Comparative evaluation of supplemental saturated and unsaturated fatty acids on the performance, oocyte and embryo quality and immune function of dairy cows during the transition period and early lactation

• Grant number: 12/03264-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: February 01, 2013
• End date: May 31, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Animal Husbandry - Animal Nutrition and Feeding
• Principal Investigator: Francisco Palma Rennó
• Grantee: Gustavo Delfino Calomeni
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (FMVZ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The transition period or peripartum in dairy cows is the period between 3 weeks before calving and the first 3 weeks of lactation. This period is considered to have great importance in the production cycle of dairy cows due to the occurrence of several changes in animal metabolism and physiology. These changes, mediated by hormonal and metabolic responses, are the result of modification of the predominant physiological state, switching from pregnant non-lactating to non-pregnant and lactanting. During this period stands out that the animals are in negative energy balance (NEB) due to reduced capacity for food intake combined with high nutritional requirements caused by fetal growth and high milk production after calving. Several studies have shown that the metabolic changes necessary to minimize the NEB are responsible for a decrease in reproductive efficiency and reduce the immune response of the animals. Thus, as the fats have high energy coupled with a reduced energy loss during its metabolism, lipid supplementation for cows in transition period has been an excellent nutritional strategy to minimize the NEB and consequently increase productive, reproductive and immune responsiveness from supplemented animals. Added to this, recent studies show that polyunsaturated fatty acids, besides its energy factor, that are also present in saturated fat sources, have effective regulatory capacity of many metabolic systems generating performance improvements mainly in milk production and composition, reproductive efficiency and immune response. Thus, the aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of supplementation with a source of saturated fatty acid and a source of unsaturated fatty acid in diets of dairy cows during the transition period and early lactation on productive performance, oocyte and embryo quality, immune function, concentrations of plasma metabolites and hormones. (AU)

Academic Publications

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

CALOMENI, Gustavo Delfino. Comparative evaluation of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids on productive performance, embryo and oocyte quality, and blood profile of dairy cows throughout the transition period and early lactation. 2016. Doctoral Thesis - Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (FMVZ/SBD) Pirassununga.