Supplementing Fat to the Cow Herd

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Supplementing Fat to the Cow Herd

• Bret W. Hess
• Beef Cattle Nutritionist

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Levels of Consideration
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Animal Factors Affecting Profitability
(Bellows et al., 2002)
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The Beef Cows Annual Life Cycle
Time to rebreed (20 days)
1st 30 of lactation
60 days
1st 85 of pregnancy
Last 15 of pregnancy
40 days
245 days
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Supplemental Fat ThroughoutThe Beef Cows
Lifecycle

• Postpartum Cows
• Prepartum Cows
• Neonatal/Suckling Calves

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Review of the Cows Estrous Cycle
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Positive Responses to Supplemental Fat

• Enhanced ovarian follicular growth and function

Increased growth and development of cells destine
to form the corpus luteum
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Postpartum Interval
(P 0.47)
(P 0.25)
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Detection of Estrus
129 Cows
212 Cows
(P 0.49)
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Detection of Estrus
143 Cows
99 Cows
(P 0.53)
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First Service Conception Rates
194 Cows
140 Cows
(P 0.60)
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First Service Conception Rates
146 Cows
173 Cows
(P 0.22)
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First Service Conception RatesLiterature
114 Cows
110 Cows
(P 0.54)
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First Service Conception Rates Burns et al.
(2002)
42 Cows
42 Cows
(P 0.12)
56 g/day
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First Service Conception Rates UW Cows
59 Cows
36 Cows
(P 0.04)
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UW Study Design
BCS 6.0 ? 0.3
BCS 4.2 ? 0.3
420 g fat/day
420 g fat/day
Lake et al. (2003)
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Doudenal Flow of Linoleic Acid
(P lt 0.001)
Scholljegerdes et al. (2001)
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(No Transcript)
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Serum PGFM in Cows
(P 0.01)
Grant et al. (2002)
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Overall Pregnancy Rates
219 Cows
247 Cows
(P 0.94)
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Overall Pregnancy Rates
281 Cows
197 Cows
(P 0.05)
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Plasma 182 of Cows Fed Lipids Prepartum
Alexander et al. (2002)
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Overall Pregnancy RatesUW Herd
79 Cows
76 Cows
(P 0.96)
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Calf Responses to Cows Diet
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Birth Weights
(P 0.84)
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Newborn Calves Exposed to 0C
(P lt 0.01)
Lammoglia et al. (1999)
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Vigor Scores of Newborn Calves
(P 0.48)
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Immune Response of Calves
(P lt 0.05)
Small et al.
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Plasma Linoleic Acid of Newborn Calves
(P lt 0.05)
Small et al.
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Relationship Between Milk 182 and Calf Adipose
Tissue 182
Lake et al. (2003)
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Summary of Responsesfor Cows Fed Fat Postpartum

• Increases Ovarian Follicular Growth and
  Development
• Enhances Luteal Activity
• Does NOT Affect Postpartum Interval
• May Reduce First Service Conception Rates
• Does NOT Improve Reproduction

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Summary of Responsesfor Cows Fed Fat Prepartum

• Does NOT Appear to Affect Postpartum Interval
• Does NOT Appear to Affect First Service
  Conception Rates
• May Improve Overall Pregnancy Rates
• Increases the Cows Linoleic Acid Status

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Summary of Responsesfor Cows Fed Fat Prepartum

• Does NOT Appear to Affect Calf Birth Weight
• May Increase the Calfs Cold Tolerance
• May Bolster the Calfs Immune Response
• Improves the Calfs Linoleic Acid Status

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Acknowledgments

• Sponsors USDA-NRICGP, ADM, and UW
• Collaborators Dan Rule, Doug Hixon, Gary Moss,
  Paul Ludden, Steve Paisley, Lee Beldon, Dennis
  Hallford, Rick Funston, Danny Simms, and Steve
  Bartle
• Research Associates Venerand Nayigihugu, Brenda
  Alexander, Chuck Murrieta, Lisa Balstad, and Ed
  Van Kirk
• Graduate Students Eric Scholljegerdes, Scott
  Lake, Wade Small, Becky Atkinson, Mark Grant,
  Bridget Johnson, Lisa Brokaw, Jeff Bottger, Jared
  Gould, Ben Garrett, and Rick Landeis

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THANK YOU