Effect of prolonged supplementation of unsatured fatty acids in the diet of Bos taurus heifers on oocyte and embryo quality, hormonal and metabolic profile

• Grant number: 12/02072-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: October 01, 2012
• End date: February 28, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Animal Husbandry - Animal Nutrition and Feeding
• Principal Investigator: Francisco Palma Rennó
• Grantee: Lenita Camargo Verdurico
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (FMVZ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The group of replacement heifers aimed for milk production is the essential class within production systems. However, this animal category has not have adequate attention in within cattle dairy herds. Among the factors that influence the reproduction, the nutrition has role important on the physiology's aspects of the reproductive systems in the bovine female. There are result contradictors of the use of "flushing" and of the increase in the dry matter intake on fertility and embryonic production in ruminants. Moreover, several studies have shown positives results of the use of supplements containing fatty acids in diets of female of beef and milk cattle on the reproductive performance. The main polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) that affect fertility are of the family n-3 and n-6. The supplementation of females with diets containing fat sources can increase the concentrations of steroid hormones in the circulating reported in the literature. The use of fat in diets has effects on developed of follicle, oocyte, embryo and uterus in dairy cows. The mechanism by which the fat in the diet can influence the yield, quality oocyte and embryo may be related to decrease of negative energy balance and with the uterine prostaglandin synthesis. However the mechanisms by which the fatty acid or group of specific fatty acids cause these results are not fully understood. The hypothesis of this study suggests that the supplementation of unsaturated fatty acids positively influences oocyte and embryo quality, increasing reproductive performance through improved production and oocyte and embryo quality. However, the response depends of the type of used fatty acid in the diet. Thus, the aim this study was to evaluate the effects of essential fatty acids sources, omega 3 and omega 6, and the time of supplementation on oocyte and embryo quality in Holstein heifers. (AU)

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

VERDURICO, Lenita Camargo. Effect of prolonged supplementation of unsaturated fatty acids in the diet of Bos taurus heifers on oocyte and embryo quality and metabolic profile. 2015. Doctoral Thesis - Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (FMVZ/SBD) Pirassununga.