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Reticulorumen temperature and pH as indicators of the likelihood of reproductive success

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 February 2018

Ramūnas Antanaitis ,
Vida Juozaitienė ,
Arūnas Rutkauskas ,
Mindaugas Televičius  and
Indrė Stasiulevičiūtė
Ramūnas Antanaitis*
Affiliation:
Large Animal Clinic, Veterinary Academy, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Tilžės str. 18, Kaunas, Lithuania
Vida Juozaitienė
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Breeding and Nutrition, Veterinary Academy, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Tilžės str. 18, Kaunas, Lithuania
Arūnas Rutkauskas
Affiliation:
Large Animal Clinic, Veterinary Academy, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Tilžės str. 18, Kaunas, Lithuania
Mindaugas Televičius
Affiliation:
Large Animal Clinic, Veterinary Academy, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Tilžės str. 18, Kaunas, Lithuania
Indrė Stasiulevičiūtė
Affiliation:
Large Animal Clinic, Veterinary Academy, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Tilžės str. 18, Kaunas, Lithuania
*
*For correspondence; e-mail: ramunas.antanaitis@lsmuni.lt
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Abstract

The temperature and pH of the contents of the reticulorumen of cattle can be monitored using sensors placed in a rumen bolus. In this research communication we test the hypothesis that these measurements can be used as a predictor of the likelihood of reproductive success. The study was performed on 20 Lithuanian Black and White dairy cows. The pH and temperature of the contents of their reticulorumens were measured using boluses manufactured for animal care (smaXtec animal care technology®). The data from reticulorumen were recording at 1 to 7 and 7 to 56 d post calving and then post insemination (on average 60 ± 12) until 170 d after calving. The pregnancies were tested with ‘Easy scan’ ultrasound 30–35 d after insemination. Those cows which were pregnant were assigned to the PD+ group (n = 12), and those which were not pregnant – assigned to the PD− group (n = 8). Rumen pH was initially lower in the PD+ group but then higher than in PD−, but temperature did not differ between the groups until after conception. We can conclude that cows with disturbed rumen metabolism (with low rumen pH) are less likely to conceive. The measurements of reticuloruminal pH may be useful as a predictor of the likelihood of reproductive success, but more research is needed before practical application.

Keywords

CowsrumenpHtemperaturepregnancy
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Dairy Research , Volume 85 , Issue 1 , February 2018 , pp. 23 - 26
Copyright
Copyright © Hannah Dairy Research Foundation 2018 

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