1

Management Barriers to High Fertility

Paul M. Fricke, Ph.D.Professor of Dairy Science

Outline• The High Fertility Cycle

• Carvalho et al., 2014• Barletta et al., 2017• Middleton et al., 2019

• Effect of Mastitis on Fertility• Fuenzalida et al., 2015

The High Fertility Cycle

P. M. Fricke1, M. C. Wiltbank1, and J. R. Pursley2

1University of Wisconsin – Madison2Michigan State University

1995 to 2015

Pursley et al.Ovsynch

95 1110090807069796 12 13030201009998 04 05 14 15

Pursley et al.Ovsynch Field Trial

Moriera et al.Presynch-Ovsynch

Fricke et al.Resynch

Bello et al.G6G

Souza et al.Double-Ovsynch

Carvalho et al.Resynch + 2nd PGF

Brusveen et al.DO + 2nd PGF

SynchProtocols

FertilityPrograms

http://www.dcrcouncil.org/

http://www.dcrcouncil.org/

2

Question?• How can we explain variation

among herds using the exact same repro programs?–Compliance!

ThinEmaciated Average Fat Obese

1 2 3 4 5

BCS is a noninvasive method for estimating fat stores in live cows.

Define: Ratio between amount of fat to the amount of nonfat matter (water, protein, ash) in the body of a living animal.

Body condition change is an easy way to assess energy balance on farms.

Body Condition Scoring

Britt, 1992 Britt, 1992

Item Maintained Lost

n 46 30

Milk yield (Kg)

Mean during first 10 weeks 26 27

Mean 305 d lactation 8,155 8,272

Conception rate (%)

First service 62 25All services 61 42

Britt Hypothesis 1992

Adapted from Britt 1992

Three Studies: Relationships among changes in body condition score (BCS) and reproduction in lactating dairy cows

• Carvalho et al., 2014 J. Dairy Sci. 97:3666-3683

• Barletta et al., 2017Theriogenology 104:30-36

• Middleton et al., 2019J. Dairy Sci. 102:5577-5587

3

Does Body Weight change early postpartum affect embryo quality?

Cows losing more BW early postpartum will have poor embryo quality

Maintain

Materials & Methods

71 lactating dairy cows from 1 farm wereSynchronized and superstimulated for 1st

service

15

8 x FSH – decreasing doses

~24 H~34 H

PGF2α

hCG

7 Days

Embryo Collection

Follicular Ablation

AI 12h and 24h after hCG

P4 – 3.5 Days

US USBS7 Days

Ovsynch

+CIDR

% Body weight change%

Bod

y W

eigh

t Cha

nge

from

firs

t wee

k

-10

-8

-6

-4

-2

0

2

4

6First Quartile

Second Quartile

Third Quartile

Fourth Quartile

AGroup P < 0.001Week P < 0.001

Group x Week P < 0.001

Week Postpartum

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

NEFA concentrations

First Quartile

Second Quartile

Third Quartile

Fourth Quartile

NE

FA

(m

Eq/

L)

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800 B

Group P = 0.11Week P < 0.001

Group x Week P = 0.002

Week Postpartum

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Embryo Characteristics

Quartile

Fourth QLost +

Third QLost

Second QMaintain

First QGain

P-value

CL (no.) 18.4 ± 2.6 18.4 ± 1.7 19.0 ± 1.7 16.0 ± 2.0 0.67

Fertilized embryos (%)

76.9 ± 7.1 77.0 ± 6.6 77.6 ± 7.6 78.4 ± 7.1 0.99

Quality 1 & 2 embryos (%)

38.0 ± 8.7 61.3 ± 8.2 60.6 ± 9.4 63.4 ± 8.6 0.14

Degenerate embryos (%)

35.2 ± 8.5a 12.6 ± 4.6b 14.5 ± 6.3b 9.6 ± 3.7b 0.02

Qual 1 & 2 of Fertilized (%)

48.4 ± 9.5a 78.3 ± 6.6b 72.6 ± 9.5b 77.7 ± 7.4b 0.05

Degenerate of Fertilized (%)

46.9 ± 9.6a,A 17.4 ± 6.4b,B 24.8 ± 9.3ab,A 16.2 ± 7.0b,B 0.04

4

• Cows from 91 dairy herds were sampled for NEFA and BHBA prepartum (n = 1,164) or postpartum (n = 1,095).

• Cows with NEFA concentrations > 0.27 mEq/L resulted in 16% decreased risk of conception within 70 d after the VWP (P = 0.05).

Does a change in BCS early postpartum affect fertility to TAI?

Cows losing more BCS early postpartum will have decreased fertility at first TAI

Maintained

% of cows, BCS at calving and 21 DIM

BCS Change P-Value

Lost Maintained Gained BCS

% cows 41.8 (789/1887)

35.8 (675/1887)

22.4 (423/1887)

-

% Primi. 47.3 (373/789)

52.7(356/675)

55.1 (233/423)

0.02

BCS atcalving 2.93±0.01ª 2.89±0.02ab 2.85±0.02b 0.005

BCS at21 DIM 2.64±0.01c 2.89±0.02b 3.10±0.02a <0.001

BCS Δ -0.29 0.0 +0.25

ECM (kg/d)1 30.9±0.4 31.5±0.4 28.7±0.4 0.3

1From calving to 21DIM

P/AI to Double-Ovsynch

0

20

40

60

80

100

40 d after TAI 70 d after TAI

Lost Maintained Gained

BCS change: P < 0.001Parity: P < 0.001

789 789675 675

25.1c22.8c

38.2b36.0b

Pre

gn

an

cie

s/A

I (%

)

83.5a

78.3a

423 423

BCS change: P < 0.001Parity: P < 0.001

Question:How do I get cows to gain BCS after calving?

BCS change from 21 days before calving to 21 days after calving

5

Effect of BCS Change on Health EventsBarletta et al., 2017; Theriogenology 104:30-36.

Event Lost Maintained Gained

50% (116/234)

22%(52/234)

28%(66/234)

Metritis 23% 21% 20%

Mastitis 29%b 17%a,b 17%a

Ketosis 27% 19% 15%

Pneumonia 15% 12% 9%

>1 Event 63%b 46%a 39%a 0

20

40

60

30 d after TAI 60 d after TAI

Lost Maintained Gained

66 6652 52

18c16c

27b25b

Pre

gn

an

cie

s/A

I (%

)

53a

46a

116 116

P/AI to TAI after a fertility programBarletta et al., 2017; Theriogenology 104:30-36

Overall, 50% of cows lost BCS from 21 d before to 21 days after calvingBarletta et al., 2017; Theriogenology 104:30-36

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

BCS < 3.0 BCS = 3.0 BCS > 3.0

lost Maintained Gained

BCS 21 d before expected calving

P = 0.005

a

Co

ws

P = 0.049

P < 0.001

b

a,b

a

a

b

b

b

a34% Lost 51% Lost 92% Lost

Question:How do I get cows to gain BCS after calving?

Answer:Avoid calving overconditioned cows!

Question:How do I avoid calving over-conditioned cows?

Effect of previous calving interval on BCS at calvingMiddleton et al., 2019; J. Dairy Sci. 102:5577-5587

6

Effect of previous calving interval on BCS change (calving to 30 DIM)Middleton et al., 2019; J. Dairy Sci. 102:5577-5587

Effect of BCS change on health eventsMiddleton et al., 2019; J. Dairy Sci. 102:5577-5587

7 Health Events Retained placenta, twins, dystocia, ketosis,

displaced abomasum, pyometra, metritis

Effect of BCS change after calving on fertility to first TAIMiddleton et al., 2019; J. Dairy Sci. 102:5577-5587

More pregnancy

loss

ThinEmaciated Average Fat Obese

1 2 3 4 5

Implement and use BCS evaluations

• At dry-off• At 3 wk before calving• At calving• At breeding• At pregnancy diagnosis

ThinEmaciated Average Fat Obese

1 2 3 4 5

Re-think BCS targets2001 BCS Recommendations:

Calving: 3.25 to 3.75Early: 2.50 to 3.25Mid: 2.75 to 3.25Late: 3.00 to 3.50

Dry Off: 3.25 to 3.75

Too High!

7

Double-Ovsynch for first TAI

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

GnRH

PGF

GnRH

GnRH

PGF PGF GnRH TAI

7 Days

G1 PGF G2

16 h

TAI

Pre-

G1

56 hPGF G216 h

TAI

CL+

25-32 dAfter TAI

32-39 d After AIPregnancy

Diagnosis with US

Resynch for 2nd

and greater TAI

P4 Insert

PGF

56 hCL-

24 h 32 h

24 h 32 h7 d

TAI for First Three Inseminations

76 DIM

176 DIM

Parity 21-d Preg Rate Service Rate P/AI

All cows 31% 66% 50%Primiparous 41% 70% 61%

Multiparous 29% 65% 47%

VWP = 76 d

BREDSUM By Times BredJanuary, 2016 to January, 2017

90%pregnantafter 3 AI

Outline• Relationships among changes in body

condition score (BCS) and reproduction in lactating dairy cows• Carvalho et al., 2014• Barletta et al., 2017• Middleton et al., 2019

• Effect of mastitis on fertility• Fuenzalida et al., 2015

8

IntroductionThe specific mechanisms by which mastitis affects reproduction remain unclear• Cytokines could lead to

induction of PGF2αrelease and induce an early luteolysis of corpus luteum, thus jeopardizing establishment of pregnancy (Hansen et al., 2004). Figure adopted from

Hansen et al., 2004

Herd Characteristics

Table 1. Descriptive characteristics of enrolled cows (n = 3,164) from 4 Wisconsin dairy herds

Farm

Number of cows per herd

Eligible for the study

Enrolled in the study

Used for analysis P/AI (%)

Use of TAI (%)

Milk yield (kg per cow)

SCC(cells

per mL)

A 1,429 913 889 888 39.0a 93.9c 46.1b 51,823b

B 1,382 1,017 981 965 44.7b 87.6b 46.0b 47,492ab

C 817 761 735 734 48.7b 99.5d 48.6c 44,723a

D 750 586 559 557 38.6a 57.6a 43.0a 72,639c

Overall 4,378 3,277 3,164 3,144 42.9 86.7 46.1 51,788

Breeding Risk Period

Calving AIPregnancy diagnosis

3 d before AI 32 d after AIusing US

Breeding risk period (BRP)

Microbiological analysis

• UW Milk quality laboratory (NMC, 1999)

• Microbiological diagnosis was defined at the quarter level

• Bacteria were identified at the species level

• An intramammary infection was defined as the isolation of 100 cfu/ml of identical colonies

MJ4

Microbiological diagnosis of quarter milk samples from clinical mastitis cases (n=279) occurring during the Breeding Risk Period on 4 WI dairies

2.5 1.3 0.4

18.1

3.8 2.9

18.9

6.3 7.1

38.7

6.85.1

2.9

0.0

10.0

20.0

30.0

40.0

50.0

15 17 92 19 14

Pro

po

rtio

n o

f is

ola

tes

(%)

Gram-positive(n = 69)

Gram-negative(n = 45)

8

Slide 47

MJ4 Staph aureus was defined with at least 10 cfu/mlMaría Josesita, 7/13/2014

9

36.5

44.6

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Yes No

P/A

I (%

)

Subclinical mastitis

P<0.001

Relationship between P/AI and Mastitis

32.6

43.9

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Yes No

P/A

I (%

)

Clinical mastitis

P<0.001

279 2,865 672 2,442

45.048.0

37.041.0

33.028.0

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Healthy Mastitis beforeBRP

SM duringBRP

Chronic SM CM duringBRP

Chronic CM

P/A

I (%

)

Mastitis risk group

P<0.001

Relationship between P/AI and Mastitis Risk Group

a,c

2,103

a,c

221

b

271

b,c

270

b

207

b

72

Relationship between P/AI and Severity and Etiology of CM

45

3328

0

10

20

30

40

50

P/A

I (%

)

Severity of CM

P<0.00144

39

3025

0

10

20

30

40

50

P/A

I (%

)

Etiology of CM

P=0.003

a

2,103

b

171

b

108

a

2,103

a,b

92

b

73

b

53

Effect of mastitis on fertility• Mastitis events occurring during the breeding

risk period have a profound negative effect on fertility

• Prevention and control of mastitis is essential for high fertility

• A total of 687 primiparous Holstein cows from 1 dairy farm were included in a matched case-control study.

• Mastitis before breeding was not associated with pregnancy loss.

• The odds of pregnancy loss were 2.21 times greater in cows affected with clinical mastitis during gestation compared with cows without mastitis.