Reproduction in Domestic Animals - Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias
Reproduction in Domestic Animals - Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias
Reproduction in Domestic Animals - Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias
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16 t h International Congress on Animal <strong>Reproduction</strong><br />
54 Poster Abstracts<br />
P079<br />
Evaluation of oestrus <strong>de</strong>tection efficacy and accuracy by<br />
three methods <strong>in</strong> a conf<strong>in</strong>ement or pasture management<br />
system with Holste<strong>in</strong>–Friesian cows<br />
Mee, JF 1 *; Palmer, MA 2 ; Olmos, G 1,3 ; Boyle, LA 1<br />
1Dairy Production Department, Moorepark Dairy Production Research Centre,<br />
Teagasc, Ireland; 2 Royal (Dick) School of Veter<strong>in</strong>ary Studies, University of<br />
Ed<strong>in</strong>burgh, Scotland; 3 School of Agriculture, Food Science and Veter<strong>in</strong>ary<br />
Medic<strong>in</strong>e, National University of Ireland<br />
The objective of this experiment was to compare the efficacy of three<br />
methods of oestrus <strong>de</strong>tection [visual observation (VO), tail pa<strong>in</strong>t (TP)<br />
and radiotelemetry-HeatWatch® (HW)] <strong>in</strong> two management systems<br />
[cubicle hous<strong>in</strong>g with a total mixed ration (HOUSED) and rotational<br />
pasture with concentrate supplementation (GRASS)]. The 46<br />
randomly allocated and blocked, spr<strong>in</strong>g-calv<strong>in</strong>g Holste<strong>in</strong>-Friesian<br />
cows were monitored by the three oestrus <strong>de</strong>tection methods<br />
simultaneously from ten days postcalv<strong>in</strong>g for n<strong>in</strong>e weeks on the same<br />
farm. The occurrence of n<strong>in</strong>e selected behaviours associated with<br />
oestrus was also recor<strong>de</strong>d dur<strong>in</strong>g the thrice daily 20 m<strong>in</strong>ute visual<br />
observation sessions. Thrice weekly milk sampl<strong>in</strong>g for progesterone<br />
analysis (EIA) was used to <strong>de</strong>term<strong>in</strong>e the dates of true stand<strong>in</strong>g<br />
oestrus events (oestrus <strong>de</strong>tection accuracy). Data were analysed by<br />
proc Frequency, Genmod, Npar1way, Ttest and Univariate, as<br />
appropriate, <strong>in</strong> SAS. All three <strong>de</strong>tection methods had a higher oestrus<br />
<strong>de</strong>tection efficacy <strong>in</strong> the GRASS (VO 59, TP 65 and HW 69%)<br />
compared to the HOUSED treatment (VO 20, TP 26 and HW 37%)<br />
(P