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de Jesús Mejía-Lastra A, Avendaño-Reyes L, Macías-Cruz U, de Jesús Velázquez-Alcaraz T, Robinson PH, López-Baca MÁ, Castañeda-Bustos VJ, Bombal-Catalán E, Gastélum-Delgado MÁ, Aguilar-Quiñonez JA, Mellado M. Cooling Holstein cows for 60 days prepartum in summer: effects on prepartum physiology, postpartum productivity, and calf growth. Int J Biometeorol 2024; 68:899-908. [PMID: 38308729 DOI: 10.1007/s00484-024-02635-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Revised: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 01/28/2024] [Indexed: 02/05/2024]
Abstract
Heat stress (HS) during the dry period of dairy cows in hot and dry conditions compromises the physiological status and mammary gland development of dairy cows, thereby negatively affecting milk component yield in the subsequent lactation. Our objective was to evaluate the effects of cooling Holstein cows under moderate or higher HS conditions (i.e., ambient temperature higher than 30 °C, with a temperature-humidity index of 78.2 units) during the dry period on prepartum physiological status, postpartum productivity, and calf growth. Twenty-four multiparous Holstein cows were divided into two groups: one with a cooling system based on spray and fans under a pen shade (CL, n = 12) and the other not-cooled (NC, n = 12). The cooling system operated 10 h/d (09:00-19:00 h) for 60 d prepartum. During the morning, rectal temperature and respiration frequency were lower in CL cows, but not in the afternoon, which was attributed to higher (P < 0.01) dry matter intake by CL cows. Total serum protein was higher (P < 0.01) in CL cows, but hemoglobin was higher in NC cows (P < 0.01), with no differences in other electrolytes, hormones, hematological components, and metabolites. Milk fat and fat and fat-protein corrected milk were higher (P < 0.05) in CL cows. Female and birth weight trended (P = 0.08) to be higher in CL cows. Cooling cows during the dry period had a limited effect on physiology prepartum but increased postpartum productivity of Holstein cows under hot and dry conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio de Jesús Mejía-Lastra
- Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Instituto de Ciencias Agrícolas, Valle de Mexicali, Baja California, 21705, México
- Doctorado en Ciencias Agropecuarias, Colegio de Ciencias Agropecuarias, Universidad Autónoma de Sinaloa, Sinaloa, México
| | - Leonel Avendaño-Reyes
- Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Instituto de Ciencias Agrícolas, Valle de Mexicali, Baja California, 21705, México.
| | - Ulises Macías-Cruz
- Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Instituto de Ciencias Agrícolas, Valle de Mexicali, Baja California, 21705, México
| | | | - Peter H Robinson
- Department of Animal Science, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - M Ángeles López-Baca
- Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Instituto de Ciencias Agrícolas, Valle de Mexicali, Baja California, 21705, México
| | - Vielka J Castañeda-Bustos
- Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Instituto de Ciencias Agrícolas, Valle de Mexicali, Baja California, 21705, México
| | - Enrique Bombal-Catalán
- Regional Market Development Manager Cow Longevity Latin America - DeLaval, 1461, Osorno, Chile
| | - Miguel Á Gastélum-Delgado
- Doctorado en Ciencias Agropecuarias, Colegio de Ciencias Agropecuarias, Universidad Autónoma de Sinaloa, Sinaloa, México
| | - José A Aguilar-Quiñonez
- Doctorado en Ciencias Agropecuarias, Colegio de Ciencias Agropecuarias, Universidad Autónoma de Sinaloa, Sinaloa, México
| | - Miguel Mellado
- Departamento de Nutrición Animal, Universidad Autónoma Agraria Antonio Narro, 21705, Saltillo, Coahuila, México
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