Concentration of anti-Müllerian hormone in dairy heifers is positively associated with productive herd life.
Reliable biomarkers predictive of productive herd life (time in herd after birth of first calf) have heretofore not been discovered in dairy cattle. However, circulating concentrations of anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) are positively associated with number of follicles or antral follicle count (AFC), ovarian function, and fertility, and approximately 25% of cows have a relatively low AFC and low AMH concentrations. The present study tested the hypothesis that heifers with the lowest AMH concentrations have suboptimal fertility and are removed from a herd for poor reproductive performance at a greater rate, and therefore have a shorter productive herd life compared with age-matched herdmates with higher AMH. To test this hypothesis, 11- to 15-mo-old Holstein heifers (n=281) were subjected to a single measurement of AMH. All heifers not removed from the herd had the opportunity to complete 2 lactations and start their third lactation after calving. During this time, performance and health parameters for each individual were recorded daily by herd managers. Results showed that the quartile of heifers with the lowest AMH concentration also had, on average, a shorter productive herd life (by 196 d), a reduced survival rate after birth of the first calf, the lowest level of milk production (first lactation), the lowest total percentage of cows pregnant (across all lactations), the highest culling rates (first and second lactations and overall), and the highest culling rate for poor reproduction (first lactation) compared with age-matched herdmates with higher AMH. We concluded that a single determination of AMH concentration in young adult dairy heifers may be a simple diagnostic method to predict herd longevity, and AMH may be a useful phenotypic marker to improve longevity of dairy cows.
Molecular Reproductive Endocrinology Laboratory, Michigan State University, East Lansing 48824-1225; Department of Animal Science, Michigan State University, East Lansing 48824-1225.
F
F
Jimenez-Krassel
Accenture, Chicago, IL 60601.
D M
DM
Scheetz
Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing 48824-1225.
L M
LM
Neuder
Molecular Reproductive Endocrinology Laboratory, Michigan State University, East Lansing 48824-1225; Department of Animal Science, Michigan State University, East Lansing 48824-1225.
J L H
JL
Ireland
Department of Animal Science, Michigan State University, East Lansing 48824-1225.
J R
JR
Pursley
Department of Animal Science, Michigan State University, East Lansing 48824-1225; Laboratory of Mammalian Reproductive Biology and Genomics, Michigan State University, East Lansing 48824-1225.
G W
GW
Smith
Department of Animal Science, Michigan State University, East Lansing 48824-1225.
R J
RJ
Tempelman
Department of Animal Science, Michigan State University, East Lansing 48824-1225.
T
T
Ferris
University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Greenville 29605.
W E
WE
Roudebush
Università degli Studi di Sassari, Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, 07100 Sassari, Italy.
F
F
Mossa
School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.
P
P
Lonergan
School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.
A C O
AC
Evans
Molecular Reproductive Endocrinology Laboratory, Michigan State University, East Lansing 48824-1225; Department of Animal Science, Michigan State University, East Lansing 48824-1225. Electronic address: ireland@msu.edu.
J J
JJ
Ireland
D000818:Animals; D054304:Anti-Mullerian Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D002417:Cattle / Q000097:blood* / Q000502:physiology*; D003612:Dairying / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility / Q000502:physiology; D007774:Lactation / Q000502:physiology; D008136:Longevity; D011247:Pregnancy
D054304:Anti-Mullerian Hormone
anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH); culling rate; longevity; productive herd life; survival rate