Influence of gestation length, seasonality, and calf sex on birth weight and placental retention in crossbred dairy cows

Estevão Vieira Rezende; Igor José Reis; Ricarda Maria Santos; Carla Cristian Campos

doi:10.1590/1809-6891v21e-52881

Authors

Estevão Vieira Rezende Universidade Federal de Uberlândia (UFU), Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brasil https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0630-0309
Igor José Reis Centro Universitário de Patos de Minas, Patos de Minas, Minas Gerais, Brasil https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5423-2152
Ricarda Maria Santos Universidade Federal de Uberlândia (UFU), Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brasil https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6118-7962
Carla Cristian Campos Universidade Federal de Uberlândia (UFU), Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brasil https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5525-994X

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1590/1809-6891v21e-52881

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of gestation length, season at calving (autumn-winter vs. spring-summer) and calf sex on birth weight and incidence of retained placenta (RP) in crossbred lactating dairy cows. A total of 187 parturitions were evaluated in a commercial dairy farm at Alto Paranaiba region, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Cows that did not release the placental membranes within the first 12 hours after calf expulsion were diagnosed with RP. At birth, calf sex was registered, and birth weight was estimated by using a weighing tape. The incidence of RP was 36.89% (69/187). The mean birth weight of the calves (41.73 kg) did not differ among the calf sexes and seasons of the year at birth (P > 0.05), but the cows with below-average gestation lengths (274.4 days) calved lighter calves. Furthermore, the season of the year at calving and calf sex had no influence on RP incidence (P > 0.05), although a higher incidence of RP was observed in cows that had shorter gestation lengths (49.44%) and calves below-average birth weights (51.76%). In conclusion, cows with shorter gestation lengths produce lighter offspring and have a high predisposition to RP.
Keywords: dairy cattle, tropical region, transition period, diseases

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