Influence of nutrition on reproductive performance and blood metabolite concentrations in twinning beef cows
1994
Yonai, M. (Tohoku National Agricultural Experiment Station, Morioka (Japan)) | Geshi, M. | Sakaguchi, M. | Suzuki, O.
The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of levels of nutrition on postpartum reproductive performance in beef cows that produced twin calves. Data were collected from 37 Japanese Black and Japanese Shorthorn after artificial insemination or embryo transfer. Pregnancy was confirmed using the real-time ultrasonic scanning method on Days 46 to 88 of gestation and the number of fetuses was recorded. A group of cows with a single fetus (Group C, 20 cows) was fed a diet conforming 100% to the Japanese Feeding Standard (JFS) for Beef Cattle (1987) requirements for DTN during the last 2 months of pregnancy. Cows with twin fetuses were divided into two groups and fed either 100% (Group 1, 6 cows) or 12% (Group 2, 11 cows) of the JFS diet during the last 2 months of pregnancy. After parturition, the cows in Group C and 1 were fed 100% of the requirement, and cows in Group 2 were fed 120% of the requirement for 3 months. The ovarian activity of the cows was investigated daily by rectal palpation from 7 days after parturition, and estrus behavior was observed twice a day. In order to determine the cows' energy status, blood samples were collected and blood metabolite concentrations (glucose, 3-hydroxybutylate, none-esterified fatty acids) during the pre- and post-partum experimental period were analyzed
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