Effects of Calving Ease-Calf Survival on Production and Reproduction in Holsteins

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Abstract
Data on 23,873 Holstein cows on official test of the Quebec Dairy Herd Analysis Service were analyzed for effects of calving ease-calf survival on cow productivity; data on 35,773 Holstein cows were analyzed for effects on culling and reproductive efficiency. Traits were milk, fat and protein yields, percent fat and protein for 90- and 305-day lactations, days from calving to 1st service and conception, percentage conception rate from 1st service and services per conception. The effect of calving ease-calf survival on production traits was not significant in most cases except surgical calvings associated with stillbirth. For these the loss of 305-day production was .apprx. 300-500 kg milk, 8-17 kg fat and 8-14 kg protein. Stillbirth in nonsurgical calvings was associated with lower production than when the calf survived; differences were 100-400 kg milk, 4-11.5 kg fat, and 2.5-13 kg protein. Age of cow and calving ease-calf survival significantly affected all measures of reproductive efficiency. Reproductive efficiency declined with advancing age. Effect of calving ease-calf survival tended to be more pronounced when calving was associated with stillbirth.