Reproductive response in supplemented heifers in the humid tropics of Costa Rica

Abstract

To evaluate the effect of two supplementary diets to determine the consequence on productive and reproductive performance in heifers ( Bos indicus × Bos taurus) averaging between 24 and 36 months of age and grazing tropical pastures, two trials were conducted. Thirty animals (initial BW 325.1 ± 33.6 kg) were divided in two groups in the initial study: supplemented (SG) and control (CG); SG received a concentrate (5.5% CP and 2.85 Mcal/kg of DE dry matter basis) at 1% of body weight (BW). In the second study, 45 heifers (initial BW 332.6 ± 29.3 kg) were assigned in two treatments, with the same amount of supplement (1% BW) but with a greater nutrient content (13% CP and 3.15 Mcal/kg of DE). The proportion of animals with a corpus luteum at the end of each study was greater in the supplemented groups ( P < 0.05). Ovarian follicular dynamics was similar between groups in the first study, but in the second study there were more heifers in the SG group with follicles larger than 9 mm in diameter ( P < 0.05). Pregnancy rate was similar for SG and CG ( P > 0.05). The response to a regimen of estrous synchronization in both trials was numerically superior in the SG group. No differences were observed in the length of estrus. Daily gain and body condition score were similar for supplemented and control groups (0.27 compared with −0.06 in the first study and 0.90 kg compared with 0.60 in the second study, respectively). Dietary supplementation improved the number of animals initiating estrous cycles and the expression of estrus when compared with unsupplemented control heifers. The dietary regimens imposed in these studies appear to be an adequate for the management of growing heifers destined to a reproductive program.