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Citation
Tags
HERO ID
7201885
Reference Type
Journal Article
Title
Effects of supplementation with docosahexaenoic acid on reproduction of dairy cows
Author(s)
Sinedino, LDP; Honda, PM; Souza, LRL; Lock, AL; Boland, MP; Staples, CR; Thatcher, WW; Santos, JEP; ,
Year
2017
Is Peer Reviewed?
1
Journal
Reproduction
ISSN:
1470-1626
EISSN:
1741-7899
Publisher
BIOSCIENTIFICA LTD
Location
BRISTOL
Page Numbers
707-723
PMID
28235903
DOI
10.1530/REP-16-0642
Web of Science Id
WOS:000403588500019
Abstract
The objectives were to determine the effects of supplementing docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)-rich algae on reproduction of dairy cows. Holstein cows were assigned randomly to either a control (n = 373) or the same diet supplemented daily with 100 g/cow of an algae product containing 10% DHA (algae, n = 366) from 27 to 147days postpartum. Measurements included yields of milk and milk components, fatty acids (FA) profiles in milk fat and plasma phospholipids, resumption of ovulation by 57 days postpartum, pregnancy per artificial insemination (AI) and expression of interferon-stimulated genes in leukocytes. Feeding algae increased resumption of estrous cyclicity (77.6 vs 65.9%) and pregnancy at first AI (47.6 vs 32.8%) in primiparous cows. Algae increased pregnancy per AI in all AI in both primiparous and multiparous cows (41.6 vs 30.7%), which reduced days to pregnancy by 22 days (102 vs 124 days) compared with control cows. Pregnant cows fed algae had greater expression of RTP4 in blood leukocytes compared with those in pregnant control cows. Feeding algae increased the incorporation of DHA, eicosapentaenoic acid, conjugated linoleic acid isomers cis-9 trans-11, trans-10 cis-12 and total n-3 FA in phospholipids in plasma and milk fat. Yields of milk and true protein increased by 1.1 kg/day and 30 g/day respectively, whereas fat yield decreased 40 g/day in algae compared with that in control. Supplementing DHA-rich algae altered the FA composition of lipid fractions and improved reproduction in dairy cows. The benefits on reproduction might be mediated by enhanced embryo development based on changes in interferon-stimulated gene expression.
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