The Influence of Different Hormonal Therapies on the Reproductive, Productive and Economic Efficiency of Early Postpartum Dairy Cows

Abstract

A total of 174 mutliparous Holstein dairy cows were randomly divided into seven groups to investigate the effects of different hormonal therapies on the productive, reproductive, and economic efficiency of early postpartum dairy cows. Our results show that cows treated with GnRH (gona dotropin-releasing hormone) had significantly (P<0.05) greater total milk yield than comparable untreated cows, and produced higher total and net returns. Reproductive parameters were also improved for the GnRH- treated cows. Additionally, we found that estrogen treatment has a positive impact on the productivity and profitability of cows receiving this treatment compared to control cows. In conclusion, GnRH and estrogen are the best hormonal therapies of those tested for improving the reproductive, productive, and economic efficiency of dairy cattle.