86 EFFECT OF LACTATION ON EMBRYO DEVELOPMENT DURING THE POSTPARTUM PERIOD IN DAIRY COWS

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of lactation and associated metabolic profiles on the ability of the reproductive tract of postpartum dairy cows to support early embryo development. Twenty-one age-matched primiparous Holstein cows were used. Immediately after calving, half of the cows were dried off while the remainder were milked twice daily. To characterise the metabolic profile of the cows, jugular blood samples were taken twice weekly starting 15 days before calving until Day 100 postpartum. At the same time, bodyweight (BW) and body condition score (BCS) were recorded. In Experiment 1, around Day 60 postpartum, the oestrous cycles of all cows were synchronized and sixty-five 2- to 4-cell in vitro-produced embryos were endoscopically transferred on Day 2 (Day 0 = oestrus) to the oviduct ipsilateral to the corpus luteum. On Day 7, the oviduct and uterus were flushed endoscopically and the number of embryos developing to the blastocyst stage was recorded. In Experiment 2, around Day 95 postpartum, cows were re-synchronized and 15 to 20 in vitro-produced blastocysts were transferred to the uterine horn ipsilateral to the corpus luteum. On Day 14, conceptuses were recovered by flushing the reproductive tract at slaughter and were measured. Jugular blood samples were taken daily from Day 0 to 7 (Exp. 1) or 14 (Exp. 2) to measure serum concentrations of progesterone. Data were analysed by ANOVA. Concentrations of NEFA and β-HB were higher (P ≤ 0.05) and glucose, insulin and IGF-1 were lower (P ≤ 0.05) in lactating compared with dry cows. BW and BCS were significantly higher in the non-lactating cows throughout the postpartum period. Recovery rates in both experiments were similar between groups (Exp. 1: 63.9 ± 7.2 vs 65.6 ± 8.6 and Exp 2: 33.3 ± 9.6 vs 39.8 ± 9.6 for dry and milking cows, respectively). In Exp. 1, of the structures recovered, significantly more developed to the blastocyst stage in the dry than in lactating cows (49.3 ± 3.8 vs 32.6.3 ± 4.4, respectively; P ≤ 0.05). Progesterone concentrations did not differ between groups. In Exp. 2, no differences were observed in terms of conceptus dimensions on Day 14 (n = 152). Progesterone concentrations were higher in lactating cows from Day 9 to 14 (P ≤ 0.05). In conclusion, this study provides evidence that at 60 days postpartum, the reproductive tract of lactating cows is compromised in its ability to support early embryo development compared with age-matched parous non-lactating cows; however, by 95 days postpartum there was no apparent difference in conceptus development, consistent with less metabolic stress as indicated by the metabolic profile.

Funded by Science Foundation Ireland (SFI/07/SRC/B1156) and the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (AGL2009-11810). VM was supported by an STSM award from the COST Action FAO7O2.