title: [Automated parturition control in primi- and multiparous cows of a Simmental and Holstein crossbred herd].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Perinatal calf mortality is a current problem in dairy farming with regards to ethics and economic losses. Optimizing calving management by frequent monitoring helps increasing the survival rate. The objective of this study was to evaluate the breed and parity dependent applicability of a recently introduced automated parturition control system with regards to its reliability in the field.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seven days prior to the calculated calving date the automated parturition control system was applied intravaginally in 23 primiparous and 31 multiparous cows in a Holstein-Friesian (HF) and Simmental (FV) crossbred herd. In the case of three consecutive false alarms the animal was removed from the study and was rated as false positive (FP). The statistical significant interdependence of FP alarms and the genetic proportion of HF was calculated using the Mann-Whitney-U test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The automated parturition control system could successfully be applied in all animals with a genetic HF proportion > 66%. Animals with a predominant FV proportion (> 66%) frequently showed FP alarms (31.6%). Furthermore, multiparous cows lost the intravaginal sender more frequently than primiparous cows (29.0% vs. 8.7%). In 72.2% heavily pregnant cows purulent vaginal discharge was observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The automated parturition control system can successfully be applied in HF cows. Due to frequent losses of the intravaginal sender we cannot recommend its use in cows with a genetic FV proportion > 66%. Future developments of intravaginal automated parturition control systems should incorporate the influence of different breeds on its applicability.
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dippon
authors.forename: Wolfram
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Petzl
authors.forename: Dorothee
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lange
authors.affiliation: Prof. Dr. Holm Zerbe, Klinik für Wiederkäuer mit Ambulanz und Bestandsbetreuung, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Sonnenstraße 16, 85764 Oberschleißheim, E-Mail: h.zerbe@lmu.de.
authors.forename: Holm
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zerbe
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003433:Crosses, Genetic; D003612:Dairying; D001330:Electronic Data Processing / Q000295:instrumentation*; D005260:Female; D010298:Parity / Q000502:physiology*; D036801:Parturition / Q000502:physiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D019522:Vaginal Discharge / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary*
keywords: Breed influence; calving management; crossbred; dairy cow; parity