Effects of cumulative stressful and acute variation episodes of farm climate conditions on late embryo/early fetal loss in high producing dairy cows.
The aim of this study was to determine possible relationships between farm climate conditions, recorded from day 0 to day 40 post-artificial insemination (AI), and late embryo/early fetal loss in high producing dairy cows. Pregnancy was diagnosed by rectal ultrasonography between 28 and 34 days post-AI. Fetal loss was registered when a further 80- to 86-day diagnosis proved negative. Climate variables such as air temperature and relative humidity (RH) were monitored in the cubicles area for each 30-min period. Temperature-humidity indices (THI); cumulative stressful values and episodes of acute change (defined as the mean daily value 1.2 times higher or lower than the mean daily values of the 10 previous days) of the climate variables were calculated. The data were derived from 759 cows in one herd. A total of 692 pregnancies (91.2%) carried singletons and 67 (8.8%) carried twins. No triplets were recorded. Pregnancy loss was recorded in 6.7% (51/759) of pregnancies: 5.6% (39/692) in single and 17.9% (12/67) in twin pregnancies. Using logistic regression procedures, a one-unit increase in the daily cumulative number of hours for the THI values higher than 85 during days 11-20 of gestation caused a 1.57-fold increase in the pregnancy loss, whereas the likelihood of fetal loss increased by a factor of 1.16 for each additional episode of acute variation for the maximum THI values during gestation days 0-40. THI values higher than 85 and episodes of acute variation for the maximum THI values were only recorded during the warm and cool periods, respectively. The presence of twins led to a 3.98-fold increase in pregnancy loss. In conclusion, our findings show that cumulative stressful and episodes of acute variation of climatic conditions can compromise the success of gestation during both the cool and warm periods of the year. Twin pregnancy was confirmed as a main factor associated with pregnancy loss.
Santolaria
Pilar
P
Institute of Environmental Science, Escuela Politécnica Superior, University of Zaragoza, Ctra. Curate s/n, 22071, Huesca, Spain. psantola@unizar.es
López-Gatius
Fernando
F
García-Ispierto
Irina
I
Bech-Sàbat
Gregori
G
Angulo
Eduardo
E
Carretero
Teresa
T
Sánchez-Nadal
Jóse Antonio
JA
Yániz
Jesus
J
D000208:Acute Disease; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002980:Climate; D003612:Dairying / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005313:Fetal Death / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000662:veterinary*; D018882:Heat Stress Disorders / Q000401:mortality* / Q000662:veterinary*; D006358:Hot Temperature; D015994:Incidence; D011247:Pregnancy; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods; D012307:Risk Factors; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology
Reprod Domest Anim. 2009 Aug;44(4):600-5
18992084
Theriogenology. 2007 Feb;67(3):502-8
17010415
Theriogenology. 2006 Mar 1;65(4):799-807
16085298
Anim Reprod Sci. 2004 Jul;82-83:513-35
15271477
Theriogenology. 2003 Jun;60(1):89-99
12620583
Theriogenology. 2007 Feb;67(3):632-8
17118434
Reprod Domest Anim. 2004 Dec;39(6):429-33
15598233
Theriogenology. 2004 Nov;62(8):1529-35
15451260
Theriogenology. 2004 Aug;62(3-4):606-13
15226015
Theriogenology. 2005 Mar 15;63(5):1419-29
15725448
Theriogenology. 2002 Mar 1;57(4):1251-61
12013445
Anim Reprod Sci. 2000 Jul 2;60-61:131-43
10844190
Cornell Vet. 1972 Apr;62(2):216-37
5023990
Theriogenology. 2008 Mar 1;69(4):426-32
18045673
Zentralbl Veterinarmed A. 1991 Aug;38(7):553-6
1950247
J Dairy Sci. 1969 Jun;52(6):800-2
5392940
Theriogenology. 2003 Oct 1;60(6):1139-51
12935853
Theriogenology. 1996 Apr 15;45(6):1247-53
16727880
Anim Reprod Sci. 2006 Jan;91(1-2):31-44
16310097
J Dairy Sci. 1984 May;67(5):1014-23
6736397