JDS
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

Journal of Dairy Science Vol. 70 No. 2 357-366
© 1987 by American Dairy Science Association ®
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Folman, Y.
Right arrow Articles by Barash, H.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Folman, Y.
Right arrow Articles by Barash, H.

Adverse Effect of ß-Carotene in Diet on Fertility of Dairy Cows

Y. Folman1, I. Ascarelli2, D. Kraus2 and H. Barash1

Institute of Animal Science, Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center, Bet Dagan 50250, Israel
Department of Animal Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, The Hebrew University, Rehovot 76100, Israel

ABSTRACT

A total of 155 high yielding dairy cows were used to study the effect of dietary ß-carotene (carotene) on fertility. The diet of group 1 was supplemented with 69 mg retinyl acetate per cow daily before calving and 96 mg retinyl acetate after calving: diet of group 2 was supplemented with 500 mg carotene per cow before calving and 96 mg retinyl acetate after calving; and that of group 3 with 500 mg carotene before and 700 mg after calving.

Conception rates were 53.9, 42.2, and 27.9% for cows of groups 1, 2, and 3. Days open were 110 and 112 for young (second and third lactation) and old (fourth and later lactations) cows of the group 1; 130 and 129 for young and old cows of group 2; and 133 and 166 for young and old cows of group 3. Number of inseminations per conception was 1.8 and 1.8, 2.2 and 2.2, and 2.5 and 3.4 for the same groups, respectively. Within group 3 the percent of cows pregnant 120 d after calving was 57 and 20 for the young and old cows. Correlation coefficients between plasma carotene of 53 old cows of all groups 4 and 8 wk after calving, and the number of open days and the number of inseminations per conception were significant. The intake of high carotene may have adverse effects on the fertility of dairy cows.

FOOTNOTES

1 Institute of Animal Science.

2 Department of Animal Sciences.






HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Copyright © 1987 by the American Dairy Science Association ®.