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Reproduction and fertility parameters of dairy cows supplemented with omega-3 fatty acid-rich canola oil

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posted on 2023-05-17, 22:12 authored by John Otto, Mark FreemanMark Freeman, Malau-Aduli, BS, Nichols, PD, Peter Lane, Malau-Aduli, AEO
Dietary supplementation of lactating dairy cows with fat has long been used as a management tool to increase the energy density of feeds, improving milk production, reproduction and alleviating the menace of postpartum negative energy balance. In this paper, we show that while attempts have been made to investigate the effects of omega-3 (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) on reproduction and fertility parameters the results have been diverse and inconsistent. The effect of n-3 fatty acids on prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α) synthesis are well established, however, little is known about the effect of n-3 PUFA on progesterone, oestrogen, luteinising hormone, follicle stimulating hormone, insulin-like growth factor-1(IGF-1) and fat related genes linked to reproductive performance. There is contrasting evidence linking n-3 PUFA with ovulation, oestrous cycle, PGF2α and progesterone production. In addition, the mechanisms behind the influences of n-3 PUFA on reproductive traits such as, number of services per conception and embryo survival are not well understood. Therefore, this paper reviews the effect of n-3 PUFA on cow reproduction and the causal factors of fertility problems in the dairy industry. It also substantiates the need to establish a better understanding of the interactions between n-3 PUFA and cow fertility, with the aim of ameliorating the progressive subfertility issues emerging in the dairy industry. This review also summarizes the identified knowledge gaps and highlights fruitful directions for future research on high producing dairy cows in pasture-based systems.

History

Publication title

Annual Research and Review in Biology

Volume

4

Issue

10

Pagination

1611-1636

ISSN

2347-565X

Department/School

Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture (TIA)

Publisher

Sciencedomain International

Place of publication

India

Rights statement

Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Repository Status

  • Open

Socio-economic Objectives

Dairy cattle

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