Supplementation of dairy cows with docosahexaenoic acid did not affect ovarian activity

Martin Vlcek, Michaela Andrlikova, Olimpia Barbato, Vladislav Bina, Maurice P. Boland, Radovan Dolezel, Miloslava Lopatarova and Svatopluk Cech
Additional contact information
Martin Vlcek: University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
Michaela Andrlikova: University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
Olimpia Barbato: University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
Vladislav Bina: University of Economics, Prague, Czech Republic
Maurice P. Boland: Alltech, Dunboyne, Ireland
Radovan Dolezel: University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
Miloslava Lopatarova: University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
Svatopluk Cech: University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, Brno, Czech Republic

Czech Journal of Animal Science, 2017, vol. 62, issue 11, 457-465

Abstract: The effect of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) on ovarian activity of dairy cows was determined. Experimental cows (n = 25) were fed a total mixed ration supplemented daily with 100 g/cow of an algae product All-G-Rich (Alltech, Ireland) containing 10% DHA divided into 2 doses for 52 days. Determination of DHA from milk samples taken from all cows was performed before the All-G-Rich supplementation (on Day 0, D0), and on D21 and D42 of algae supplementation. Cows were synchronized to be in oestrus on D21 and D42 of the experimental period. Monitoring of ovarian activity was performed by transrectal ultrasonography. Examinations were performed at 2-3-day intervals from D0 until D52 of the experimental period. Plasma concentrations of progesterone, oestradiol, insulin, NEFA, and cholesterol were determined. Control cows (n = 25) were examined in the same way as the experimental cows. Milk DHA concentrations on D21 and D42 were significantly higher in treated cows (D21 1.38 vs 0.28, P < 0.0001; D42 1.34 vs 0.20, P < 0.0001). There were neither important effects of DHA on ovarian structures, nor on evaluated variables in plasma. Cows in the experimental group tended to have larger corpora lutea and higher cholesterol concentrations, but differences were not significant.

Keywords: algae; follicle; corpus luteum; oestrus; oestradiol; progesterone; milk; DHA (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
http://cjas.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/44/2017-CJAS.html (text/html)
http://cjas.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/44/2017-CJAS.pdf (application/pdf)
free of charge

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:caa:jnlcjs:v:62:y:2017:i:11:id:44-2017-cjas

DOI: 10.17221/44/2017-CJAS

Access Statistics for this article

Czech Journal of Animal Science is currently edited by Bc. Michaela Polcarová

More articles in Czech Journal of Animal Science from Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Ivo Andrle ().