The reproductive performance of New Zealand dairy cows after induction of calving

Abstract

Induction of premature calving contributes to subsequent failure of some dairy cows to become pregnant and calve. Of a sample of 276 cows 16.7% failed to calve the following year despite the occurrence of oestrus relatively early after calving, and several matings. The cows which did conceive had a normal first-mating calving rate of 53.9%, requiring 1.7 matings per pregnancy. Two of the 18 survey herds under consideration suffered lengthy calving-to-first-mating oestrus intervals, presumably because the induced cows were in poor condition at the time of calving.