Seasonal-calving pasture-based systems characterize Irish dairy production. During the dry period, cows are housed and offered predominantly grass silage, providing unique transition cow management opportunities. This study aimed to describe transition period disease incidence and management strategies reported by farmers, and to evaluate their associations with herd size and calving pattern to inform and guide research activities and national advisory.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAneuploidy, a genetic condition characterised by the deletion (monosomy) or duplication (trisomy) of a chromosome, has been extensively studied in humans, particularly in the context of trisomy on chromosome 21, also known as Down syndrome. Research on autosomal aneuploidy in live-born cattle has been limited to case reports, resulting in a lack of prevalence estimates of aneuploidy in cattle. Furthermore, the viability or lethality of aneuploidy on specific autosomes in cattle has not been well documented.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAneuploidy is a genetic condition characterized by the loss or gain of one or more chromosomes. Aneuploidy affecting the sex chromosomes can lead to infertility in otherwise externally phenotypically normal cattle. Early identification of cattle with sex chromosomal aneuploidy is important to minimize the costs associated with rearing infertile cattle and futile breeding attempts.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA voluntary control programme for Johne's disease, the Irish Johne's Control Programme (IJCP) has been implemented in Ireland since 2017. The objective of this observational study was to assess Irish beef and dairy farmers' Johne's disease knowledge, implemented management practices and IJCP opinions. A questionnaire open to dairy and beef farmers was distributed via social media and email.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe objectives of our study were to describe quarter-level prevalence of intrammamary infection (IMI), to evaluate the performance of commonly used somatic cell count (SCC) thresholds for the diagnosis of quarter-level IMI, and to determine those with maximized sensitivity (Se) and specificity (Sp) for identifying quarter-level IMI as defined by positive aerobic culture in late-lactation grazing dairy cows. In this observational study, quarter milk samples were collected from all cows in 21 commercial spring-calving, pasture-based Irish dairy herds. Total SCC determination and aerobic bacterial culture were performed in 8,177 quarter milk samples obtained between 238 and 268 d in milk from 465 primiparous and 1,609 multiparous cows.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPragmatic studies, evaluating the effectiveness of an intervention under its usual conditions, are less commonly reported than the explanatory trials. For instance, the effectiveness of prepartum negative dietary cation-anion difference (DCAD) diets on inducing a compensated metabolic acidosis that promotes a higher blood Ca concentration at calving has not been frequently described under commercial farm management conditions without researchers' interference. Thus, the objectives were to study cows under commercial farm management conditions to (1) describe the daily close-up dairy cows' urine pH and fed DCAD, and (2) evaluate the association between urine pH and fed DCAD, and preceding urine pH and blood Ca at calving.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAmong the commonly implemented strategies developed to support calcium (Ca) metabolism postpartum, oral Ca supplementation is within the most studied. However, research shows varying responses to treatment in regard to production and reproduction. Our objectives were (1) to identify and synthesize the literature evaluating the associations between postpartum oral Ca supplementation as bolus and milk yield and risk of pregnancy to first service using a systematic review, and (2) to quantify these associations using meta-analytical methods.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe aim of the present study was to describe the dynamics of serum IgG (determined with radial immunodiffusion) and total protein (TP; determined with refractometry) concentrations during the first 16 d of life. Secondary objectives were to evaluate the transfer of passive immunity (TPI) classification at d 1 of life as a conditional factor for the aforementioned dynamics, and to describe over time changes on calves' TPI classification. At a commercial raising operation, 36 calves (19 Holstein, 17 Jersey) were sampled immediately after arrival (d 1) and at d 4, 8, 12 and 16 of life, for serum IgG and TP concentration, and hematocrit determination (HCT).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of two rumen-native microbial feed supplements (MFS) on milk production, milk composition, and feed efficiency. A total of 90 multiparous cows between 40 and 60 d in milk were enrolled in a randomized block design study. Within each block (baseline milk yield), cows were randomly assigned to: control (no microbial feed supplementation), MFS1 (0.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFConsequences of postpartum low blood calcium (Ca) concentration are still under study and literature describing this condition in Jersey cows is scarce. A prospective cohort study was conducted to evaluate the association of low serum Ca concentration shortly after calving with milk and energy-corrected milk yields, somatic cell count linear score, and pregnancy to first service and within 150 d in milk in multiparous Jersey cows from 2 commercial herds. Blood samples for serum Ca determination were collected on average at 3 h 10 min postpartum from 352 multiparous Jersey cows.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe objective of the present study was to evaluate the effects of postpartum oral calcium supplementation on milk yield, energy-corrected milk yield, milk fat concentration, milk protein concentration, and somatic cell count linear score across the first 3 monthly tests postpartum, peak milk yield, risk of pregnancy at first service, and hazard of pregnancy by 150 d in milk on 1,129 multiparous Jersey and Jersey × Holstein crossbreed cows from 2 commercial dairies. After calving, cows were systematically assigned to control (no oral calcium supplementation; n = 567) or oral calcium supplementation at 0 and 1 d in milk (oral Ca; 50 to 60 g of calcium as boluses; n = 562). Monthly test milk yield, composition, and somatic cell count information was obtained from the Dairy Herd Improvement Association.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF