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Oocyte quality in lactating dairy cows fed on high levels of n-3 and n-6 fatty acids

Division of Animal Sciences, School of Biosciences, The University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Loughborough LE12 5RD, UK¹ Departamento de Reproducción, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria, UNAM, Ciudad Universitaria, 04510 Mexico, Mexico² Roslin Institute, Roslin, Midlothian, Edinburgh EH25 9PS, Scotland, UK

Correspondence should be addressed to R Webb; Email: bob.webb{at}nottingham.ac.uk

Ali A Fouladi-Nashta is now at Reproduction Research Group, Royal Veterinary College, Hawkshead Campus, Hatfield AL9 7TA, UK

Different fatty acid (FA) sources are known to influence reproductive hormones in cattle, yet there is little information on how dietary FAs affect oocyte quality. Effects of three dietary sources of FAs (supplying predominantly palmitic and oleic, linoleic (n-6) or linolenic (n-3) acids) on developmental potential of oocytes were studied in lactating dairy cows. A total of 12 Holstein cows received three diets containing rumen inert fat (RIF), soyabean or linseed as the main FA source for three periods of 25 days in a Latin-square design. Within each period, oocytes were collected in four ovum pick-up sessions at 3–4 day intervals. FA profiles in plasma and milk reflected profiles of dietary FA sources, but major FAs in granulosa cells were not affected. Dietary FA source did not affect plasma concentrations of leptin, insulin, IGF1, GH, or amino acids. RIF led to a higher proportion of cleaved embryos than soya or linseed, but blastocyst yield and embryo quality were not affected. It is concluded that the ovary buffers oocytes against the effects of fluctuations in plasma n-3 and n-6 FAs, resulting in only modest effects on their developmental potential.

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