Effects of supplement crude protein level on performance and reproduction of replacement heifers maneged in intensive grazing systems

• Ano de defesa: 2020
• Autor(a) principal: Machado, Andréia Ferreira
• Tipo de documento: Dissertação
• Tipo de acesso: Acesso aberto
• Idioma: eng
• Instituição de defesa: Universidade Federal de Viçosa; Zootecnia
• Palavras-chave em Português: Alimentação e rações; Oócitos; Embriões; Nutrição e Alimentação Animal
• Link de acesso: https://locus.ufv.br//handle/123456789/29383

Evaluations of the interaction between nutrition and reproduction of grazing dairy heifers are scarce. Thus, we aimed to evaluate performance, muscle and mammary gland development, oocyte quality, and in vitro production of embryos of crossbred heifers grazing an intensively managed pasture and supplemented with high or low protein concentrates. Eighteen pubertal crossbred heifers (Holstein x Gyr) with an initial weight of 350 ± 8.0 kg were used in a 90-day trial. Two supplement types, 12% crude protein (S12CP) or 24% CP (S24CP), and a control treatment (mineral mixture, CON) were randomly distributed to the heifers. Throughout the experiment, four digestibility trials were performed over four consecutive days. Four ovarium pick-ups were performed to evaluate oocyte quality and in vitro embryo production. Lastly, ultrasounds of carcasses and mammary glands were performed. The intakes of dry matter, digestible energy, and CP were greater for supplemented (SUP) compared with CON heifers. The SUP heifers had a greater average daily gain (645 versus 390 g/d) and rib eye area (58.78 versus 53.32 cm 2 ) than the CON heifers. Oocyte recovery, quality, and follicle features were not affected by supplementation strategy. However, the cleavage rate (47.17% versus 30.31%) and blastocyst rate (27.91% versus 10.12%) were negatively affected by supplementation. The S12CP presented a blastocyst rate much lower than the S24CP (3.02% versus 17.23 %). Carcass ultrasonography indicated a trend for greater rib eye area for S24CP and mammary ultrasonography indicated no effects of supplementation on mammary gland development. In summary, supplementation with concentrate containing 24% CP seems to be an appropriate strategy for satisfactory performance, with greater muscle deposition and no negative impacts on mammary gland development. However, in vitro embryo production was impaired. Keywords: Supplementation. Oocyte quality. Embryo production.