Effects of periconception and early life factors on health, development and lactation performance of dairy cows

Worldwide little is known on the relationship between health and metabolic status of dairy cows around conception and health, development and performance of her calf in early and later life. Based on human and rodent studies, it can be expected that metabolic and health status of the dairy cow around conception affects not only embryo development, calf vitality at birth and development in early life but also the performance in later life. This could imply that management of the dairy
cows around conception is essential for performance and longevity of the future generation.

Furthermore, rearing management during early life can be expected to alter calf growth, but also lactation performance in later life. To our knowledge, studies are limited not only relating metabolic status of the dairy cows to health of her calf during early and later life, but also relating calf rearing management in early life to health and performance during later life. The aim of the current study is first to evaluate the consequences of periconception health and metabolic state in dairy cows on health, development and lactation performance of her offspring, and second to evaluate housing and feeding strategies of calves on growth, health and lactation performance.

The approach of the current project consists of 2 work packages:

1. An animal experiment under controlled conditions where calves are monitored for growth and health during early life and lactation performance in later life. The calves are born to cows which are inseminated during different phases of the lactation with contrasts in milk yield and metabolic status around conception.
2. An animal experiment under controlled conditions where different housing, milk and roughage feeding strategies of calves during early life are studied for their consequences on growth and health during early life and lactation performance in later life.