Long-term effects of clinical diseases postpartum on performance and herd survival of dairy cows and on developmental programming of dairy heifers

Abstract

This thesis investigated whether clinical diseases postpartum have long-term consequences for production, reproduction, and culling of dairy cows, and whether the potential long-term effects on reproduction extend to postnatal life in pregnancies that survive to term. In addition, it also investigated potential developmental programming in heifers associated with the metabolic status of the dam during gestation (nonlactating heifer vs lactating cow). The results showed that clinical diseases postpartum reduce lactation and reproductive performances for a long period after clinical resolution of the disease, and increase culling. In addition, daughters of cows that had disease in the lactation preceding their birth had reduced morbidity up to first lactation but were more likely to leave the herd compared with daughters of cows that did not have disease. Potential developmental programming caused by metabolic status of the dam was also characterized and further contribute to the general understanding of developmental programming in cattle.