Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-g8jcs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-26T19:12:52.809Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Increased body condition score through increased lean muscle, but not fat deposition, is associated with reduced reproductive response to oestrus induction in beef cows

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 April 2016

A. Guzmán
Affiliation:
Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. Universidad 3000, Mexico D.F. 04360, México
E. Gonzalez-Padilla
Affiliation:
Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. Universidad 3000, Mexico D.F. 04360, México
P. Garcés-Yepez
Affiliation:
Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. Universidad 3000, Mexico D.F. 04360, México
J. V. Rosete-Fernández
Affiliation:
Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Forestales, Agrícolas y Pecuarias, Hueytamalco Puebla, 73580, México
R. C. Calderón-Robles
Affiliation:
Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Forestales, Agrícolas y Pecuarias, Hueytamalco Puebla, 73580, México
W. D. Whittier
Affiliation:
Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, Virginia Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, VA 24061, USA
D. H. Keisler
Affiliation:
Division of Animal Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA65211
C. G. Gutierrez*
Affiliation:
Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. Universidad 3000, Mexico D.F. 04360, México
*
Get access

Abstract

Energy reserve, estimated as body condition score (BCS), is the major determinant of the re-initiation of ovarian activity in postpartum cows. Leptin, IGF-I and insulin are positively related to BCS and are putative mediators between BCS and reproductive function. However, when BCS and body composition dissociates, concentrations of these metabolic hormones are altered. We hypothesized that increasing lean muscle tissue, but not fat tissue, would diminish the reproductive response to oestrus induction treatments. Thirty lactating beef cows with BCS of 3.10±1.21 and 75.94±12 days postpartum were divided in two groups. Control cows (n=15) were supplemented with 10.20 kg of concentrate daily for 60 days. Treated cows (n=15) were supplemented equally, and received a β-adrenergic receptor agonist (β-AA; 0.15 mg/kg BW) to achieve accretion of lean tissue mass and not fat tissue mass. Twelve days after ending concentrate supplementation/β-AA treatment, cows received a progestin implant to induce oestrus. Cows displaying oestrus were inseminated during the following 60 days, and maintained with a fertile bull for a further 21 days. Cows in both groups gained weight during the supplementation period (Daily weight gain: Control=0.75 kg v. β-AA=0.89 kg). Cows treated with β-AA had a larger increase in BCS (i.e. change in BCS: control=1 point (score 4.13) v. β-AA=2 points (score 5.06; P<0.05), as a result of muscle accretion (i.e. change in muscle depth: control 0.21 cm v. β-AA 0.97 cm; P<0.05) but not adipose tissue (i.e. change in back fat depth; control 0.13 cm v. β-AA −0.06 cm; P<0.05). The changes in body composition in β-AA cows were associated with a reduction in serum concentrations of IGF-I (25.4%) and leptin (27.9%), without observed changes in insulin. Ovulation and pregnancy to 1st service (P>0.05) did not differ between groups. However, the number of cows displaying oestrus (control 13/15 v. β-AA 8/15; P<0.05) and the percentage cycling (control 6/8 v. β-AA 3/10; P=0.07) after progestin treatment and the pregnancy percentage at the end of the breeding period (control 13/15 v. β-AA 8/15; P<0.05) were lower in β-AA than control cows. In summary, the increase BCS through muscle tissue accretion, but not through fat tissue accretion, resulted in a lower response to oestrus induction, lower percentage of cycling animals and lower pregnancy percentage after progestin treatment; which was associated with a decrease in serum concentrations of leptin and IGF-I.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
© The Animal Consortium 2016 

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.)

References

Apple, JK, Davis, JC and Stephenson, J 1999. Influence of body condition score on by-product yield and value from cull beef cows. Journal of Animal Science 77, 26702679.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Arthur, PF 1995. Double muscling in cattle: a review. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 46, 14931515.Google Scholar
Becú-Villalobos, D, García-Tornadú, I, Shroeder, G, Salado, EE, Gagliostro, G, Delavaud, C, Chilliard, Y and Lacau-Mengido, IM 2007. Effect of fat supplementation on leptin, insulin-like growth factor I, growth hormone, and insulin in cattle. Canadian Journal of Veterinary Research 71, 218225.Google Scholar
Berardinelli, JG and Joshi, PS 2005. Initiation of postpartum luteal function in primiparous restricted-suckled beef cows exposed to a bull or excretory products of bulls or cows. Journal of Animal Science 83, 24952500.Google Scholar
BIF 2010. Guidelines for uniform beef improvement programs, (9th edition). Beef Improvement Federation, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC.Google Scholar
Biolatti, B, Castagnaro, M, Bollo, E, Appino, S and Re, G 1994. Genital lesions following long-term administration of clenbuterol in female pigs. Veterinary Pathology Online 31, 8292.Google Scholar
Bossis, I, Wettemann, RP, Welty, SD, Vizcarra, J and Spicer, LJ 2000. Nutritionally induced anovulation in beef Heifers: ovarian and endocrine function during realimentation and resumption of ovulation. Biology of Reproduction 62, 14361444.Google Scholar
Brandt, MM, Keisler, DH, Meyer, DL, Schmidt, TB and Berg, EP 2007. Serum hormone concentrations relative to carcass composition of a random allotment of commercial-fed beef cattle. Journal of Animal Science 85, 267275.Google Scholar
Brethour, JR 1992. The repeatability and accuracy of ultrasound in measuring backfat of cattle. Journal of Animal Science 70, 10391044.Google Scholar
Carroll, JA, Burdick-Sanchez, NC, Buntyn, JO, Sieren, SE, Jones, ST and Schmidt, TyB 2014. Supplementation of zilpaterol hydrochloride to crossbred Angus heifers does not increase stress responsiveness or homeostatic metabolic parameters following a combined corticotropin releasing hormone and vasopressin challenge. ADSA-ASAS-CSAS Joint Annual Meeting, 20–24 July 2014, Kansas City, USA.Google Scholar
Choi, SJ, Yablonka-Reuveni, Z, Kaiyala, KJ, Ogimoto, K, Schwartz, MW and Wisse, BE 2011. Increased energy expenditure and leptin sensitivity account for low fat mass in myostatin-deficient mice. American Journal Physiology Endocrinology and Metabolism 300, E1031E1037.Google Scholar
Ciccioli, NH, Wettemann, RP, Spicer, LJ, Lents, CA, White, FJ and Keisler, DH 2003. Influence of body condition at calving and postpartum nutrition on endocrine function and reproductive performance of primiparous beef cows. Journal of Animal Science 81, 31073120.Google Scholar
Clinquart, A, Van Eenaeme, C, Mayombo, AP, Gauthier, S and Istasse, L 1995. Plasma hormones and metabolites in cattle in relation to breed (Belgian Blue vs Holstein) and conformation (double-muscled vs dual-purpose type). Veterinary Research Communications 19, 185194.Google Scholar
Crowe, MA 2008. Resumption of ovarian cyclicity in post-partum beef and dairy cows. Reproduction in Domestic Animals 43 (suppl.), 2028.Google Scholar
Cushman, RA, Tait, RG Jr, McNeel, AK, Forbes, ED, Amundson, OL, Lents, CA, Lindholm-Perry, AK, Perry, GA, Wood, JR, Cupp, AS, Smith, TP, Freetly, HC and Bennett, GL 2015. A polymorphism in myostatin influences puberty but not fertility in beef heifers, whereas µ-calpain affects first calf birth weight. Journal of Animal Science 93, 117126.Google Scholar
Daix, M, Pirotte, C, Bister, JL, Wergifosse, F, Cuvelier, C, Cabaraux, JF, Kirschvink, N, Istasse, L and Paquay, R 2008. Relationship between leptin content, metabolic hormones and fat deposition in three beef cattle breeds. The Veterinary Journal 177, 273278.Google Scholar
de Medeiros Bastos, G, Brenner, RH, Willke, FW, Neves, JP, de Oliveira, JF, Bragança, JF, Machado, SA, Porciúncula, PM and Gonçalves, PB 2004. Hormonal induction of ovulation and artificial insemination in suckled beef cows under nutritional stress. Theriogenology 1, 847853.Google Scholar
Duncombe, WG 1964. The colorimetric micro-determination of Nonesterified fatty acids in plasma. Clinica Chimica Acta 9, 122125.Google Scholar
Flores, R, Looper, ML, Kreider, DL, Post, NM and Rosenkrans, CF Jr 2006. Estrous behavior and initiation of estrous cycles in postpartum Brahman-influenced cows after treatment with progesterone and prostaglandin F2-alpha. Journal of Animal Science 84, 19161925.Google Scholar
Grobet, L, Martin, LJ, Poncelet, D, Pirottin, D, Brouwers, B, Riquet, J, Schoeberlein, A, Dunner, S, Ménissier, F, Massabanda, J, Fries, R, Hanset, R and Georges, M 1997. A deletion in the bovine myostatin gene causes the double-muscled phenotype in cattle. Nature Genetics 17, 7174.Google Scholar
Grobet, L, Poncelet, D, Royo, LJ, Brouwers, B, Pirottin, D, Michaux, C, Ménissier, F, Zanotti, M, Dunner, S and Georges, M 1998. Molecular definition of an allelic series of mutations disrupting the myostatin function and causing double-muscling in cattle. Mammalian Genome 9, 210213.Google Scholar
Gutiérrez, CG, Oldham, J, Bramley, TA, Gong, JG, Campbell, BK and Webb, R 1997. The recruitment of ovarian follicles is enhanced by increased dietary intake in heifers. Journal of Animal Science 75, 18761884.Google Scholar
Guzmán, A, Gonzalez-Padilla, E, Garcés-Yepez, P, Rosete-Fernandez, JV, Calderón-Robles, RC, Murcia, C and Gutiérrez, CG 2012. Reduced response to an estrus induction program in postpartum beef cows treated with zilpaterol and gaining body weight. Animal Reproduction Science 130, 18.Google Scholar
Hanset, R, Michaux, C and Detal, G 1989. Genetic analysis of some maternal reproductive traits in the Belgian blue cattle breed. Livestock Production Science 23, 7996.Google Scholar
Hess, BW, Lake, SL, Scholljegerdes, EJ, Weston, TR, Nayigihugu, V, Molle, JDC and Moss, GE 2005. Nutritional controls of beef cow reproduction. Journal of Animal Science 83, E90E106.Google Scholar
Holland, BP, Krehbiel, CR, Hilton, GG, Streeter, MN, Vanoverbeke, DL, Shook, JN, Step, DL, Burciaga-Robles, LO, Stein, DR, Yates, DA, Hutcheson, JP, Nichols, WT and Montgomery, JL 2010. Effect of extended withdrawal of zilpaterol hydrochloride on performance and carcass traits in finishing beef steers. Journal of Animal Science 88, 338348.Google Scholar
Illera, JC, Silván, G, Martı́, MM, Conley, AJ, Corbin, J, Blass, A, Lorenzo, PL and Illera, M 2003. Effect of long-term exposure to combinations of growth promoters in long Evans rats: part 2: ovarian morphology. Analytica Chimica Acta 483, 233240.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Istasse, L, Van Eenaeme, C, Evrard, P, Gabriel, A, Baldwin, P, Maghuin-Rogister, G and Bienfait, JM 1990. Animal performance, plasma hormones and metabolites in Holstein and Belgian Blue growing-fattening bulls. Journal of Animal Science 68, 26662673.Google Scholar
Kendall, NR, Gutierrez, CG, Scaramuzzi, RJ, Baird, DT, Webb, R and Campbell, BK 2004. Direct in vivo effects of leptin on ovarian steroidogenesis in sheep. Reproduction 128, 757765.Google Scholar
Konigsson, K, Savoini, G, Govoni, N, Invernizzi, G, Prandi, A, Kindahl, H and Veronesi, MC 2008. Energy balance, leptin, NEFA and IGF-I plasma concentrations and resumption of post partum ovarian activity in Swedish Red and White breed cows. Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica 9, 53.Google Scholar
Lee, SJ 2004. Regulation of muscle mass by myostatin. Annual Review of Cell and Developmental Biology 20, 6186.Google Scholar
León, HV, Hernández-Cerón, J, Keisler, DH and Gutiérrez, CG 2004. Plasma concentrations of leptin, insulin-like growth factor-I, and insulin in relation to changes in body condition score in heifers. Journal of Animal Science 82, 445451.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Maciel, MN, Zieba, DA, Amstalden, M, Keisler, DH, Neves, JP and Williams, GL 2004. Leptin prevents fasting-mediated reductions in pulsatile secretion of luteinizing hormone and enhances its gonadotropin-releasing hormone-mediated release in heifers. Biology of Reproduction 70, 229235.Google Scholar
McPherron, AC, Lawler, AM and Lee, SJ 1997. Regulation of skeletal muscle mass in mice by a new TGF-beta superfamily member. Nature 387, 8390.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
McPherron, AC and Lee, SJ 1997. Double muscling in cattle due to mutations in the myostatin gene. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 11, 1245712461.Google Scholar
Meikle, A, Kulcsar, M, Chilliard, Y, Febel, H, Delavaud, C, Cavestany, D and Chilibroste, P 2004. Effects of parity and body condition at parturition on endocrine and reproductive parameters of the cow. Reproduction 127, 727737.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
National Research Council 1996. Nutrient requirements of beef cattle, 7th edition. National Press, Washington, DC, USA.Google Scholar
Paredes, AH, Salvetti, NR, Diaz, AE, Dallard, BE, Ortega, HH and Lara, HE 2011. Sympathetic nerve activity in normal and cystic follicles from isolated bovine ovary: local effect of beta-adrenergic stimulation on steroid secretion. Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology 16, 66.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Samadi, F, Phillips, NJ, Blache, D, Martin, GB and D’Occhio, MJ 2013. Interrelationships of nutrition, metabolic hormones and resumption of ovulation in multiparous suckled beef cows on subtropical pastures. Animal Reproduction Science 137, 137144.Google Scholar
Strauch, TA, Neuendorff, DA, Brown, CG, Wade, ML, Lewis, AW, Keisler, DH and Randel, RD 2003. Effects of lasalocid on circulating concentrations of leptin and insulin-like growth factor-I and reproductive performance of postpartum Brahman cows. Journal of Animal Science 81, 13631370.Google Scholar
Toscano-Pagano, G, Lazzaroni, C, Pagano, PG, Galeazzi, D and Biagini, D 2001. A study on muscular hypertrophy in cattle: serum concentrations of IGF-1, cortisol, insulin and testosterone. Livestock Production Science 70, 235239.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Winterholler, SJ, Parson, GL, Walker, DK, Quinn, MJ, Drouillard, JS and Johnson, BJ 2008. Effect of feedlot management system on response to ractopamine-HCl in yearling steers. Journal of Animal Science 86, 24012414.Google Scholar
Wettemann, RP, Lents, CA, Ciccioli, NH, White, FJ and Rubio, I 2003. Nutritional- and suckling-mediated anovulation in beef cows. Journal of Animal Science 81, E48E59.Google Scholar
Webb, R, Nicholas, B, Gong, JG, Campbell, BK, Gutierrez, CG, Garverick, HA and Armstrong, DG 2003. Mechanisms regulating follicular development and selection of the dominant follicle. Reproduction Supplement 61, 7190.Google Scholar
Zalesky, DD, Day, ML, GArcia-Winder, M, Imakawa, K, Kittok, RJ, D’Occhio, MJ and Kinder, JE 1984. Influence of exposure to bulls on resumption of estrous cycles following parturition in beef cows. Journal of Animal Science 59, 11351139.Google Scholar
Zhang, C, McFarlane, C, Lokireddy, S, Masuda, S, Ge, X, Gluckman, PD, Sharma, M and Kambadur, R 2012. Inhibition of myostatin protects against diet-induced obesity by enhancing fatty acid oxidation and promoting a brown adipose phenotype in mice. Diabetologia 55, 183193.Google Scholar
Zieba, DA, Amstalden, M, Morton, S, Maciel, MN, Keisler, DH and Williams, GL 2004. Regulatory roles of leptin at the hypothalamic-hypophyseal axis before and after sexual maturation in cattle. Biology of Reproduction 71, 804812.Google Scholar