Positive long-term effect of increased days to conception on milk production during that lactation and the following lactation in Holstein dairy cows

Abstract

Emphasis on early conception after calving has long been a tar­get of the dairy industry as an important step for high produc­tivity in dairy cattle. However, data show that average produc­tive life of cows has been steadily declining, suggesting short calving intervals may be detrimental to long-term survivability and therefore animal well-being. The objectives of this study were to determine if cows that conceived early after calving did differ in long-term milk production and culling risk compared to cows that conceived later in a study encompassing 2 consecu­tive lactations.