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THE RATE OF GROWTH OF THE DAIRY COW : EXTRAUTERINE GROWTH IN WEIGHT
1Department of Dairy Husbandry, University of Missouri Agricultural Experiment Station, Columbia.
The Journal of General Physiology
|October 30, 2009
Summary
Growth in Jersey and Holstein cows involves three cycles, modeled using autocatalytic reactions. Early cycles fit well, but later ones are affected by pregnancy and lactation.
Area of Science:
- Animal Science
- Reproductive Biology
- Growth Modeling
Background:
- Cattle growth is a complex process influenced by multiple biological cycles.
- Understanding these growth phases is crucial for optimizing animal husbandry and productivity.
- Previous models may not fully capture the dynamics of bovine growth throughout different life stages.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the growth patterns of Jersey and Holstein cows.
- To apply mathematical modeling, specifically autocatalytic monomolecular reactions, to describe bovine growth cycles.
- To investigate the influence of physiological states like pregnancy and lactation on growth trajectories.
Main Methods:
- Characterization of the bovine growth period into distinct intrauterine and extrauterine cycles.
- Application of an autocatalytic monomolecular reaction equation to model growth cycles.
- Comparison of model-predicted values with observed growth data for different age groups.
Main Results:
- The autocatalytic monomolecular reaction model accurately described the growth cycle peaking around 5 months of age.
- Model predictions for the growth cycle peaking around 20 months of age exceeded observed values.
- Discrepancies in later growth cycles are likely attributable to the physiological effects of pregnancy and lactation.
Conclusions:
- Bovine growth can be segmented into distinct cycles, with early cycles amenable to autocatalytic modeling.
- Pregnancy and lactation significantly impact and potentially retard growth rates in mature cattle.
- Further refinement of growth models is needed to incorporate the effects of reproductive status in dairy cows.
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