Effect of Heat Stress on Conseption Rate in Dairy Cows

Heat stress is one of the most important things that affected dairy
cow performance. Heat stress occurs over a wide combination of solar
radiation levels, ambient temperature, and relative humidity. This is further
aggravated by metabolic heat production that generated by the cow itself
(Ahmed, et al., 2015). Dairy cows of the 21st century are believed to have
important metabolic and physiologic challenge caused by climate change.
Climate is combination elements that include temperature (T), relative
humidity (RH), rainfall, solar radiation, and wind speed and contributes to
the degree of heat stress or cooling that occurs on the cow. The THI that
represents the combination of air temperature and relative humidity that
associates with the level of thermal stress (Villa Mancera, et al., 2010).

A dairy cow becomes more sensitive to heat stress as milk

production increases due to elevated metabolic heat production. Lactating
dairy cows with high milk production will have problems in metabolism
because they loss their ability to dissipate heat. As a result, dairy cows will
experience heat stress and reproductive system is disrupted. Heat stress
affects reproductive performance such as low of conception rate, oocyte
quality, fertilization, and early embryo development. Low reproductive
efficiency in dairy cows inflicts heavy economic losses all over the world.
We have to observe factors that affects in reproductive performance so that
we can minimize risk.

Reproduction performance can be measured by Conception Rate.

Conception rate is a cow pregnancy percentage on the first insemination,
CR is used as indicator for measuring cattle fertility rate. CR measurement
is conducted by determining the number of cows and heifer with reheat after
30-60 or 60-90 days after first mating or atificial inseminated (Da Costa, et
al., 2013). Conseption rate is affected by enviromental temperature on the
day after insemination. The Level of hyperthermia is the main cause of low
fertility in dairy cows. Heat stress induced by elevated body temperature
that will affect zygotes and embryos developement because of embryonic
survival decrease. The bovine embryo is sensitive to maternal heat stress,
particularly during the first 2 weeks after breeding (Ryan et al., 1993).

Service per conception is number of frequency of mating for each

pregnancy, in the other words, it is a number of AI service until a cow
become pregnant. Artificial Insemination (AI) nowdays is widely used all
over the world for genetic quality and management efficiency improvement.
The Timed of AI must be considered because its related to estrus time.
Environmental condition such as temperature and humidity has huge impact
on the cows expression of estrus. Heat stress causing a decrease in the
production of Luteinizing Hormone (LH) and Estradiol (hormones that
responsible for estrus expression), therefore, estrus may be unnoticeable
(Masoumi and Derensis, 2013). Synchronization of estrus is used for
increasing reproductive efficiency. PGF2 in combination with GnRH to
regulate follicular growth and ovulation (Ambrose, 2010).

Heat stress greatly affects reproductive performance such as

conception rate. When dairy cows experiencing the heat, the cow would
interfere with the capacity of spermatozoa in the female reproductive tract,
damaging egg cell before and after ovulation inhibiting embryonic
developement (Pasaribu et al., 2015). It is very important to create
comfortable environtment for dairy cows to maximize reproductive efficiency.
Housing, feeding and management improved cooling system can be
designed to reduce heat stess effect on dairy cows and Timed-AI can be
used to improve conception rate.
References

1. Ahmed, Abrar., Tiwari, R.P., Mishra. G.K., Jena, Biswadeep., Dar, Ahmad
Munner., and Bhat, Asif Ahmad. 2015. Effect of Environmental Heat Stress
on Reproduction Performance of Dairy Cows- A Review. International
Journal of Livestock Research Vol 5(4) April15 ISSN 2277-1964.

2. Pasaribu, Dapot Tua., Purwanto, Bagus Priyo, Atabany, Afton. 2015. Milk
Production and Reproduction Performance of Friesien Holstein (FH) on
Rainy and Dry Season Around 0o Latitude Kampar Regency. Applied
Science Journal Vol. 1, Issue, 4 pp 222-228, June, 2015.

3. Da Costa, Nolasco., Susilawati, Trinil., Isnaini, Nurul., and Ihsan, Moh. Nur.
2013. The Difference of Artificial Insemination Successful Rate of Ongole
Fillial Cattle Using Cold Semen with Different Storage Time with Tris
Aminomethane Egg Yolk Dilution Agent. IOSR Journal of Pharmacy
Volume 6 issue 6 (June 2016) PP. 13-19.

4. Ambrose, Divakar Justus., Colazo, Marcos German., and Kastelic, John

Patric. 2010. The Application of Timed Artificial Insemination and Timed
Emryo Transfer in Reproductive Management of Dairy Cattle. Revista
Brasileira de Zootecnia v. 39, p. 383-382, 2010.

5. Ryan DP, Prichard JF, Kopel E and Godke RA. (1993). Comparing early
mortality in dairy cows during hot and cold seasons of the year.
Theriogenology. 39: 719-737.

6. Masoumi, R., & Derensis, F. (2013). Alterations in reproductive hormones

during heat stress in dairy cattle. African Journal of Biotechnology, 10(29),
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