Feeding for Reproduction
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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