Abstract
Nutrition of transition period in dairy cows dramatically increases requirements for energy, glucose, amino acids and other nutrients in dairy cows and, parallel to that, feed intake is depressed. An insufficient or imbalanced nutrient intake might lead to the malfunction of organs, causing reproductive failure. To minimize the metabolic/reproductive damage caused by negative energy balance (NEBAL), feeding of a glucogenic and lipogenic diet containing fat-enriched supplements is recommended. In heat-stressed dairy cows, the reduction of dry matter intake causes an energy deficit, thereby accentuating NEBAL. Heat stress may also have a direct impact on oocyte quality due to the high ovarian temperatures. The intrauterine environment is also compromised in heat-stressed cows, with reduced blood flow to the uterus and increased uterine temperature; this may impair embryonic development, increase early embryonic loss and reduce the proportion of successful inseminations. Postpartum NEBAL suppresses immune function and promotes metabolic disorders, potentially explaining relationships between infectious and noninfectious transition disorders. In postpartum dairy cows, pathologic ovarian phenomena including ovulatory (cystic corpora lutea) and non-ovulatory (follicular and luteal cysts) forms frequently occur causing decreased fertility. The main objective of this review was summarizing the most relevant information regarding nutrition and reproduction in dairy cows.
Highlights
Efficient reproduction in dairy cattle herds is of great economic importance
The major problem in postpartum cows is the imbalance between the body reserves and milk production
An insufficient or imbalanced nutrient intake might lead to the malfunction of organs, causing reproductive failure
Summary
Efficient reproduction in dairy cattle herds is of great economic importance. Increased milk production together with suboptimal farm management (especially nutrition or reproduction) can reduce fertility. To improve the decreased fertility, cow longevity, health and fertility have been used as selection criteria in many breeding programs in numerous countries [4] Factors such as management and husbandry, nutrition and reproductive diseases determine reproductive performance (number of open days, calving interval, number of AI per pregnancy, pregnancy rate, and early/late embryonic loss). The transition (late pregnancy to early lactation) period dramatically increases requirements for energy, glucose, amino acids and other nutrients in dairy cows and, parallel to that, feed intake is depressed. This is why a negative energy balance (NEBAL) occurs in the background of reduced fertility (Figure 2). An insufficient or imbalanced nutrient intake might lead to the malfunction of organs (liver, hypothalamus, hypophysis, ovary, uterus), causing reproductive failure
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