Computers in farming Millstone or milestone

3.00LD:8488.85(1) / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreSIGLEGBUnited Kingdo

Estimation of genetic parameters using health, fertility and production data from a management recording system for dairy cattle

The Dairy Information System (DAISY) was developed to record fertility and health information for use in research and to help farmers manage their farms. Data from 33 herds recording health and fertility over a 6-year period were used to study genetic relationships of several health, fertility and production traits. There were 10 569 records from 4642 cows of all parities. These were used to estimate genetic parameters for health: mastitis, lameness and somatic cell score (SCS), for fertility: calving interval, days to first service, conception to first service and for production: 305-day milk, butterfat and protein yields. Heritabilities for these traits were also estimated for the first three lactations. (Co)variances were estimated using linear, multitrait restricted maximum likelihood (REML) with an animal model. Mastitis and lameness were treated as all-or-none traits. The incidence of these diseases increased with lactation number, which may lead to variance component estimation problems, as the mean is linked to the variance in binomial distributions. Therefore, a method was used to fix the within-lactation variance to one in all lactations while maintaining the same mean. The heritability for SCS across lactations was 0·15. Heritabilities for other health and fertility traits were low and ranged between 0·013 and 0·047. All genetic correlations with the production traits were antagonistic implying that selection for yield may have led to a deterioration in health and fertility. The genetic correlation between SCS and mastitis was 0·65 indicating that indirect selection for improvements in mastitis may be achieved using somatic cell counts as a selection criterion. The potential use of linear type scores as predictors of the health traits was investigated by regressing health traits on sire predicted transmitting abilities for type. The results indicate that some type traits may be useful as future selection criteria

The development of herd recording systems

Available from British Library Document Supply Centre- DSC:86/11548(Development) / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreSIGLEGBUnited Kingdo

An epidemiological study of reproductive failure in dairy herds from Goiânia Estudo epidemiológico de problemas reprodutivos em rebanhos bovinos na bacia leiteira de Goiânia

An epidemiological study was carried out on 2823 cows from 34 dairy herds from Goiania in the State of Goias-Brazil during 2001 to 2002. The pregnancy rate was 47.8%. In 1473 non-pregnant cows, causes of reproductive failure problems were sought. The most prevalent uterine infection was endometritis (17.0%). Uterine disorders such as partial hypoplasia of the genital system (0.04%), macerate fetus (0.01%), adhesion of ovaries (0.04%), stillbirth (0.04%), retained placenta (0.01%), cervix inflammation (0.6%) and abortion (0.88%) also were found. Uterine swabs were collected aseptically for microbiological culture. Gram positives cocci (41.3%) and Gram negatives rods (52.6%) were found, and Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli were the most prevalent pathogens. Susceptibility patterns of microorganisms suggested the use of chloramphenicol, gentamicin and neomycin for antimicrobial therapy.<br>No período de março 2001 a julho 2002 foram estudadas 2823 fêmeas bovinas, em idade de reprodução, mestiças das raças Holandesa e Gir, pertencentes a 34 propriedades da bacia leiteira de Goiânia. A taxa de prenhez foi 47,8%. Entre os animais não gestantes (n= 1473), 17% apresentaram alterações inflamatórias do útero. Outras anormalidades encontradas foram: aplasia parcial do sistema genital (0,04%), feto macerado (0,01%), ovário aderido (0,04%). Casos de natimortalidade (0,04%), retenção placentária (0,01%) e cervicite (0,6%) e taxas de abortos (0,88%) também foram registrados. Cocos Gram positivos (41,3%) e bastonetes Gram negativos (52,6%) foram os microrganismos mais isolados, sendo Staphylococcus aureus e Escherichia coli os principais patógenos encontrados nas infeccções uterinas. Testes in vitro mostraram que esses microrganismos apresentaram maior susceptibilidade frente ao cloranfenicol, à gentamicina e à neomicina