Abstract

GIRALDO ARANA, David  and  URIBE VELASQUEZ, Luis Fernando. STRATEGIES TO IMPROVE POSTPARTUM BODY CONDITION IN BEEF CATTLE. Biosalud [online]. 2012, vol.11, n.1, pp.71-89. ISSN 1657-9550.

The aim of this review is to describe the effect of nutritional and management strategies on body condition and postpartum reproductive and productive performance in beef cattle. Beef cattle experience a negative energy balance during postpartum, losing body condition. Follicular development, pregnancy rate, fertility, intervals from labor-first estrus, labor-conception and labor interval are superior in cows with moderate body condition during postpartum compared to thin cows. Supplementation with long chain polyunsaturated lipids, allows earlier resumption of ovarian cyclicity, regardless their energetic contribution. Protein supplementation helps to maintain or improve body condition during postpartum, maximizing the ruminal environment and animal digestive efficiency. Early weaning and restricted sucking have been used in extensive breeding systems, since the implementation of such strategies is relatively easy. These activities have effects on the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian and reduce milk production thus allowing the improvement of body condition and the restarting of ovarian activity, also optimizing the results of treatments with progestogens when they are used alternately. In conclusion, appropriate postpartum body condition is essential in order to ensure the reproductive performance of beef cattle. The use of lipid and protein supplementation during postpartum improves body condition and optimizes the reproductive performance of beef cattle. Management strategies such as early weaning are effective, but their use is restricted only when nutritional sources are scarce or the application of nutritional strategies is not possible.

Keywords : body condition; postpartum anestrus; polyunsaturated fatty acids; bypass protein; early weaning; restricted sucking.

        · abstract in Spanish     · text in Spanish     · Spanish ( pdf )