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The association between age at first calving and survival of first lactation heifers within dairy herds

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 May 2016

V. E. Sherwin ,
C. D. Hudson ,
A. Henderson  and
M. J. Green
V. E. Sherwin*
Affiliation:
School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington, LE12 5RD, UK
C. D. Hudson
Affiliation:
School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington, LE12 5RD, UK
A. Henderson
Affiliation:
School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington, LE12 5RD, UK
M. J. Green
Affiliation:
School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington, LE12 5RD, UK
*
†E-mail: stxves@nottingham.ac.uk
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Abstract

The objective of this research was to evaluate the survival rate of primiparous heifers within a large sample of herds across the United Kingdom and specifically to assess the association between age at first calving (AFC) on their survival. Data from 437 herds were re-structured for analysis. Descriptive statistics were calculated, and a multilevel logistic regression model was used to explore factors associated with the risk of first lactation culling. Potential explanatory variables included AFC, herd size, culling rate within the whole herd, calving season, herd mean 305-day yield and herd mean calving interval. The mean within-herd culling rate for the primiparous heifers was 15.9%. The mean within-herd AFC was 29.6 months, with 35.9% of heifers having an AFC >30 months of age. Multivariable analysis revealed a negative association between survival rate of primiparous heifers and increasing AFC, and also associations with herd culling rate in older cows and calving season. This study highlights the importance of AFC for survival of primiparous heifers, as well as the need to address heifer wastage in herds with high culling rates.

Keywords

age at first calvingheiferslongevityculling
Type
Research Article
Information
animal , Volume 10 , Issue 11 , November 2016 , pp. 1877 - 1882
Copyright
© The Animal Consortium 2016 

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