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Effects of Milk Urea Nitrogen and Other Factors on Probability of Conception of Dairy Cows^*

Department of Animal and Avian Sciences, University of Maryland, College Park 20742

Corresponding author: R. A. Kohn; e-mail: rkohn{at}wam.umd.edu.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationships between milk urea nitrogen (MUN) and other factors and the probability of conception in dairy cows. Data were retrieved from the Lancaster Dairy Herd Improvement Association (DHIA). A total of 713 dairy herds and 10,271 dairy cows were included in the study. Logistic regression was used to determine the within-herd effects of MUN, milk production, lactation number, and breeding season on the probability of conception for each of 3 services. Within herds, MUN displayed a slight negative association with probability of conception at first service. For example, there was a 2- to 4-percentage unit decrease in conception rate at first service with a 10-mg/dL increase in MUN. In among-herd regression analysis, there was no effect of MUN on probability of conception. These results suggest that MUN may be related to conditions affecting reproduction of individual cows within a herd. Diet formulation usually would affect MUN equally among all cows at a similar stage of lactation in a herd. Because there was no effect of MUN among herds, diet formulation did not appear to affect conception rate.

Key Words: milk urea nitrogen • probability of conception • reproduction

Abbreviation key: CR = conception rate

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