer fertility and carry over consequences for life time production in dairy and beef cattle. Animal, 8, 91–104.
Zimmermann, M. J., Kuehn, L. A., Spangler, M. L., Thallman, R. M., Snelling, W. M., & Lewis, R. M. (2021). Breed and heterotic effects for mature weight in beef cattle. Journal of Animal Science, 99(8), skab209.
Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons «Attribution» 4.0 License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
