EFFECTS OF OMEGA- 3 SUPPLEMENTATION ON REPRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE AND ITS IMMUNE RESPONSE IN DAIRY COWS

• Grant number: 17/03622-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: April 01, 2018
• End date: October 28, 2022
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Animal Reproduction
• Principal Investigator: Eneiva Carla Carvalho Celeghini
• Grantee: Luisa Cunha Carneiro
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (FMVZ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated scholarship(s): 18/16051-7 - Mechanisms of Omega-3 fatty acid -induced immune response in cows by in vitro cell culture and metabolic functions by in vivo supplementation, BE.EP.PD

Abstract

The objective of this proposal is to supplement Holstein dairy cows with polyunsaturated fatty acid (Omega-3) at 30 days before calving up to 100 days postpartum and to verify the reproductive and metabolic effects during different phases and concentrations of the treatment, still, to investigate how this supplementation affects immune function. The experiment will be divided into three steps. In the first step, three groups will be formed: one treated with 60g/day of Omega-3 (n=10); another group treated with 120g/day of Omega-3 (n=10) and one control group, without supplementation with Omega-3 (n=10). In these groups, blood samples will be collected at different periods of supplementation to evaluate metabolites. Gynecological evaluation will be performed to observe the effects on the reproduction rates. In steps 2 and 3 the same groups from step 1 will be formed. In step 2, blood samples will be taken at different postpartum stage and cytokine levels (TNF-², IL-6, IL-4 and IL-10) and acute phase proteins will be measured. In stage 3, which aims to evaluate uterine immunity after Omega-3 supplementation, gene expression (TNF-², IL-6, IL-4 and IL-10) will be evaluated from endometrial secretion in those three different groups formed (same from step 2) and at different postpartum periods. It is expected that the addition of Omega-3 in dairy cows diet will increase reproductive performance and still seen as a tool in the activation of immunological cascade in those animals in order to avoid diseases and discards, moreover, to increase milk production of the herd.