Transcript Feeding for Reproduction

Feeding for Reproduction
OABP—Guelph
November 30, 2006
Ewen Ferguson, Campbellford
Reproduction programs
Often a combination of factors that
converge to cause “the perfect
storm” in reproduction
Let’s look at some
of these factors…
Reproduction Program
Focus has been on:
GnRH
Pg
Semen quality
AI technique
Vet
Also need to look at:
Transition Management
Incidence of:
RP’s
Milk Fever
Ketosis
DA’s
Mastitis
Disease Pathways
Metabolic problems
influence fertility
The more deficiencies we have in the
transition period, the more infertility
we’re going to have in the herd.
Nutrition influences fertility at all
stages of the reproduction cycle, but
transition is the most critical.
Melendez 2005
Metabolic problems
influence fertility
“Nutritional imprint”
Effect of metabolic disorder…
Influences cow health and reproduction for
several months
Jim Spain 2005
NEFA concentrations and Pregnancy
ADSA 2005 National Meetings
900
PREGNANT
OPEN
800
NEFA mEq/L
700
600
500
400
300
200
100
0
-10
-7
-3
0
3
Days Postpartum
Burkhart et al. Abstract W164
7
14
21
Probability of Pregnancy at 1st Service Vs.
NEFA Concentration at 3 days Postpartum
0.6
Probability
0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
NEFA Concentration
Burkhart et al. Abstract W164
00
15
00
13
11
00
0
90
0
70
0
50
0
30
10
0
0
10
Probability of Pregnancy at First
Service
0.7
Nutrition and
reproduction…
is there a link?
Reproductive parameters—
are they tied to nutrition?
Delayed time to 1st ovulation:
Related to negative energy balance
No clear association with milk
production
Reproductive parameters—
are they tied to nutrition?
Anovular/Anestrus cows:
20% prevalence
No parity difference
Ketotic cows in week 1: 1.5 x more A/A
Other risk factors: DA, twins, dystocia
Low milk >>anestrus than high milk
Low BCS >>anestrus than high BCS
Walsh 2006
Reproductive parameters—
are they tied to nutrition?
Conception rates:
CR and Milk—relationship controversial
High producing cows have lower CR than
heifers
Effect of Milk Production and Fertility:
Amplified during heat stress
Decreased fertilization rate
Decreased percentage of viable embryos
Conception Rates in Lactating Dairy
Cows vs. Virgin Dairy Heifers
Virgin Heifers
Lactating Cows
Milk
Conception Rate
75%
65%
55%
66%
60%
70%
65%
50%
45%
45%
35%
1955
1975
1995
Reproductive parameters—
are they tied to nutrition?
Duration of estrus
Cows >40 kg had shorter estrus
6 hr v. 11 hr
Less circulating estradiol?
Duration of estrus
Duration of estrus
Reproductive parameters—
are they tied to nutrition?
Double ovulation:
Linked to milk production
Segregate cows above/below mean of
40 kg milk
Above mean: 20% double ovulation
Below mean: 7%
Wiltbank
Milk production and fertility
High producers…
Ovulate larger follicles, but…
Low circulating estradiol
More luteal tissue, but…
Reduced circulating progesterone
Milk production and fertility
Disconnect???
More milk—more feed intake—more
liver blood flow—more steroid
metabolism???
Wiltbank
Practical approach to
nutrition and reproduction
Literature review:
Minerals (Hurley and Doane, 1989)
Vitamin (Seymour, 2001)
Energy (Butler, 2001)
Protein (Butler, 2001)
Lipid Fractions (Staples, 2004)
But…
Le Blanc’s (approach) solution
to improve Repro via Nutrition…
Search for all the cow comfort and
management stuff that may limit intake
Then…look at protein
Search for all the cow comfort…
Then…look at energy
Search for all the cow comfort…
Then…lipid; minerals; vitamins (in no
particular order)
Then… Search for all the cow comfort…etc
Nutritional management
Is not balancing rations…
Overview/understanding of nutrition
program
Credibility?
Trust recommendations?
Vet?
Nutritionist?
Listen to the cow…
Driver or mechanic?
Feeding for Reproduction
Assuming DMI is okay…
Overview of:
Protein
Energy
Lipid
Minerals
Vitamins
Nutritional Influences on
Reproduction
Protein…
Close-up rations often okay ~14-15% CP
Lactation rations:
More protein—more milk?!?
Watch high RDP rations
Sources: Balage, wet haylage, supplements
High urea—poor reproduction?
Balance RDP and CHO
Nutritional Influences on
Reproduction
Protein…
Lactation rations:
High Corn Silage based rations
16-17% CP
Use MUN to guide you
10-14 OK
8 OK?
>16 watch
Nutritional Influences on
Reproduction
Protein…
Urea Effect??
Impaired uterine environment?
Embryo survival issue
Energy Cost?
Effect on ovarian activity
Cows with health disorders—greater risk
with high protein diets
Nutritional Influences on
Reproduction
Energy…
Important for transition Cows
Maintain / gain weight during dry period
Corn silage: benefit…but, limit
Concentrate: .75% of BW
Nutritional Influences on
Reproduction
Energy…
Key is DMI
Consider non nutritional factors
Bunk space
Over Crowding
Pen moves
Nutritional Influences on
Reproduction
Energy…
TCI index—Nordlund
Predictor of fresh cow health
0
1 ry predictor—bunk space prior to calving
0
2 ry predictor—bunk space after calving
30”
Nutritional Influences on
Reproduction
Energy…
Tools to measure…
BCS—cows <2.75 BCS @ 60 dim=1.5 > anestrus
Walsh 2006
Early lactation BF>5.5%
NEFA/BHB
Energy and Protein
Major nutrients of any program
Lots of information about requirements
Don’t focus on decimal points and miss…
DMI, DMI, DMI
Supplemental fat feeding
Post partum rations
Shown to improve reproductive
performance
Supplemental fat feeding
How does it work?
1. Fat feeding=more progesterone?
 Tallow
 Calcium Salts/Prilled fatty acids
 Whole cottonseeds
Effect:
 Larger CL
 Larger dominant follicle
 Improved embryo survival
Supplemental fat feeding
2. Inhibits production / release of
prostaglandin?
 Omega-3 long chain PUFA
 Esp. Linolenic (C18:3)
 Flaxseed, linseed, fishmeal, pasture
Supplemental fat feeding
3. Meeting an essential fatty acid
deficiency?




May be limiting in high producers
Linoleic
Roasted beans, Enertia, Megalac R
Roasting increases delivery of EFA to SI
Minerals
Most commercial mineral premixes
will provide adequate level of
micronutrients
But…
Must be formulated for dry cows
Can’t be delivered free choice
Some need to be fortified
Minerals
Close up dry cow
Calcium >.85%
Phosphorus <.4%
Magnesium >.4%
Sulfur ~.3%
Potassium <1.4%
Minerals
Lactation ration
Calcium >1%
Phosphorus ~.4%
Magnesium >.3%
Sulfur ~.2%
Potassium >1.4%
Minerals
Phosphorus
Someone in extension did a great job 50
years ago…
No reproductive improvement over .37%
Minerals
Cobalt
Important for ruminant synthesis of B12
NRC .11 ppm
Easy to meet
Heat Stress—My K strategy
Add NaCl @.15 lbs
Add KCl to bring Cl to
.5% (at least .4%)
Add bicarb--8-10 oz,
don’t go over 2%
Add K carbonate to
get to 1.5% K ~.33 lbs
DCAD ~35 to 40
Add Mag Ox—up to .4%
Keep K:Mag ratio ~4:1
Calcium >1%
Phosphorus ~.4%
Add 2-3 oz yeast
Start early—before
heat stress
Minerals
Selenium
Lots of research in past 30 years
Improved immune function
Reduced mastitis
Reduced SCC
Reduced RP’s
Minerals
Selenium
Sources:
Inorganic (Na Selenite)
Se Yeast
Maximum rate is .3 ppm
Minerals
Selenium Yeast:
Identical to AA methionine except S
replaced by Selenium molecule
Se is part of molecule, not associated
as a chelate
Selenium Yeast:
Minerals
Which is better?
Se Yeast has 20% higher whole blood Se, but…
Differences in blood may/may not relate to
different clinical responses
Clinical trials on disease response is lacking
Calves from cows fed Se Yeast—higher Se
Se Yeast colostrum has higher Se
Minerals
Selenium absorption:
Selenite and Se Yeast absorbed by
different mechanisms
S (.2-.4%) reduced absorption of Na
Selenite by 20%--(Se Yeast unaffected)
Se absorption 40% higher at .9% Ca
(than at .5% or 1.3%)
Minerals
Selenium Yeast—does it pay?:
Consider if antagonists are present
Consider for transition group
Can go half and half
.3 ppm x 12 kg DMI=3.6 mg/day
Bigger issue may be cows are limiting
Vitamins
An abundance of pasture and other green
feeds and plenty of well cured legume hay
are believed to be sufficient safeguards
against any possible shortage of Vitamins
D and E.
No prepared vitamin mixtures need ever be
purchased!
Feeding Dairy Cattle Mo AES Bulletin 281, Ragsdale, 1930
Vitamins
Vitamin A
NRC 650 kg lactating cow needs 71,500
IU
Vitamin A improves embryo quality
My rations
100-175 KIU daily (lactation)
120-150 KIU (close up)
Vitamins
Vitamin E
NRC 650 kg lactating cow needs 500 IU
1000 IU pre partum
3000 IU Vitamin E, 7 days prepartum
reduced risk of RFM by 44% in primiparous
(not multiparous) LeBlanc 2002
Vitamin E helps reduce SCC and clinical
mastitis
Lack of studies showing improved
reproduction
My rations: 1000 IU lactating; 1000-2000 close
Fatty Liver
Accumulation of
triglyceride (fat)
in liver
• Most common around calving
• “Fat Cow Syndrome”
50 to 60% of cows develop fatty livers
around calving
Up to 60% of
transition cows have
fat build up in the
et al., 1992
liver Bertics
UW Madison
30
Liver triglyceride, %
25
20
15
10
5
0
-17
1
Day relative to calving
28
• “In the first month after
calving, 5 to 10% of dairy
cows have severe fatty liver
and 30 to 40% have
moderate fatty liver
G. Bobe, J. W. Young, and D. C. Beitz, 2004
Iowa State U.
What happens during
transition?
During transition…
DMI drops
NEFA’s increase
Increased fat accumulation in liver
Bertics et al., 1992
35
DMI, lb/day
30
25
20
15
-20
-15
-10
-5
0
Day Relative to Calving
5
10
NEFA
NEFA’s become elevated if DMI falls
below 11 kg/day in the last week of
gestation
Cows with high NEFA’s have:
More ketosis
More DA’s
More RP’s
Rumensin CRC
Reduces SCK by 50%
Reduces DA’s by 40%
Reduces Clinical Ketosis by 40%
Reduces RP’s by 24%
Reashure choline
Prevents or corrects deposition of
fat in the liver
Choline prevents fatty liver
Reashure
®
Other Goodies
Lots of choices—do your
homework—seek advice.
Snake Oil Salespersons
One who weaves a tale of truths, half
truths, lies and innuendo for the
purpose of gaining trust, faith or
monetary gain from normally very
intelligent people.
Vitamins
Feeding trace minerals and vitamins
in excess is unlikely to improve
reproduction.
Santos 2005
Mycotoxin Inhibitors
Corn ear mold prevalent this year
Mold does not mean mycotoxins, but…
DON or vomitoxin—marker
Decreased milk
Decreased reproduction
Depressed immune system
Consider testing/inhibitors
Concern @ .5—1 ppm