Research Article

Effect of some factors on type of calving and periparturient disorders in dairy cows

Małgorzata Jankowska, Anna Sawa, Wojciech Neja

Department of Cattle Breeding, University of Technology and Life Sciences, Bydgoszcz, Mazowiecka 28, 85-084 Bydgoszcz, Poland

1. Acta Sci. Pol. Zootechnica, 15(2), 2016, 25‒36
2. DOI: 10.21005/asp.2016.15.2.03

Abstract. The study was performed with Polish Holstein-Friesian cows (Black-and-White variety) in five farms located in the Kujawsko-Pomorskie province (364 cows in two free-stall barns, average milk yield of 7844 kg; 158 cows in three tie-stall barns, average milk yield of 7596 kg). The number of calves born, the housing system and the age of cows had a highly significant effect (P ≤ 0.01) on the type of calving, and a significant effect (P ≤ 0.05) on their production level. Single birth calvings were easier than twin birth calvings. Compared to single pregnancies, twin pregnancies were associated with a greater proportion of difficult and very difficult calvings (almost 3 and 16 times, respectively). In the free-stall system more calvings were assisted by one or more persons, while in the tie-stall system there were more normal but also very difficult parturitions that required veterinary assistance. Difficult and very difficult calvings accounted for 15.16% in heifers and 4.50% in cows. Compared to lower producing cows, parturitions of cows yielding > 7000 kg of milk were slightly more often classified as normal, but 3 times as often as difficult. Housing system had an effect on the incidence of periparturient disorders, which were more frequent in the free-stall system. Dairy cow breeders should give particular attention to the calvings of heifers and multiple pregnancies, because in such cases parturition is more often classified as difficult or very difficult. Inflammation of the udder was the greatest health concern postpartum, regardless of the housing system.

Keywords: dairy cows, type of calving, periparturient disorders