Effect of dietary enrichment with either n-3 or n-6 fatty acids on systemic metabolite and hormone concentration and ovarian function in heifers
Childs, S. ; Lynch, C. O. ; Hennessy, A. A. ; Stanton, C. ; Wathes, D. C. ; Sreenan, J. M. ; Diskin, M. G. ; Kenny, D. A.
Childs, S.
Lynch, C. O.
Hennessy, A. A.
Stanton, C.
Wathes, D. C.
Sreenan, J. M.
Diskin, M. G.
Kenny, D. A.
Repository DOI
Publication Date
2008-05-13
Keywords
fish oil, cattle, prostaglandin metabolite, progesterone, linoleic acid, lactating dairy-cows, postpartum reproductive function, fish-meal supplementation, holstein-friesian cows, milk-composition, beef heifers, prostaglandin secretion, carcass characteristics, follicular development, extruded soybeans
Type
Article
Downloads
Citation
Childs, S. Lynch, C. O.; Hennessy, A. A.; Stanton, C.; Wathes, D. C.; Sreenan, J. M.; Diskin, M. G.; Kenny, D. A. (2008). Effect of dietary enrichment with either n-3 or n-6 fatty acids on systemic metabolite and hormone concentration and ovarian function in heifers. animal 2 (6), 883-893
Abstract
The objective of this experiment was to examine the effects of dietary n-3 or n-6 fatty acid (FA) supplementation on blood FA, metabolite and hormone concentrations, follicle size and dynamics and corpus luteum (CL) size. Reproductively normal heifers (n = 24) were individually fed diets of chopped straw and concentrate containing either (i) no added lipid (CON; n = 8), (ii) 2% added fat as whole raw soya beans (WSB, n-6; n = 8), or (iii) 2% added fat as fish oil (FO, n-3; n = 8). Following oestrous cycle synchronisation, blood samples were collected at appropriate times and intervals for the measurement of hormones, FAs and metabolites. On days 15 and 16 of the cycle, animals were subjected to an intravenous oxytocin challenge and prostaglandin F(2 alpha) (PGF(2 alpha) response, measured as venous concentrations of 13,14-dihydro-15-keto PGF(2 alpha) (PGFM). Dry matter intake and average daily gain were similar among treatments (P > 0.05). Plasma concentration of linoleic acid was highest on WSB (P < 0.05), while eicosapentaenoic (EPA, n-3; P < 0.0001) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, n-3; P < 0.0001) were greatest in the FO group. Plasma concentrations of arachidonic acid were higher on FO (P < 0.05) compared with CON and WSB Plasma triglyceride concentrations increased, while beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHBA) decreased with time on all diets (P < 0.05). There was a diet X time interaction (P < 0.01) for non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA) concentrations. Plasma cholesterol was higher on WSB and FO (P < 0.01) compared with CON. Progesterone (P and oestradiol (E(2)) concentrations, as well as follicle growth rate and CL diameter were similar across diets (P > 0.05). There was a diet X day interaction for PGFM (P < 0.01). When corrected for systemic E2: P(4) ratio, day 15 concentrations of PGFM were higher in the WSB group at 15 and 30 min (P < 0.01) post oxytocin administration compared with CON and FO, which were similar (P > 0.05). Concentrations of PGFM on day 16 were similar for WSB and FO and were greater than CON at 15 (P < 0.01) and 45 min (P < 0.05) post oxytocin administration, and at 30min for FO (P < 0.05). With the exception of PGFM, dietary lipid source did not affect the reproductive variables measured.
Funder
Publisher
Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Publisher DOI
10.1017/s1751731108002115
Rights
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Ireland