Connection between nutrition, milk production and reproduction in high-yielding dairy cows.: Literature review.: Part 1.: Metabolic characteristics of the postpartum period

Based on the available literature the authors review the connection of nutrition - first of all the energy supply - with milk production and reproduction in dairy cows. in the first part of this series of articles the endocrine consequences of selection for very high milk production are discussed, and, the metabolic and endocrine characteristics of the postpartum period are summarized.