Instant Insights: Infertility and Other Reproductive Disorders in Dairy Cattle

Dr Jennie Pryce is Principal Research Scientist at Agriculture Victoria Research part of the State Government of Victoria, Australia where she lead the Animal’s Programme of DairyBio. Dr Pryce is also Professor at La Trobe University, Australia.

• Chapter 1 - Causes, prevention and management of infertility in dairy cows: Alexander C. O. Evans, University College Dublin, Ireland; and Shenming Zeng, China Agriculture University, China; 1 Introduction 2 Bovine parturition and uterine health 3 Bovine post-partum metabolic environment and ovarian activity 4 Oestrus in dairy cows 5 Establishing pregnancy in dairy cows 6 Heat stress and bovine fertility 7 Heifer fertility 8 Genetics and bovine fertility 9 Future trends and conclusion 10 Where to look for further information 11 ReferencesChapter taken from: Webster, J. (ed.), Achieving sustainable production of milk – Volume 3: Dairy herd management and welfare, Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing, Cambridge, UK, 2017, (ISBN 978 1 78676 052 4)Chapter 2 - Developments in automated monitoring of livestock fertility/pregnancy: Michael Iwersen, University of Veterinary Medicine – Vienna, Austria; 1 Introduction 2 The Estrous Cycle in Dairy Cows 3 Reproductive Performance and Estrus Detection 4 Methods for Estrus Detection in Cows 5 Summary and Future Research 6 Where to Look for Further Information 7 ReferencesChapter taken from: Berckmans, D. (ed.), Advances in precision livestock farming, Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing, Cambridge, UK, 2022, (ISBN 978 1 78676 471 3)Chapter 3 - Advances in dairy cattle breeding to improve fertility/reproductive efficiency: Mekonnen Haile-Mariam, Agriculture Victoria, AgriBio, Australia; and Jennie Pryce, Agriculture Victoria and La Trobe University, Australia; 1 Introduction 2 Measures of fertility traits 3 Basis for genetic improvement of fertility traits 4 Strategies for genetic improvement of fertility 5 Summary 6 Future trends 7 Acknowledgements 8 Where to look for further information 9 ReferencesChapter taken from: van der Werf, J. and Pryce, J. (eds.), Advances in breeding of dairy cattle, Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing, Cambridge, UK, 2020, (ISBN 978 1 78676 332 7)Chapter 4 - Optimising reproductive management to maximise dairy herd health and production: Norman B. Williamson, Massey University, New Zealand; 1 Introduction 2 Grouping animals to measure individual animal reproduction limits 3 Measuring reproductive performance 4 Production-related reproductive indices for pasture-based seasonally calving herds 5 Diagnostic reproductive indices for pasture-based seasonally calving herds 6 Production-related reproductive indices in year-round calving herds 7 Indices used to diagnose causes of inadequate herd reproduction 8 Monitoring bull breeding 9 Management of herd limits to reproduction: anoestrus 10 Clinical examination and treatment of anoestrous cows 11 Improving oestrus detection 12 Controlled breeding programmes for oestrus synchronisation 13 The role of nutrition in limiting and optimising reproduction 14 Managing abortion 15 Conclusion and future trends 16 Where to look for further information 17 ReferencesChapter taken from: Bouchard, E. (ed.), Improving dairy herd health, Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing, Cambridge, UK, 2021, (ISBN 978 1 78676 467 6)