Hostname: page-component-5b777bbd6c-vfh8q Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-06-22T23:12:48.408Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Improvements in the conception rate, milk composition and embryo quality of rabbit does after dietary enrichment with n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 January 2018

M. Rodríguez ,
R. M. García-García ,
M. Arias-Álvarez ,
P. Millán ,
N. Febrel ,
N. Formoso-Rafferty ,
J. López-Tello ,
P.L. Lorenzo  and
P. G. Rebollar
M. Rodríguez
Affiliation:
Departamento de Producción Agraria. ETS Ingeniería Agronómica, Agroambiental y de Biosistemas, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria, s/n, 28040, Madrid, Spain
R. M. García-García
Affiliation:
Departamento de Fisiología (Fisiología Animal). Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria, s/n, 28040, Madrid, Spain
M. Arias-Álvarez
Affiliation:
Departamento de Producción Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria, s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain
P. Millán
Affiliation:
Departamento de Fisiología (Fisiología Animal). Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria, s/n, 28040, Madrid, Spain
N. Febrel
Affiliation:
Departamento de Producción Agraria. ETS Ingeniería Agronómica, Agroambiental y de Biosistemas, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria, s/n, 28040, Madrid, Spain
N. Formoso-Rafferty
Affiliation:
Departamento de Producción Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria, s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain
J. López-Tello
Affiliation:
Departamento de Producción Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria, s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain
P.L. Lorenzo
Affiliation:
Departamento de Fisiología (Fisiología Animal). Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria, s/n, 28040, Madrid, Spain
P. G. Rebollar*
Affiliation:
Departamento de Producción Agraria. ETS Ingeniería Agronómica, Agroambiental y de Biosistemas, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria, s/n, 28040, Madrid, Spain
*
†E-mail: pilar.grebollar@upm.es
Get access

Abstract

This work attempts to confirm the effect of an enriched diet with n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) trying to mitigate the reproductive performances issues such as low conception rate of primiparous rabbits. A total of 127 does were fed ad libitum throughout their two first cycles with two diets with different fat sources: mixed fat in the control and salmon oil in the enriched one, with 3.19 g/100 g (n=63 does) and 28.77 g/100 g (n=64 does) of n-3 of the total fatty acid, respectively. Feed intake was similar between groups (P>0.05). Plasma progesterone concentration was higher in the enriched females than in control ones at 7 (30.9±2.18 v. 23.9±2.30 ng/ml, respectively; P=0.029) and 14 (38.7±2.18 v. 28.2±2.30 ng/ml, respectively; P=0.001) days of first gestation. Considering both cycles, reproductive parameters of mothers (fertility, duration of gestation and prolificacy) and litter parameters (weight at parturition and weaning, mortality and average daily gain (ADG) of kits during lactation) were similar in both groups. However, individual measurements of neonates of enriched group improved 5.87%, 7.10% and 18.01% (P<0.05) in terms of crown-rump length, biparietal and thoracic diameters, respectively, compared to control ones at first parturition. It is noteworthy that at the second insemination, critical point in rabbit, fertility rate of enriched group did not decline as sharply as in the control group (89.7% v. 76.6%, respectively; P=0.067), although ADG and littler weight were slightly lower at the second lactation after PUFA enrichment (P<0.05). Total PUFA and unsaturated index of milk of enriched does group were significantly elevated than in control one (33.3±0.02 v. 23.2±0.02 g/100 g and 1.20±0.00 v. 0.86±0.00, respectively; P<0.05). Finally, plasma progesterone, ovulation rate, fertility and embryo development at 3.5 days after the artificial insemination were similar between diets (P>0.05), but embryo apoptosis rate was higher in control group than in enriched one (31.1±4.56% v. 17.1±3.87%, respectively; P<0.05). In conclusion, dietary PUFA enrichment from the rearing and throughout two productive cycles improved plasma progesterone during pregnancy, fertility, milk fatty acid profile and neonates development of primiparous supporting the beneficial effect of n-3 PUFA supplementation in rabbit does.

Keywords

fatty acidsprimiparousfertilityapoptosis ratemilk
Type
Research Article
Information
animal , Volume 12 , Issue 10 , October 2018 , pp. 2080 - 2088
Copyright
© The Animal Consortium 2018 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Article purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

Arias-Álvarez, M, García-García, RM, Rebollar, PG, Nicodemus, N, Millán, P, Revuelta, L and Lorenzo, PL 2010. Follicular, oocyte and embryo features related to metabolic status in primiparous lactating does fed with high-fibre rearing diets. Reproduction in Domestic Animals 45, e91–e100.Google Scholar
Arias-Álvarez, M, García-García, RM, Rebollar, PG, Revuelta, L, Millán, P and Lorenzo, PL 2009. Influence of metabolic status on oocyte quality and follicular characteristics at different postpartum periods in primiparous rabbit does. Theriogenology 72, 612–623.Google Scholar
Ashworth, CJ, Toma, LM and Hunter, MG 2009. Nutritional effects on oocyte and embryo development in mammals: implications for reproductive efficiency and environmental sustainability. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 364, 3351–3361.Google Scholar
Association of Official Analytical Chemists International (AOAC) 2000. OfficialMethods of Analysis of the AOAC International, 17th edition. AOAC International, Galthersburg, MD, USA.Google Scholar
Bautista, A, García-Torres, E, Martínez-Gómez, M and Hudson, R 2008. Do newborn domestic rabbits Oryctolagus cuniculus compete for thermally advantageous positions in the litter huddle? Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 62, 331–339.Google Scholar
Bernardi, JR, Escobar, RDS, Ferreira, C and Silveira, PP 2012. Fetal and neonatal levels of omega-3: effects on neurodevelopment, nutrition, and growth. The Scientific World Journal 202473, 8.Google Scholar
Castellini, C, Dal Bosco, A and Cardinali, C 2006. Long-term effect of postweaning rhythm on the body fat and performance of rabbit doe. Reproduction Nutrition Development 46, 195–204.Google Scholar
Crespo, N and Esteve-García, E 2002. Dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids decrease fat deposition in separable fat depots by not in the remainder carcass. Poultry Science 81, 512–518.Google Scholar
Fouladi-Nashta, AA, Wonnacott, KE, Gutierrez, CG, Gong, JG, Sinclair, KD, Garnsworthy, PC and Webb, R 2009. Oocyte quality in lactating dairy cows fed on high levels of n-3 and n-6 fatty acids. Reproduction 138, 771–781.Google Scholar
Froment, P, Gizard, F, Defever, D, Staels, B, Dupont, J and Monget, P 2006. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors in reproductive tissues: from gametogenesis to parturition. Journal of Endocrinology 189, 199–209.Google Scholar
Fundación Española Desarrollo Nutrición Animal 2010. Normas FEDNA para la Formulación de Piensos Compuestos. FEDNA, Madrid, Spain.Google Scholar
Khan, H., Kusakabe, KT, Wakitani, S, Hiyama, M, Takeshita, A and Kiso, Y 2012. Expression and localization of NO synthase isoenzymes (iNOS and eNOS) in development of the rabbit placenta. Journal of Reproduction and Development 58, 231–236.Google Scholar
Kitajka, K, Sinclair, AJ, Weisinger, RS, Weisinger, HS, Mathai, M, Jayasooriya, AP, Halver, JE and Puskas, LG 2004. Effects of dietary omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on brain gene expression. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA 101, 10931–10936.Google Scholar
Kowalska, D and Bielánski, P 2009. Meat quality of rabbits fed a diet supplemented with fish oil and antioxidant. Animal Science Papers and Reports 27, 139–148.Google Scholar
Lin, DS, Anderson, GJ and Connor, WE 1991. High levels of the (n-6) fatty acid 4, 7, 10, 13, 16-docosapentaenoate in the retinas of rabbits are reduced by feeding dietary fish oil from birth to adult life. The Journal of Nutrition 121, 1924–1931.Google Scholar
MacLaren, LA, Guzeloglu, A, Michel, F and Thatcher, WW 2006. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) expression in cultured bovine endometrial cells and response to omega-3 fatty acid, growth hormone and agonist stimulation in relation to series 2 prostaglandin production. Domestic Animal Endocrinology 30, 155–169.Google Scholar
Maertens, L, Aerts, JM and De Brabander, DL 2005. Effet d´un aliment riche en acides gras omega-3 sur les performances et la composition du lait des lapines et la viabilité de leur descendance. In Proceedings of the 11 èmes Journées de la Recherche Cunicole, 29 to 30 November 2005, Paris, France, pp. 205–208.Google Scholar
Manchisi, A, Gambacorta, M and D’Alessandro, A 1991. Studio sulladurata di gestazione e sul ritmo nictemeraledeiparti in coniglie Bianca di Nuova Zelanda. Rivista di Coniglicoltura 4, 33–35.Google Scholar
Marei, WF, Wathes, DC and Fouladi-Nashta, AA 2009. The effect of linolenic acid on bovine oocyte maturation and development. Biology of Reproduction 81, 1064–1072.Google Scholar
Mateo, RD, Carroll, JA, Hyun, Y, Smith, S and Kim, SW 2009. Effect of dietary supplementation of n-3 fatty acids and elevated concentrations of dietary protein on the performance of sows. Journal of Animal Science 87, 948–959.Google Scholar
Mertens, DR 2002. Gravimetric determination of amylase-treated neutraldetergent fibre in feeds with refluxing beakers or crucibles: collaborative study. Journal Association of Official Analytical Chemists 85, 1217–1240.Google Scholar
Rebollar, PG, García-García, RM, Arias-Álvarez, M, Millán, P, Rey, AI, Rodríguez, M, Formoso-Rafferty, N, De la Riva, S, Masdeu, M and Lorenzo, PL 2014. Reproductive long-term effects, endocrine response and fatty acid profile of rabbit does fed diets supplemented with n-3 fatty acids. Animal Reproduction Science 146, 202–209.Google Scholar
Rebollar, PG, Pérez-Cabal, MA, Pereda, N, Lorenzo, PL, Arias-Álvarez, M and García-Rebollar, P 2009. Effects of parity order and reproductive management on the efficiency of rabbit productive systems. Livestock Science 121, 227–233.Google Scholar
Rodríguez, M, Carro, MD, Valiente, V, Formoso-Rafferty, N and Rebollar, PG 2017b. Effects of dietary fish oil supplementation on performance, meat quality and cecal fermentation of growing rabbits. Journal of Animal Science 95, 3620–3630.Google Scholar
Rodríguez, M, García-García, RM, Arias-Álvarez, M, Formoso-Rafferty, N, Millán, P, López-Tello, J, Lorenzo, PL, González-Bulnes, A and Rebollar, PG 2017a. A diet supplemented with n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids influences the metabolic and endocrine response of rabbit does and their offspring. Journal of Animal Science 95, 2690–2700.Google Scholar
Rodríguez, M, López-Tello, J, Arias-Álvarez, M, García-García, RM, Formoso-Rafferty, N, Lorenzo, PL and Rebollar, PG 2016. Fetoplacental and organ development in offspring of rabbit does supplemented with n-3 PUFA during pregnancy. In Proceedings of the 11th World Rabbit Congress, 15 to 18 June 2016, Qingdao, Chine, pp. 221–224.Google Scholar
Rosqvist, F, Iggman, D, Kullberg, J, Cedernaes, J, Johansson, HE, Arner, P, Dahlman, I and Risérus, U 2014. Overfeeding polyunsaturated and saturated fat causes distinct effects on liver and visceral fat accumulation in humans. Diabetes 63, 2356–2368.Google Scholar
Sandler, SR and Karo, W 1992. Sourcebook of advanced organic laboratory preparations. Academic Press, New York, NY, USA.Google Scholar
Segura, J and López-Bote, CJ 2014. A laboratory efficient method for intramuscular fat analysis. Food Chemistry 145, 821–825.Google Scholar
Sukhija, PS and Palmquist, DL 1988. Rapid method for determination of total fatty acid content and composition of feedstuffs and feces. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 36, 1202–1206.Google Scholar
Veshkini, A, Khadem, AA, Mohammadi-Sangcheshmeh, A, Alamouti, AA, Soleimani, M and Gastal, EL 2016. Linolenic acid improves oocyte developmental competence and decreases apoptosis of in vitro-produced blastocysts in goat. Zygote 24, 537–548.Google Scholar
Wathes, DC, Abayasekara, DRE and Aitken, RJ 2007. Polyunsaturatedfatty acids in male and female reproduction. Biology of Reproduction 77, 190–201.Google Scholar
Xiccato, G, Trocino, A, Sartori, A and Queaque, PI 2004. Effect of parity order and litter weaning age on the performance and body energy balance of rabbit does. Livestock Production Science 16, 239–251.Google Scholar
Zerani, M, Maranesi, M, Brecchia, G, Gobbetti, A, Boiti, C and Parillo, F 2013. Evidence for a luteotropic role of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma: expression and in vitro effects on enzymatic and hormonal activities in corpora lutea of pseudopregnant rabbits. Biology of Reproduction 88, 437–450.Google Scholar