Association of Length of Pregnancy with Other Reproductive Traits in Dairy Cattle

The experiment involved observations of 2,514 Holstein-Friesian cows to determine the effects of environmental factors (cow’s age, calving season, weight and sex of calves, housing system) and genetic factors on gestation length in dairy cattle and the correlation between gestation length and other reproductive traits (calving ease, stillbirth rates and placental expulsion). Genetic parameters were estimated based on the sires of calved cows (indirect effect) and the sires of live-born calves (direct effect). The following factors were found to contribute to prolonged gestation: increasing cow’s age, male fetuses and growing fetus weight. Optimal gestation length was determined in the range of 275–277 days based on calving ease and stillbirth rates. The heritability of gestation length was estimated at 0.201–0.210 by the direct effect and 0.055–0.073 by the indirect effect. The resulting genetic correlations suggest that the efforts to optimize (prolong) gestation length could exert an adverse influence on the breeding value of bulls by increasing perinatal mortality and calving difficulty. The standard errors of the investigated parameters were relatively high, suggesting that any attempts to modify gestation length for the purpose of improving calving ease and reducing stillbirth rates should be introduced with great caution

Meat and bone meal as nitrogen and phosphorus supplier to cereals and oilseed rape

Peer reviewe

The effect of increasing doses of meat and bone meal (MBM) on maize (Zea mays L.) grown for grain

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of meat and bone meal (MBM) used as an organic fertilizer on maize grown for grain. A two-factorial field experiment in a randomized block design was carried out in 2010 and 2011, in north-eastern Poland. Experimental factor I was MBM dose (1.0, 1.5, 2.0 and 2.5 t ha-1 year-1), and experimental factor II was the year of the study (two consecutive years). Increasing MBM doses contributed to an increase in maize grain yield and 1000-grain weight. The yield-forming effect of MBM applied at 1.5 t ha-1 year-1 was comparable with that of nitrogen and phosphorus contained in mineral fertilizers. A dose of 2.5 t ha-1 MBM led to a significant increase in maize grain yield. The P and K content of maize grain was determined by MBM dose, whereas the concentrations of N, Mg and Ca in grain were not affected by MBM dose. Significantly higher N, P, K and Mg uptake by maize plants was observed in treatments with the highest MBM dose, compared with the control treatment. Nitrogen and phosphorus uptake per 1 t MBM reached 101 kg and 26 kg, respectively. The results of a two-year study show that the maximum MBM dose (2.5 t ha-1 year-1) met the fertilizer requirements of maize with respect to nitrogen and phosphorus

The effect of increasing doses of meat and bone meal (MBM) applied every second year on maize grown for grain

Recently, due to the detection of cases of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) in cattle, it has become necessary to use animal meals differently. The EU Council Decision of 4 December 2000 forbade use of processed animal protein to make feeds for cattle, swine, and poultry. Meat and bone meal (MBM) is rich in macro- and microelements as well as in organic substance, and hence it can be a viable alternative to mineral fertilizers containing N and P. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of increasing doses of MBM applied every second year as an organic fertilizer on maize ( Zea mays L.) grown for grain. A two-factorial field experiment with a randomized block design was carried out in 2010-2011, in north-eastern Poland. Experimental factor I was MBM dose (2.0, 3.0, 4.0, and 5.0 Mg ha-1 applied every second year), and experimental factor II was the year of the study (two consecutive years). Increasing MBM doses applied every second year increased maize grain yield and improved grain plumpness, in comparison with mineral fertilization. The highest yield-forming effect was observed when MBM was applied at 3 Mg ha-1. Macronutrient uptake by maize plants and macronutrient concentrations in maize grain were affected by the year of the study rather than MBM dose. The results of a 2-yr experiment indicate that MBM is a valuable source of N and P for maize grown for grain, and that it is equally or more effective when compared with mineral fertilizers

The effect of meat and bone meal (MBM) on the nitrogen and phosphorus content and pH of soil

A field experiment was conducted in 2011 – 2013 in Poland. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of increasing doses of meat and bone meal (MBM) on the mineral nitrogen (Nmin) and available phosphorus (P) content of soil and the soil pH. Changes in the content of NH4+-N, NO3--N and available P in soil were affected by MBM dose, experiment duration, weather conditions and crop species. Soil amended with MBM was more abundant in mineral N and available P. The lowest concentration of NO3--N and the highest concentration of NH4+-N were noted in the first year of the study, because the nitrification process requires a longer time. MBM had no influence on the accumulation of Nmin in soil, whereas the concentration of available P increased significantly throughout the experiment. The soil pH decreased with increasing MBM doses. After the application of the highest MBM doses soil pH classification was changed from neutral to slightly acidic

The effect of meat and bone meal (MBM) on the nitrogen and phosphorus content and pH of soil

A field experiment was conducted in 2011 – 2013 in Poland. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of increasing doses of meat and bone meal (MBM) on the mineral nitrogen (Nmin) and available phosphorus (P) content of soil and the soil pH. Changes in the content of NH4+-N, NO3--N and available P in soil were affected by MBM dose, experiment duration, weather conditions and crop species. Soil amended with MBM was more abundant in mineral N and available P. The lowest concentration of NO3--N and the highest concentration of NH4+-N were noted in the first year of the study, because the nitrification process requires a longer time. MBM had no influence on the accumulation of Nmin in soil, whereas the concentration of available P increased significantly throughout the experiment. The soil pH decreased with increasing MBM doses. After the application of the highest MBM doses soil pH classification was changed from neutral to slightly acidic

The Applicability of Total Color Difference ΔE for Determining the Blooming Time in Longissimus Lumborum and Semimembranosus Muscles from Holstein-Friesian Bulls at Different Ageing Times

This study was conducted to determine the optimal blooming time in beef muscles based on ΔE, and to analyze the effects of muscle type and ageing time on beef color and blooming. Beef color was determined on freshly cut longissimus lumborum (LL, n = 8) and semimembranosus (SM, n = 8) muscles on days 1, 9, and 14 of ageing during 60 min blooming at 5 min intervals. It was found that ΔE0, representing the difference in color between freshly cut muscles and subsequently analyzed samples, supported the determination of the optimal blooming time, which varied across ageing times (15, 20, 25 min for the LL muscle, and 10, 15, 20 min for the SM muscle on days 1, 9, and 14 of ageing, respectively). Beef color was affected by both muscle type and ageing. The values of color parameters increased between days 1 and 9 of ageing. The results may have practical applications because beef should be presented to consumers and restaurant owners approximately 25 min after cutting, when its color has fully developed