Abstract

SEVERINO LENDECHY, V. H. et al. Effect of restricted suckling and feed supplementation on postpartum follicular development and ovarian activity in beef cows. Revista bio ciencias [online]. 2020, vol.7, e732.  Epub Nov 18, 2020. ISSN 2007-3380.  https://doi.org/10.15741/revibio.07e732.

The objective of the study was to evaluate the effect of restricted suckling and feed supplementation on postpartum follicular development and blood progesterone (P4) and estradiol (E2) concentrations in beef cattle. One hundred and twenty lactating Simbrah cows were distributed into four treatments: T1) Continuous suckling with feed supplementation (CCC, n=30), T2) Restricted suckling without feed supplementation (RSC, n=30), T3) Restricted suckling with feed supplementation (RCC, n=30), and T4) Continuous suckling without feed supplementation (CSC, n = 30). Each cow from T1 and T3 received 4 kg of a commercial feed supplement daily (19 % CP and 73.26 % TDN). Throughout the study, the follicular dynamics and the presence of a corpus luteum were determined through transrectal ultrasonography, and blood concentrations of P4 and E2 were measured. The results were evaluated by univariate repeated measures ANOVA, Chi-square, Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and logistic regression. The number, follicular diameter (mm) and blood concentration of P4 (ng/mL) and E2 (pg/ml) were higher in T3 compared to the other treatments (p<0.05). It can be concluded that restricted suckling, along with feed supplementation, reduced postpartum anestrus in Simbrah cows under tropical conditions, through the increase in the number and diameter of ovarian follicles and in blood concentrations of P4 and E2.

Keywords : Postpartum; anestrus; nutrition; ovulation; restricted suckling.

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