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Effect of genetic and management factors on milk production of primiparous girolando cows
* 1 , 2 , 2 , 2
1  Faculty of Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences, São Paulo State University, Jaboticabal, Brazil
2  Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Federal University of Uberlândia, Uberlândia, Brazil
Academic Editor: Chris Rogers

Abstract:

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of factors related to reproductive management on the conception rate of Girolando cows. Data were collected from a commercial dairy farm located in Patrocínio, Minas Gerais, Brazil, using the Ideagri software. The dataset extracted from farm reports included reproductive information from 145 Girolando cows of different breed compositions recorded between January 2020 and August 2025. The number of females subjected to reproduction, number of inseminations performed, and conception rates were obtained. Inseminations were carried out under two conditions (natural estrus or reproductive protocol) and three reproductive protocols: 1—two doses of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH); 2—natural estrus + prostaglandin (PG); and 3—pre-synchronization with a progesterone implant followed by a protocol consisting of d0: implant + GnRH + estradiol, d7:PG; d9: estradiol + PG, and d10: insemination with sexed semen. Semen from 46 Holstein bulls born between 1989 and 2024 was used, originating from two artificial insemination centers. Data were analyzed using Pearson’s chi-square test (χ²) at a 5% significance level in SAS software. When expected frequencies were below 5, Fisher’s exact test was applied. Significant associations were found between the conception rate and the variable insemination condition, type of protocol, insemination center and year of bull birth (p<0.0001). Cows subjected to reproductive protocols showed higher conception rates than those inseminated during natural estrus (40.59% vs. 31.88%). Similarly, animals in protocols 1 and 3 presented higher conception rates compared with protocol 2 (40.63% and 40.00% vs. 31.88%, respectively). Insemination center 1 outperformed center 2 (36.40% vs. 28.29%). Conversely, the highest and lowest conception rates were observed when semen from bulls born in 2010 and 2019 was used, respectively (52.27% vs. 26.62%). It can be concluded that the insemination condition, type of protocol, insemination center, and bull year of birth affect the conception rate of Girolando cows.

Keywords: calves; health management; heifers; primiparous cows; production cost.

 
 
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