Influence of heat stress on reproductive performance in dairy cows and opportunities to reduce its effects – a review

Abstract

Abstract. The goal of this review is to consider and discuss the scientific literature related to the effect of heat stress (HS) on reproductive performance in dairy cows and opportunities to reduce its effects. The information in literature shows that the HS topic in dairy cows began to be discussed in the 1970s. As genetic progress related to productivity increases, the requirements for cows also increase, including for their reproduction performance. In the present review, a significant array of scientific papers is examined, as a result of which it is established that HS has a multifaceted effect on reproduction in dairy cows. The main role for the negative impact of HS is the effect of high ambient temperature on the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis. As a result, hormonal changes occur in the body of cows, which affect the behavior of cows in estrus, the development of follicles in the ovaries and the survival of the embryo in the uterus. These changes affect the main elements of cattle breeding such as length of days open interval, conception rate, number of inseminations required for conception. To mitigate the negative impact of HS on cows, methods have been developed for better estrus detection, for microclimate control, as well as for hormonal treatment of cows in order to increase reproductive performance. Although some progress has been made in each of the measures, HS still poses a serious reproductive problem for dairy cows, especially in the countries with warmer climates. This provokes the interest of many scientists around the world who seek to offer a solution/mitigation to this problem.

Keywords

• dairy cattle
• reproductive traits
• summer heat stress