Survival analysis of German Holstein cows after an abomasal displacement
Ricken, M.; Hamann, H.; Scholz, H.; Distl, O.
Deutsche Tierärztliche Wochenschrift 112(2): 55-60; 62-65
2005
ISSN/ISBN: 0341-6593 PMID: 15787315 Document Number: 590053
From 1996 to 2002, a total of 5159 cattle with abomasal displacement were treated at the Clinic for Cattle, School of Veterinary Medicine in Hannover, Germany. An analysis of systematic effects on influences on the length of survival following surgical correction of the abomasal displacement could be performed for 1411 cows. These animals were under the official milk recording scheme. The parameters which significantly influenced survival after abomasal displacement were interval between calving, diagnosis of disease, lactation number, type of abomasal displacement, inbreeding coefficient, calving difficulties, region of origin and sire of the calf. Lifespan after abomasal displacement significantly differed between several months of calving and some sires of the cow. The individual milk yield in lactations before and after abomasal displacement of the cow was significant for the lifespan. The heritability estimate for lifespan after abomasal displacement using residual maximum likelihood (REML) in a linear animal model was h2=0.01-0.03.