Consequences of extending the voluntary waiting period for insemination on reproductive performance in dairy cows

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of extended voluntary waiting period (VWP) on ovarian cyclicity and reproductive performance of dairy cows. Holstein-Friesian dairy cows (N = 154) were blocked and randomly assigned to one of 3 groups with different VWP (50, 125 or 200 d: VWP-50, VWP-125 or VWP-200). Milk samples were collected 3 times a week and analysed for progesterone concentration. Ovarian cycles were classified as: normal (18-24 days), short (<18 days) or prolonged (>24 days). For cows that became pregnant within 100 days after VWP, a VWP-200 d was related with fewer days until pregnancy after end of the VWP (19.4 d) compared with VWP-50 or VWP-125 (35.5, 37.3 d respectively). During 100 days (-50 until 50 d) around the end of VWP, cows in VWP-200 had a greater percentage of normal cycles (91.9 vs 58.0 %, P < 0.01) and a lower percentage of prolonged cycles (6.0 vs 32.7 %, P = 0.01) compared with cows in VWP-50. In the 4 weeks around the end of the VWP, cows in VWP-125 and VWP-200 had a lower milk yield compared with cows in VWP-50 (32.0, 27.5 vs 37.4 kg/d, P < 0.01). Inseminations continued until 300 days in milk, resulting in fewer pregnant cows for longer VWPs. In conclusion, extending the VWP from 50 to 125 or 200 days resulted in a greater percentage of cows with normal ovarian cycles and a lower milk yield around the end of VWP. Moreover, VWP-200 reduced days open after the end of the VWP, compared with VWP-50.