Postpartum ovarian activity of Santa Ines lactating ewes fed diets containing soybean hulls as a replacement for coastcross (Cynodon sp.) hay


Autoria(s): ARAUJO, R. C.; PIRES, A. V.; SUSIN, I.; MENDES, C. Q.; RODRIGUES, G. H.; URANO, F. S.; RIBEIRO, M. F.; OLIVEIRA, C. A.; VIAU, P.; DAY, M. L.
Contribuinte(s)

UNIVERSIDADE DE SÃO PAULO

Data(s)

19/10/2012

19/10/2012

2009

Resumo

The Santa Ines, a Brazilian hair sheep, has a non-seasonal breeding activity. Data regarding the duration of the postpartum anestrous period in Santa Ines lactating ewes is lacking and the objective of this trial was to determine the effects of replacing neutral detergent fibre (NDF) provided by coastcross (Cynodon sp.) hay with NDF contained in soybean hulls (SH) on the postpartum ovarian activity-as measured by the serum progesterone (P(4)) concentration. Fifty-six lactating ewes (body weight 56.1 +/- 6.8 kg) were individually penned and used in a randomized complete block design with 14 blocks and four treatments. The SH NDF replaced 33 (SH33), 67 (SH67), or 100% (SH100) of the NDF contributed by coastcross hay in the control diet (SHO). This resulted in a SH inclusion at rates of 0, 25, 54, and 85% of the dietary dry matter (DM). Blood samples were collected twice weekly from the 14th to 84th day postpartum and the serum P(4) concentrations determined by radioimmunoassay (RIA). It was estimated that the 1st postpartum ovulation occurred 6 days before the date that a serum P(4) >= 1 ng/ml concentration was first recorded. The mean body condition score (BCS; 0-5 scale) was 3.0 +/- 0.19 on day 14 postpartum and the mean BCS at day 56 postpartum increased linearly (P<0.01) with the inclusion levels of SH (3.09, 3.24, 3.34, and 3.36, respectively). Treatments did not differ significantly in the induction of postpartum days to the resumption of ovarian luteal activity (34.1 +/- 15.3 days postpartum). On days 25, 50, and 75 postpartum 36.80, and 100% of the ewes had resumed ovarian activity, respectively. Nonesterified fatty acid concentration decreased quadratically (P<0.05) with the SH inclusion, with values of 0.323, 0.244, 0.204, and 0.216 mequiv./l for the SHO, SH33, SH67, and SH100 treatments being recorded, respectively. Replacement of the NDF provided by coastcross hay with the NDF from the SH did not influence the duration of the postpartum anestrous period in Santa Ines lactating ewes. Considering a 150-day gestation period and the 34 days postpartum anestrous demonstrated in the present study, the current production system of a lambing interval of 8 months (3 lambing events in 2 years) may not be optimizing the production potential and a system in which the lambing interval is shortened by at least 1 month may be feasible. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

FAPESP Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Sao Paulo, Brazil

Identificador

SMALL RUMINANT RESEARCH, v.81, n.2/Mar, p.126-131, 2009

0921-4488

http://producao.usp.br/handle/BDPI/25464

10.1016/j.smallrumres.2008.12.015

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.smallrumres.2008.12.015

Idioma(s)

eng

Publicador

ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV

Relação

Small Ruminant Research

Direitos

closedAccess

Copyright ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV

Palavras-Chave #Body condition score #Hair sheep #Non-esterified fatty acids #Postpartum anestrous #Progesterone #NONESTERIFIED FATTY-ACIDS #PLASMA PROGESTERONE LEVELS #ESTROUS-CYCLE #DAIRY-COWS #MILK-COMPOSITION #ENERGY-INTAKE #SHEEP #PERFORMANCE #LAMBS #HAIR #Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Tipo

article

original article

publishedVersion