Fertility analysis of perinatal dairy cows by discriminant analysis using blood biochemical values.

Forty-one Holstein dairy cows were categorized into two groups : 19 cows that conceived after the first postpartum insemination and 22 cows that failed to conceive. Blood composition values during the perinatal period and early lactation were compared to analyze the factors influencing the fertility of first AI. In addition, we attempted to predict the fertility of the first insemination using a discriminant equation based on early postpartum blood composition values. Alb and Ht were significantly higher in the fertility group, while Glu tended to be higher. This indicated that differences in postpartum blood properties were suggestive of subsequent fertility. In the fertility prediction of the first insemination by blood biochemical values in the first post-partum week, the discriminant equation using the three variables Alb, Glu, and PL showed the lowest misclassification rate for the conception result at 19.5%. These results indicate that a discriminant equation combining multiple blood biochemical indices as variables may be used to predict the fertility of first insemination with good accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]