|
|
||||||||
1 Scottish Agricultural College, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JG, UK
2 Institute of Cell, Animal and Population Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, West Mains Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3JT, UK
Corresponding author: M. P. Coffey; e-mail: m.coffey{at}ed.sac.ac.uk.
Dairy cows make strategic use of body energy to support early lactation and replenish this lost energy later in lactation, thereby creating body energy profiles that vary both within lactation and across lactations. The interaction between genotype and diet energy content is interesting from a management viewpoint and from a cow survival viewpoint. In this study, we modeled energy balance over 3 lactations using a multivariate random regression model, for cows from the Langhill Dairy Cattle Research Centre. This herd has been selected for maximum production or to remain at the UK national average for production (control group) and has been fed 2 diets of different energy density (high or low concentrate). Cows in the various groups differed in body condition score and the way they lost and regained body lipid. Cows selected for maximum production on a low-concentrate diet lost the greatest amount of body lipid (0.54 condition score units) after 3 lactations. Cows selected for maximum production lost more than control cows on either diet, indicating that selection mainly for yield has predisposed cows to utilize body energy to support lactation on diets spanning the range used here. Cows selected for maximum production were heavier at first calving than control cows but lost more weight and regained more weight so that at the end of each lactation, cows in the 2 groups did not differ significantly in weight. Cows use body lipid to support lactation over 3 lactations and the profile of that use varies according to genotype and diet.
Key Words: energy balance genotype survival
Abbreviation key: CL = control line of cows, EB1 = energy balance calculated from feed intake measures, EB2 = energy balance calculated from BCS changes, FI = feed intake, LWT = live weight, MY = milk yield, NEB = negative energy balance, SL = select line (cows selected for maximum fat plus protein production).
This article has been cited by other articles:
![]() |
J. M. Bewley and M. M. Schutz Review: An Interdisciplinary Review of Body Condition Scoring for Dairy Cattle Professional Animal Scientist, December 1, 2008; 24(6): 507 - 529. [Abstract] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
R. M. Sawalha, S. Brotherstone, N. R. Lambe, and B. Villanueva Association of the prion protein gene with individual tissue weights in Scottish Blackface sheep J Anim Sci, August 1, 2008; 86(8): 1737 - 1746. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
S. L. Moya, M. A. Gomez, L. A. Boyle, J. F. Mee, B. O'Brien, and S. Arkins Effects of Milking Frequency on Phagocytosis and Oxidative Burst Activity of Phagocytes from Primiparous and Multiparous Dairy Cows During Early Lactation J Dairy Sci, February 1, 2008; 91(2): 587 - 595. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
E. Wall, M. P. Coffey, and P. R. Amer A Theoretical Framework for Deriving Direct Economic Values for Body Tissue Mobilization Traits in Dairy Cattle J Dairy Sci, January 1, 2008; 91(1): 343 - 353. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
N. C. Friggens, P. Berg, P. Theilgaard, I. R. Korsgaard, K. L. Ingvartsen, P. Lovendahl, and J. Jensen Breed and Parity Effects on Energy Balance Profiles Through Lactation: Evidence of Genetically Driven Body Energy Change J Dairy Sci, November 1, 2007; 90(11): 5291 - 5305. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
S. McCarthy, D. P. Berry, P. Dillon, M. Rath, and B. Horan Influence of Holstein-Friesian Strain and Feed System on Body Weight and Body Condition Score Lactation Profiles J Dairy Sci, April 1, 2007; 90(4): 1859 - 1869. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
S. Brotherstone, M. P. Coffey, and G. Banos Genetic Parameters of Growth in Dairy Cattle and Associations Between Growth and Health Traits J Dairy Sci, January 1, 2007; 90(1): 444 - 450. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
J. Patton, D. A. Kenny, J. F. Mee, F. P. O'Mara, D. C. Wathes, M. Cook, and J. J. Murphy Effect of Milking Frequency and Diet on Milk Production, Energy Balance, and Reproduction in Dairy Cows J Dairy Sci, May 1, 2006; 89(5): 1478 - 1487. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
G. Banos, M. P. Coffey, and S. Brotherstone Modeling Daily Energy Balance of Dairy Cows in the First Three Lactations J Dairy Sci, June 1, 2005; 88(6): 2226 - 2237. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |