Relationship between reproductive efficiency and blood calcium level during transition period in dairy cows

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Mansoura University

2 Department of Theriogenology , Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Zagazig University, Egypt

Abstract

Metabolic disorders cause severe losses to dairy farmers, with adverse effects on milk yield and dairy cattle's reproductive efficiency. Hypocalcemia is the most common metabolic defects affecting dairy cows during transition periods and affecting reproductive efficiency. This research aimed to study the relationship between the most common metabolic disorder (hypocalcemia) and the reproductive efficiency in dairy cows. Fifty-three dairy cows were grouped based on blood calcium level into normal and subclinical hypocalcemic cows. Body condition scours and reproductive disorders were recorded. Moreover, reproductive efficiency was reported until 280 days in milk. Results reported a significant increase and positive correlation between reproductive disorder (dystocia, stillbirth, retained placenta, metritis, and vaginitis) in animals suffering from subclinical hypocalcemia. These results conclude that subclinical hypocalcemia impairs reproductive efficiency in dairy cows and subsequently it lowers the benefit from dairy farming.

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