Effects of Supplemental dietary starch on production and reproductive characteristics in postpartum dairy cows

• Author / Creator

  Dyck, Brittany L

• This study evaluated the effects of dietary starch on productive and reproduction parameters of postpartum dairy cows. Three diets were fed, with increasing starch levels from calving until 70 days in milk. Treatment had no effect on dry matter intake, energy balance, specific metabolic hormones and metabolites, milk yield, or milk components with the exception that cows fed the low starch diet had higher levels of milk urea nitrogen. Cows fed the high starch tended to lose less body condition, had a shorter interval from calving to first ovulation, and a higher incidence of double first ovulations. There were no treatment effects on ovarian dynamics, luteinizing hormone, progesterone or estradiol concentrations. Number of cows confirmed pregnant 30 d after first insemination did not differ between treatments. Increasing dietary starch decreased the interval from calving to first ovulation, but had no impact on productivity and metabolic status of the postpartum cow.

• Subjects / Keywords

  • Postpartum
  • Reproduction
  • Starch

• Graduation date

  Fall 2009

• Type of Item

  Thesis

• Degree

  Masters of Science

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/R3JK6Z

• License

  This thesis is made available by the University of Alberta Libraries with permission of the copyright owner solely for non-commercial purposes. This thesis, or any portion thereof, may not otherwise be copied or reproduced without the written consent of the copyright owner, except to the extent permitted by Canadian copyright law.