ORIGINAL PAPER
 
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
This study was carried out to compare the effects of flushing diets with different levels of extruded flaxseed (EFS) and rumen undegradable protein (RUP) on reproductive performance and blood metabolites in Baluchi ewes. Forty-eight ewes (2–3 years old) were fed one of four different treatment diets: 1) no EFS + 20% RUP, 2) no EFS + 40% RUP, 3) 10% EFS + 20% RUP and 4) 10% EFS + 40% RUP. Blood concentrations of glucose (24 h after removing controlled internal drug release (CIDR) containing 0.3 g of progesterone) and cholesterol (24 h before removing CIDR) were different among the dietary treatments (P < 0.05). Blood urea-N (24 h after removing CIDR and 9 days after mating) was also impacted by the dietary treatments (P < 0.05). Higher blood estrogen levels occurred in response to EFS supplementation plus 40% RUP in comparison to non-EFS diets both 24 h before and after removing CIDR. Blood progesterone in ewes fed 10% EFS and 40% RUP diet was increased 9 days after mating in comparison to ewes fed non-EFS diets (P < 0.05). 10% EFS and 40% RUP in the diets of ewes improved the fecundity rate (P < 0.05). Follicle and corpus diameter (24 h after CIDR removal and 9 days after mating, respectively) were higher in EFS diets than the other groups (P < 0.05). So, the use of 10% EFS as a source of omega-3 fatty acids with 40% RUP in the flushing diet can improve ewe reproduction performance, which is important in the sheep industry, especially in developing countries.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We are thankful to Vice Chancellor for Research and Technology of Bahonar University of Kerman (Iran) for financial support (Grant number: G-311/8759). The authors acknowledge the support of the crew in the sheep unit and laboratory throughout the research. We also appreciate Professor Richard Williams’s help for his critical input in editing the final iteration of the manuscript.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST
The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.
REFERENCES (36)
1.
Aboozar M., Amanlou H., Aghazadeh A.M., Adl K.N., Moeini M., Tanha T., 2012. Impacts of different levels of RUP on performance and reproduction of Holstein fresh cows. J. Anim. Vet. Adv. 11, 1338–1345, https://doi.org/10.3923/javaa.....
 
2.
Ambrose D.J., Kastelic J.P., Corbett R., Pitney P.A., Petit H.V., Small A.J., Zalkovic P., 2006. Lower pregnancy losses in lactating dairy cows fed a diet enriched in α-linolenic acid. J. Dairy Sci. 89, 3066–3074, https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.S0....
 
3.
Benchaar C., Romero-Pérez G.A., Chouinard P.Y., Hassanat F., Eugene M., Petit H.V., Côrtes C., 2012. Supplementation of increasing amounts of linseed oil to dairy cows fed total mixed rations: Effects on digestion, ruminal fermentation characteristics, protozoal populations, and milk fatty acid composition. J. Dairy Sci. 95, 4578–4590, https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.20....
 
4.
Berardinelli J.G., Weng J., Burfening P.J., Adair R., 2001. Effect of excess degradable intake protein on early embryonic development, ovarian steroids, and blood urea nitrogen on days 2, 3, 4, and 5 of the estrous cycle in mature ewes. J. Anim. Sci. 79, 193–199, https://doi.org/10.2527/2001.7....
 
5.
Castro T., Martinez D., Isabel B., Cabezas A., Jimeno V., 2019. Vegetable oils rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids supplementation of dairy cows’ diets: effects on productive and reproductive performance. Animals 9, 205, https://doi.org/10.3390/ani905....
 
6.
Cerri R.L.A., Juchem S.O., Chebel R.C., Rutigliano H., Bruno R.G.S., Galvão K.N., Thatcher W.W., Santos J.E.P., 2009. Effect of fat source differing in fatty acid profile on metabolic parameters, fertilization, and embryo quality in high-producing dairy cows. J. Dairy Sci. 92, 1520–1531, https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.20....
 
7.
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, 883–893, https://doi.org/10.1017/S17517....
 
8.
Daghigh Kia H., Mohamadi Chapdareh W., Hossein Khani A., Moghaddam G., Rashidi A., Sadri H., Alijani S., 2012. Effects of flushing and hormonal treatment on reproductive performance of Iranian Markhoz goats. J. Anim. Physiol. Anim. Nutr. 96, 1157–1164, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1439....
 
9.
Fiorentini G., Carvalho I.P.C., Messana J.D., Canesin R.C., Pablo S., Castagnino P.S., Lage J.F., Arcuri P.B., Berchielli T.T., 2015. Effect of lipid sources with different fatty acid profiles on intake, nutrient digestion and ruminal fermentation of feedlot Nellore steers. Asian-Australas. J. Anim. Sci. 28, 1583–1591, https://doi.org/10.5713/ajas.1....
 
10.
Hashem N.M., El-Zarkouny S.Z., 2014. Effect of short-term supplementation with rumen-protected fat during the late luteal phase on reproduction and metabolism of ewes. J. Anim. Physiol. Anim. Nutr. 98, 65–71, https://doi.org/10.1111/jpn.12....
 
11.
Hess B.W., Lake S.L., Scholljegerses E.J., Weston T.R., Nayigihugu V., Molle J.D.C., Moss G.E., 2005. Nutritional controls of beef cow reproduction. J. Anim. Sci. 83, Suppl. E, E90–E106, https://doi.org/10.2527/2005.8....
 
12.
Hoon J.H., Herselman M.J., Van Heerden M., Pretorius A.P., 2000. The effect of bypass protein supplementation on the reproductive performance of Merino sheep grazing mixed karoo veld. S. Afr. J. Anim. Sci. 30, Suppl. 1, 60–61, https://doi.org/10.4314/sajas.....
 
13.
Jacob A.B., Balakrishnan V., Kathirvelan C., 2012. Effect of amount and source of vegetable oils in a high fibrous cattle diet on in vitro rumen fermentation, nutrient degradability and rumen cis-9, trans-11 CLA concentration. J. Appl. Anim. Res. 40, 148–153, https://doi.org/10.1080/097121....
 
14.
Johnson K.A., Kincaid R.L., Westberg H.H., Gaskins C.T., Lamb B.K., Cronrath J.D., 2002. The effect of oilseeds in diets of lactating cows on milk production and methane emissions. J. Dairy Sci. 85, 1509–1515, https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.S0....
 
15.
Marei W.F., Wathes D.C., Fouladi-Nashta A.A., 2009. The effect of linolenic acid on bovine oocyte maturation and development. Biol. Reprod. 81, 1064–1072, https://doi.org/10.1095/biolre....
 
16.
McCormick M.E., French D.D., Brown T.F., Cuomo G.J., Chapa A.M., Fernandez J.M., Beatty J.F., Blouin D.C., 1999. Crude protein.
 
17.
McCormick M.E., French D.D., Brown T.F., Cuomo G.J., Chapa A.M., Fernandez J.M., Beatty J.F., Blouin D.C., 1999. Crude protein and rumen undegradable protein effects on reproduction and lactation performance of Holstein cows. J. Dairy Sci. 82, 2697-2708, https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.S0....
 
18.
Mikolayunas C., Thomas D.L., Armentano L.E., Berger Y.M., 2011. Effect of rumen-undegradable protein supplementation and fresh forage composition on nitrogen utilization of dairy ewes. J. Dairy Sci. 94, 416–425, https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.20....
 
19.
Mirzaei-Alamouti H., Mohammadi Z., Shahir M.H., Vazirigohar M., Mansouryar M., 2018. Effects of short-term feeding of different sources of fatty acids in pre-mating diets on reproductive performance and blood metabolites of fat-tailed Iranian Afshari ewes. Theriogenology 113, 85–91, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ther....
 
20.
Neveu C., Baurhoo B., Mustafa A., 2014. Effect of feeding extruded flaxseed with different grains on the performance of dairy cows and milk fatty acid profile. J. Dairy Sci. 97, 1543–1551, https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.20....
 
21.
NRC (National Research Council), 2007. Nutrient Requirements of Small Ruminants: Sheep, Goats, Cervids, and New World Camelids. The National Academies Press. Washington, DC (USA), https://doi.org/10.17226/11654.
 
22.
Petit H.V., Dewhurst R.J., Scollan N.D., Proulx J.G., Khalid M., Haresign W., Twagiramungu H., Mann G.E., 2002. Milk production and composition, ovarian function, and prostaglandin secretion of dairy cows fed omega-3 fats. J. Dairy Sci. 85, 889–899, https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.S0....
 
23.
Pi Y., Ma L., Pierce K.M., Wang H.R., Xu J.C., Bu D.P., 2019. Rubber seed oil and flaxseed oil supplementation alter digestion, ruminal fermentation and rumen fatty acid profile of dairy cows. Animal 13, 2811–2820, https://doi.org/10.1017/S17517....
 
24.
Richards C.J., Swanson K.C., Paton S.J., Harmon D.L., Huntington G.B., 2003. Pancreatic exocrine secretion in steers infused postruminally with casein and cornstarch. J. Anim. Sci. 81,1051–1056, https://doi.org/10.2527/2003.8....
 
25.
Robinson J.J., 1990. Nutrition in the reproduction of farm animals. Nutr. Res. Rev. 3, 253–276, https://doi.org/10.1079/NRR199....
 
26.
Robinson R.S., Pushpakumara P.G.A., Cheng Z., Peters A.R., Abayasekara D.R.E., Wathes D.C., 2002. Effects of dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids on ovarian and uterine function in lactating dairy cows. Reproduction 124, 119–131, https://doi.org/10.1530/rep.0.....
 
27.
Rosenfeld C.S., Wagner J.S., Roberts R.M., Lubahn D.B., 2001. Intraovarian actions of estrogen. Reproduction 122, 215–226, https://doi.org/10.1530/rep.0.....
 
28.
Scaramuzzi R.J., Campbell B.K., Downing J.A., Kendall N.R., Khalid M., Muñoz-Gutiérrez M., Somchit A., 2006. A review of the effects of supplementary nutrition in the ewe on the concentrations of reproductive and metabolic hormones and the mechanisms that regulate folliculogenesis and ovulation rate. Reprod. Nutr. Dev. 46, 339–354, https://doi.org/10.1051/rnd:20....
 
29.
Soliva C.R., Meile L., Cieślak A., Kreuzer M., Machmüller A., 2004. Rumen simulation technique study on the interactions of dietary lauric and myristic acid supplementation in suppressing ruminal methanogenesis. Br. J. Nutr. 92, 689–700, https://doi.org/10.1079/bjn200....
 
30.
Staples C.R., Thatcher W.W., 2005. Effects of fatty acids on reproduction of dairy cows. In: P.C. Garnsworthy, J. Wiseman (Editors). Recent Advances in Animal Nutrition. Nottingham University Press. Nottingham (UK), pp. 229–256, https://doi.org/10.5661/recadv...
 
31.
Suksombat W., Thanh L.P., Meeprom C., Mirattanaphrai R., 2014. Effects of linseed oil or whole linseed supplementation on performance and milk fatty acid composition of lactating dairy cows. Asian-Australas. J. Anim. Sci. 27, 951–959, https://doi.org/10.5713/ajas.2....
 
32.
Thatcher W.W., Staples R.C., 2007. Using fats and fatty acids to enhance reproductive performance. In: Proceedings of the 5th Mid-Atlantic Nutrition Conference. University of Maryland. College Park, MD (USA), pp, 116–129.
 
33.
Wonnacott K.E., Kwong W.Y., Hughes J., Salter A.M., Lea R.G., Garnsworthy P.C., Sinclair K.D., 2010. Dietary omega-3 and-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids affect the composition and development of sheep granulosa cells, oocytes and embryos. Reproduction 139, 57–69, https://doi.org/10.1530/REP-09....
 
34.
Yoshimura E.H., Santos N.W., Machado E., Agustinho B.C., Pereira L.M., de Aguiar S.C., Franzolin R., Gasparino E., dos Santos G.T., Zeoula L.M., 2018. Effects of dairy cow diets supplied with flaxseed oil and propolis extract, with or without vitamin E, on the ruminal microbiota, biohydrogenation, and digestion. J. Anim. Feed Sci. Technol. 241, 163–172, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anif....
 
35.
Zachut M., Dekel I., Lehrer H., Arieli A., Arav A., Livshitz L., Yakoby S., Moallem U., 2010. Effects of dietary fats differing in n-6:n-3 ratio fed to high-yielding dairy cows on fatty acid composition of ovarian compartments, follicular status, and oocyte quality. J. Dairy Sci. 93, 529–545, https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.20....
 
36.
Zeron Y., Sklan D., Arav A., 2002. Effect of polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation on biophysical parameters and chilling sensitivity of ewe oocytes. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 61, 271–278, https://doi.org/10.1002/mrd.11...
 
 
CITATIONS (3):
1.
Blood thyroid hormones, insulin and leptin, metabolites and enzymes in transition dairy ewes, as affected by dietary linseed and physiological stage
Luca Todini, Alessandro Malfatti, Laura Mughetti, Gabriele Acuti, Olimpia Barbato, Daniela Beghelli, Massimo Trabalza-Marinucci
Research in Veterinary Science
 
2.
Feeding formaldehyde-treated sesame meal to lactating Murciano-Granadina goats: implications on milk yield and composition, digestibility, rumen fermentation, and blood metabolites
Fateme Firozi, Omid Dayani, Reza Tahmasbi, Poorya Dadvar
Spanish Journal of Agricultural Research
 
3.
Blood Parameter Response in Growing Alpine Goat Kids Fed Diets Containing Extruded Flaxseed or Pumpkin Seed Cake
Željka Klir Šalavardić, Josip Novoselec, Mislav Đidara, Zvonko Antunović
Agriculture
 
ISSN:1230-1388
Journals System - logo
Scroll to top