Effect of rumen protected vitamin B complex supplementation on ovarian dynamics and uterine gene expression on day 15 of the cycle or pregnancy

Lactating dairy cows have extensive embryonic loss, but the mechanisms that lead to this failure to maintain pregnancy are not clearly understood. It is suggested that high-producing dairy cows are marginally deficient in nutrients such as Vitamin B complex molecules, selenium etc., which are positively associated with health and reproduction. The goals of the project are to determine the effect of a rumen-protected vitamin B complex supplementation (VIT) compared with control diet containing no supplement (CON) on: milk production and plasma levels of BHBA, NEFA and acute phase proteins; ovarian follicle growth and plasma levels of major steroids; and uterine gene expression of target transcripts related to embryo development, immune function and cellular adhesion on day 15 of cycle or pregnancy. We hypothesize that supplementing vitamin B molecules will improve follicle growth and ovarian
steroid synthesis as well as improving the make-up of expression of key transcripts pivotal to pre-attachment embryonic development.

Faculty Supervisor:

Ronaldo Cerri

Student:

Manveen Kaur

Partner:

JEFO Nutrition Inc

Discipline:

Food science

Sector:

Life sciences

University:

University of British Columbia