Early Postpartum Breeding in Dairy Cows. A Review

Substantial evidence indicates that a calving interval of 12 me or less for dairy cows results in more milk produced per day in the herd and maximum production of replacements during herd life (5, 10). In fact, Louca and Legates (5) suggested the calving interval should be as short as possible for all cows after first lactation. Cows must conceive by 85 days postpartum to deliver the next calf within a year. Pelissier (8) reported one-third of the cows in herds studied did not receive their first insemination until more than 90 days postpartum and an equal portion did not conceive until more than 4 me after calving. Oxender and Mellenberger (personal communication) found average postpartum interval to first insemination for cows in a group of Michigan herds with limited veterinary service was 98 days while cows in herds with complete veterinary service averaged 85 days from calving to first insemination. In addition, Mellenberger (personal communication) found average interval to first insemination was 94 days for Holstein cows in Michigan herds enrolled in the Dairy Herd Improvement Association (DHIA). Spike