Effect of excess degradable intake protein on early embryonic development, ovarian steroids, and blood urea nitrogen on days 2, 3, 4, and 5 of the estrous cycle in mature ewes.

Abstract

Two trials were conducted to determine whether feeding excess degradable intake protein (DIP) during a synchronized estrous cycle and the first 5 d after breeding alters early embryonic development, ovarian steroids, or BUN concentrations in ewes. Ewes were group-fed in Trial 1 (T1) and individually fed in Trial 2 (T2) either 100 (control; T1, n = 15; T2, n = 12) or 200% (high-protein; T1, n = 16; T2, n = 12) of the NRC protein recommendation for maintenance during a synchronized estrous cycle until surgery in the next cycle. Ampullae (AMP), isthmi (IST), and uterine horns (UT) of high-protein and control ewes were removed on d 2 (T1), 3 (T2), 4 (T1), or 5 (T2) after breeding. In T1, jugular blood samples were taken once daily starting on d 2 of the synchronized cycle, and in T2 on d 2, 9, 15, 16, and 17, and in both trials from estrus (d 0) to the day of surgery. Ampullae, IST, and UT flushings were examined microscopically for the presence of embryos, embryo condition, and embryo cell number. There was no trial x treatment interaction (P > or = 0.10), so data for both trials were pooled. Concentrations of BUN were higher (P < 0.05) in high-protein-fed ewes than in control ewes during the synchronized cycle and the first 5 d of the next cycle. Progesterone concentrations of the synchronized cycle did not differ (P > 0.10) between treatments. During the first 5 d of the next cycle, estradiol-17beta concentrations were lower (P = 0.06) in high-protein-fed than in control ewes. Progesterone increased (P < 0.05) to higher concentrations by d 5 in high-protein-fed ewes than in control ewes. More (P < 0.05) embryos were found in AMP of high-protein-fed ewes than in AMP of control ewes on d 4. Fewer (P = 0.05) embryos were found in UT of high-protein-fed ewes than in UT of control ewes on d 4. More embryos were found in UT of high-protein-fed ewes than in UT of control ewes on d 5. Fewer (P = 0.05) embryos were found in IST of high-protein ewes than in the IST of control ewes on d 5. Embryos of high-protein-fed ewes had more (P < 0.05) cells than embryos from control fed ewes on d 5. Feeding ewes excess DIP protein during an estrous cycle and the first 5 d after breeding initially impeded embryo transport; thereafter, embryo transport and development through the oviduct was accelerated.

Plasma urea nitrogen and progesterone concentrations and follicular dynamics in ewes fed proteins of different degradability

“…No effect of collection days (P>0.05) or the diet × day interaction (P>0.05) was observed. Berardinelli et al (2001) also observed higher concentration of PUN in ewes receiving diet with twice the protein requirement recommended for maintenance (22.2 mg/dL), compared with those receiving diet which met the requirement of protein for maintenance (12.9 mg/dL). Higher concentration of PUN was also observed by Milis et al (2005)in ewes fed diets containing soybean meal and wheat bran (24.9 mg/dL) versus corn gluten meal (22.5 mg/dL).…”

“…No diet × day interaction was observed (P>0.05). Higher plasma progesterone concentration was also observed in ewes with high PUN concentration by Berardinelli et al (2001).…”

“…In ewes, an inverse relation between the dry matter intake and plasma progesterone concentration has been observed (Parr et al, 1993;McEvoy et al, 1995;O'Callaghan et al, 2000). The excess of CP in the diet was related to lower (Jordan et al, 1983;Sonderman & Larson, 1989) or higher (Berardinelli et al, 2001) plasma progesterone concentration.…”

Fertility of Herbivores Consuming Phytoestrogen-containing Medicago and Trifolium Species

“…High levels of soluble protein can cause early embryonic death through increased levels of urea nitrogen in the blood [137]. A most nutritious feed, lucerne can improve live weight gain and reproduction and such benefits may mask the role that coumestans can have (e.g., less multiple ovulations).…”

Efeitos do fornecimento de dietas contendo nitrogênio não-protéico(NNP) sem prévia adaptação, durante curto espaço de tempo e em diferentes fases do ciclo estral na produção, qualidade e grau de desenvolvimento de embriões de fêmeas bovinas superovuladas

“…A quarta teoria refere-se ao maior metabolismo e aceleração do crescimento do embrião reportado em alguns trabalhos (MCEVOY et al, 1997;HAMMON et al, 2000b;SINCLAIR et al, 2000b;BERARDINELLI et al, 2001) Embriões Além disso, o transporte inicial do embrião no oviduto pode ser alterado pela alta PB na dieta. Em ovelhas alimentadas com alta PB, o transporte do embrião pelo oviduto foi atrasado, sendo a maioria dos embriões encontrado na ampola e, no dia 5, foram rapidamente transportados para o corno uterino, levando muito menos tempo no istmo comparativamente com os embriões recuperados de ovelhas recebendo quantidade moderada de PB (BERARDINELLI et al, 2001).…”