Elsevier

Theriogenology

Volume 54, Issue 7, 15 October 2000, Pages 1065-1074
Theriogenology

Relationships between fatty liver and fertility and some periparturient diseases in commercial Dutch dairy herds

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0093-691X(00)00415-5Get rights and content

Abstract

Declining fertility in dairy cows is frequently suggested to arise from the occurrence of a more negative energy balance and/or the concomitant increased accumulation of triacylglycerol in the liver. Therefore, we performed a field study to assess the clinical effects of postpartum fatty liver in dairy cows on fertility and reproductive disease. Data were collected from 360 cows from nine dairy herds on fertility, diseases, and the liver triacylglycerol content on two occasions during lactation: 6 to 17 days and 38 to 50 days postpartum. The mean concentration of triacylglycerol in the liver was 54.6 mg/g from 6 to 17 days and 38.4 mg/g from 38 to 50 days postpartum. The probability of pregnancy was 30% lower for cows with higher contents of triacylglycerol in the liver compared to the probability for cows with low liver triacylglycerol (P = 0.049). The probability of estrus was also 35% lower for the cows with high triacylglycerol in the liver. This resulted in larger intervals between parturition and first heat and parturition and pregnancy for these cows. There was no effect observed on the first insemination conception rate. Given a certain level of triacylglycerol, recorded milk production had a positive effect on time to pregnancy. The incidences of endometritis, lochiometra and cystic ovarian follicles were not higher in cows with higher liver triacylglycerol contents. Endometritis was associated with a lower first insemination conception rate and more days open (χ2 = 4.26, P = 0.03 and T-test = −2.02, P= 0.04 respectively). We concluded that our results support the idea that differences in the negative energy balance or the accumulation of triacylglycerol in the liver of postpartum dairy cows affects fertility performance. The data also indicate that an increase in milk production has no negative impact on fertility as long as the amount of triacylglycerol in the liver remains the same.

References (31)

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    Citation Excerpt :

    The authors observed a positive association between hepatic triacylglycerol content and milk yield between 4 and 12 wk postpartum. The same group, then using 360 cows from the same 9 herds, showed that those with fatty liver, based on the 5% hepatic triacylglycerol threshold, had reduced rate of pregnancy (Jorritsma et al., 2000). Thus, the data from Jorritsma et al. (2000, 2001) suggested that more productive cows have increased triacylglycerol infiltration into the hepatic parenchyma and cows with hepatic triacylglycerol above 5% have compromised rate of pregnancy.

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