title: Oocyte quality in lactating dairy cows fed on high levels of n-3 and n-6 fatty acids.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Division of Animal Sciences, School of Biosciences, The University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Loughborough, UK.
authors.forename: Ali A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Fouladi-Nashta
authors.forename: Karen E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Wonnacott
authors.forename: Carlos G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Gutierrez
authors.forename: Jin G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.forename: Kevin D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Sinclair
authors.forename: Philip C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Garnsworthy
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Webb
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D001826:Body Fluids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D002417:Cattle / Q000502:physiology; D002452:Cell Count; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003612:Dairying; D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated / Q000494:pharmacology; D047108:Embryonic Development / Q000187:drug effects; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D043371:Fatty Acids, Omega-6 / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D007774:Lactation / Q000502:physiology*; D039382:Maternal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena / Q000187:drug effects; D009865:Oocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011786:Quality Control
chemical_list: D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D043371:Fatty Acids, Omega-6