Pelvic Parameters in Holstein-Friesian and Jersey Heifers
in Relation to TheirCalving
Zenon Nogalski* and Władysław Mordas
University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Department of Cattle
Breeding and Milk Quality Evaluation, Oczapowskiego 5, 10-719
Olsztyn, Poland
*Corresponding author: zena@uwm.edu.pl
Abstract
The objective of the study was to compare calving ease, pelvic structure and
pelvic angle in 74 Holstein-Friesian and 45 Jersey heifers. The frequency of
difficult calving was 15.2% in Holstein-Friesians, and only 2.2% in Jersey
heifers. Compared with Jersey cows, Holstein-Friesians were characterized by a
higher calf weight to cow weight ratio, and higher ratios of pelvic area to cow
weight and pelvic area to calf weight. The results of the study show that higher
frequency of difficult calving recorded in Holstein-Friesians, in comparison
with Jersey heifers, could be a consequence of relatively high calf weight and
less preferable pelvic structure. Large
variation inthe internaldimensions of thepelvicheifers HF
encouragedreducing the occurrence
of dystociathrough selectionofthe dimensionsof the pelvic.
Key words:
Calving easy,
Dairy heifers,
Holstein-Friesian,
Jersey,
Pelvic area