title: Improving Productive and Reproductive Performance of Holstein Dairy Cows through Dry Period Management.
abstract: To determine the effects of dry period (DP) length on milk yield, milk composition, some blood metabolites, complete blood count (CBC), body weight and score and follicular status, twenty five primiparous and multiparous Holstein cows were assigned to a completely randomized design with DP-60 (n = 13) and DP-20 (n = 12) dry period lengths. Cows in the DP-60 produced more milk, protein, SNF, serum non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) and beta hydroxyl butyrate acid (BHBA) compared with cows in DP-20 (p≤0.05). Serum glucose, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), urea, and glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT) were all similar among the treatments. Body Condition Score (BCS), body weight (BW), complete blood count (CBC) and health problems were similar between the treatments. Diameter of the first dominant follicle and diameter of the dominant follicle on d 14 were different among the treatments. Thus, results of this study showed that reducing the dry period length to DP-20 had a negative effect on milk production, milk composition and reproductive performance in Holstein dairy cows.
authors: Department of Animal Science, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Khorasan Razavi, Iran.
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Safa
authors: Department of Animal Science, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Khorasan Razavi, Iran.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Soleimani
authors: Department of Animal Science, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Khorasan Razavi, Iran.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Heravi Moussavi
keywords: Complete Blood Count; Dry Period; Follicular Dynamic; Holstein Dairy Cows; Milk Yield; Reproductive Performance