Restricting calf presence without suckling compared with weaning prolongs postpartum anovulation in beef cattle

• Published in: Journal of animal science Vol. 74; no. 1; p. 190
• Main Authors: Hoffman, D.P. (Kansas State University, Manhattan.), Stevenson, J.S, Minton, J.E
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.01.1996
• Subjects: Adrenocorticotropic Hormone - blood; ALLAITEMENT; Animals; Animals, Suckling; BOVIN DE BOUCHERIE; Cattle - metabolism; Cattle - physiology; CONDICION CORPORAL; CORTICOTROPHINE; CORTICOTROPINA; DESTETE; ESTEROIDES; Estradiol - blood; ESTROGENOS; ETAT CORPOREL; Female; GANADO DE CARNE; Hydrocortisone - blood; LACTANCIA; Luteinizing Hormone - blood; OCYTOCINE; OESTROGENE; OVULACION; OVULATION; Ovulation - physiology; OXITOCINA; Oxytocin - blood; Postpartum Period; PROGESTERONA; PROGESTERONE; Progesterone - blood; Prolactin - blood; PROLACTINA; PROLACTINE; PUERPERIO; PUERPERIUM; Radioimmunoassay - veterinary; Random Allocation; SERUM SANGUIN; SEVRAGE; STEROIDE; SUERO SANGUINEO; Testosterone - blood; VACA; VACHE; Weaning
• ISSN: 0021-8812; 1525-3163
• DOI: 10.2527/1996.741190x

To determine how continued presence of a calf affected duration of postpartum anovulation, 23 udder-intact cows and their calves were assigned to three treatments on d 4 to 9 postpartum (experimental d 0). The treatments were 1) calf present with unlimited contact with its dam (n = 8), 2) calf restricted to noninguinal contact with its dam (n = 8), and 3) calf weaned from its dam (n = 7). Calves in the calf-present and calf-restricted treatments were weaned after 5 wk. Based on daily measurements of blood progesterone, days to first ovulation after onset of treatments were 35.4 +/- 2.2, 22.5 +/- 2.2, and 14.3 +- 2.2 for the calf-present, calf-restricted, and calf-weaned treatments, respectively; each one differed (P 0.01) from the others. Mean concentrations of LH were greater (P 0.05) in the calf-restricted treatment and tended (P