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ABSTRACT: A strong adaptive immune response has been reported to have positive effects on fertility; therefore, we investigated antibody- and cell-mediated adaptive immune responses (AMIR and CMIR, respectively) and their associations with reproductive phenotypes using a population of animals that differed in their estimated genetic merit for fertility traits (fertility breeding value; FertBV). Holstein-Friesian heifers (n = 528) grazed on pasture in 4 herds based on age. These herds included 277 heifers of positive (POS) FertBV and 251 of negative (NEG) FertBV. The adaptive immune response (IR) was evaluated before puberty at 7.5 mo of age and used to rank animals as high, average, or low for AMIR, CMIR, and overall IR (combined CMIR and AMIR). The animals were studied from 12 wk of age through to the end of their second lactation to measure growth, puberty, and timing and success of fertility phenotypes, including those related to ovulation and pregnancy. Initial analysis indicated no difference in fertility outcomes between cows ranked as high or average for AMIR (n = 55, n = 407, respectively), CMIR (n = 87, n = 354, respectively), and IR (n = 29, n = 470, respectively), so these groups were pooled as HiAv-IR. Proportions of heifers of POS FertBV were similar within HiAv and low categories across AMIR (0.52 and 0.58, respectively), CMIR (0.51 and 0.59, respectively), and IR (0.53 and 0.48, respectively). Heifers with HiAv-IR had a greater average daily weight gain from 13 to 52 wk of age (661 g, 95% confidence interval 652, 669 vs. 619 g, 95% confidence interval 591, 647) and tended to be younger at puberty (371 d, 95% confidence interval 366, 377 vs. 385 d, 95% confidence interval 369, 401) than low-IR heifers. Low-CMIR cows of a NEG FertBV had a >40 d longer calving to first ovulation interval during their first lactation compared with HiAv-CMIR NEG FertBV cows. Low-CMIR cows also had decreased pregnancy rates at both 3 wk (25% ± 7% vs. 42% ± 3%; least squares means ± standard error) and 6 wk (33% ± 7% vs. 54% ± 3%; least squares means ± standard error) into the seasonal breeding period during their first lactation, compared with HiAv-CMIR cows. In summary, although the number of POS and NEG FertBV cows was similar in each immune group; interaction effects between FertBV and immune ranking on reproductive phenotypes are evident when cows were ranked by the overall IR. There were also associations between dairy cows' CMIR ranking and ability to return to estrus and become pregnant early in the breeding period, which will have benefits in seasonal breeding systems.

ABSTRACT: Peripartum metabolism and subsequent reproductive performance of dairy cows are linked, with maladaptation over the transition period associated with poor reproductive success. A herd of seasonal calving, grazing dairy cows was established that differed in their genetic merit for fertility traits. The heifers were produced by a customized mating program to achieve a 10-percentage point divergence in the New Zealand fertility breeding value (FertBV) as follows: +5 FertBV (POS) versus −5% FertBV (NEG), while also limiting divergence in other breeding values, including body weight, body condition score, and milk production. In this study, we aimed to characterize differences in metabolic, mineral, and metabolic stress marker profiles during their first postpartum transition period as primiparous heifers and to examine if animals with longer postpartum anestrous intervals (PPAI; more than 66 d compared with less than 35 d) had greater metabolic dysfunction. Blood was sampled at −21, −14, −7, 0, 4, 7, 10, 14, 17, 21, 28, and 35 d relative to calving in 455 primiparous cows and plasma analyzed. The NEG cows had lower concentrations of both plasma nonesterified fatty acids and β-hydroxybutyrate at d 7 compared with POS cows. Detailed temporal profiling of various metabolic, mineral, and metabolic stress markers was undertaken in a subset of cows (n = 70). Cows were selected retrospectively to create 4 groups in a 2 × 2 factorial design with either a POS or NEG FertBV and either a short (19–35 d) or long (66–131 d) PPAI. The NEG cows tended, on average, to have lower nonesterified fatty acids and β-hydroxybutyrate concentrations compared with POS cows across the transition period. Mean body weight and body condition score was greatest in NEG cows when compared with the POS cows and an interaction with day demonstrated this only occurred precalving. They also had indications of improved liver health precalving, with higher albumin-to-globulin ratios and lower bilirubin concentrations. Concentrations of aspartate aminotransferase were lower, and the Na-to-Cl ratio was greater in cows with a long versus a short PPAI at d 28 and d 35 after calving, potentially because of cows with a short PPAI (19–35 d) returning to estrous during this time. Magnesium concentrations were lower in NEG cows with a short PPAI from d 21 onwards, indicating NEG cows may metabolically respond to estrous differently than POS cows. The NEG-long PPAI cows had greater gamma-glutamyl transferase concentrations from calving until d 28 and lower bilirubin concentrations throughout the transition period. Together, the results demonstrate significant effects of FertBV on peripartum metabolic status. However, most of the markers tested returned to reference intervals within 4 d after calving or remained within those intervals for the whole transition period, indicating relatively minor biological effects of FertBV on transition period adaptation. The profound differences in reproductive performance among the groups was not explained by underlying differences in metabolic responses during the transition period.