Animal breeders acquire cows to produce milk and produce offspring. But in practice, these expectations are not always justified. Livestock breeders call such cases a special term – “slowness of cows”. This concept comes from the ancient Greek word “yal”, which means “barren”.
barren cow
What cow is called barren?
In nature, there are cows that do not bring offspring during the season. If a female does not become pregnant within 3 months after calving, she is called barren. Also referred to as a cow that previously gave birth to a baby, but at the moment could not get pregnant. This type of infertility in livestock is considered temporary and can be treated.
Barrenness has a negative impact on livestock farming. It is imperative to identify the real causes of infertility in cows in order to find an effective treatment.
A healthy animal always strives for fertilization. Calving in cows should occur every year, with the exception of old females. If there is no need for reproduction, this means that the individual is infertile. The diagnosis is confirmed by a gynecological examination.
Causes of barrenness
The most common cause is malnutrition. As a result, a dry cow does not receive the necessary vitamins and minerals. Most often this happens in winter, when an excess of concentrated feed and silage adversely affects the metabolism of the animal. All this leads to:
- weight loss;
- the development of gynecological diseases;
- disorder of the nervous system;
- cessation of ovulation;
- ovarian atrophy;
- disruption of the endocrine system;
- arrhythmias of sexual cycles;
- rejection of the seed;
- delayed placenta;
- decreased ability to bear a fetus.
The cow is losing weight
A cow can also become infertile due to:
- A decrease in the level of protein in the body, which leads to a violation of the synthesis of enzymes and low activity.
- Illiterate milking.
- Unbalanced nutrition.
- Overeating, which leads to dysfunction of the endocrine glands and degeneration of the cells of the reproductive organs.
- Premature or late insemination.
- Poor conditions of detention (dirt, cold, dampness, little light).
- Low sugar (less than 80 g per 100 g of protein).
- Various anomalies of the genital organs (freemartinism, hermaphrodism, infantilism). Such problems usually arise during the development of the embryo, and as a result, a barren cow is born.
- The production of antibodies to sperm. As a result, the organism of an individual perceives spermatozoa as foreign bodies and rejects them.
- Violations of the natural process of childbirth.
- Non-compliance with the rules of insemination.
Prevention
There are preventive measures that can be followed to avoid the development of barrenness in cows. The first thing to do is to provide the animal with proper care and take care of the diet. Livestock development does not happen by itself. To provide a cow with useful substances, you need to drive it to pastures. If the individual receives all the necessary substances for its full development, infertility will not develop. Emphasis should be placed on the selection of food during the stall period, when the animal may suffer from overeating or hunger.
It is important to monitor the health of the cow, regular visits to the veterinarian will help. The doctor promptly recognizes the development of inflammation of the gynecological organs and prescribes treatment.
There is a certain reproductive age for cows. By this period, the body of the individual will be ready for conception, and the weight and height of the female will allow her to endure and give birth to a baby. Do not rush and lead the animal to calving ahead of time.
Cow insemination
The fertilization process itself is also important, which must take place under the right conditions. For this purpose, a healthy bull is needed. You also need to make sure that the female does not get injured in the process. Otherwise, the cow may become infertile.
The health and diet of the animal must also be monitored during the period of gestation. And the birth process itself should be entrusted to an experienced veterinarian. After the birth of the calf, his mother will need peace and care.
