Effect of maternal age on milk production traits, fertility, and longevity in cattle

Abstract

Longevity is the economically most important functional trait in cattle populations. However, with an increased productive lifespan, the number of offspring born by older dams increases. A higher maternal age might have negative effects on the performance of offspring. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of maternal age on production (energy-corrected milk yield [ECM]) and functional traits (fertility; somatic cell score, and functional longevity) in Austrian dual-purpose Simmental cows. Age of dam had a significant effect on ECM yield and longevity. The ECM yield of daughters decreased with age of dam. Although the risk of culling slightly increased with age of dam, it was lowest for daughters of oldest dams. Results for fertility were non-significant, and results for somatic cell scores were inconsistent across parities.