Embryo losses in sheep during short-term nutritional supplementation

Abstract

To test whether a nutritional supplement fed from 6 days before until 15 days after insemination reduces progesterone concentrations and increases embryo losses, Merino ewes were artificially inseminated (Day 0). Control ewes (n = 116) were not supplemented whereas Lupin6 ewes (n = 112) were supplemented with 500 g lupin grain daily for 6 days before insemination, and Lupin6+15 ewes (n = 122) from 6 days before until 15 days after insemination. There were no major differences between treatment groups in progesterone concentrations over the first 17 days of pregnancy. Embryo losses over Days 10–17 were lower in the Lupin6+15 than in the Control and Lupin6 groups, but the opposite occurred from Day 17–30. The concentrations of insulin and IGF-I were higher in Lupin6+15 ewes on Days 5, 12 and 17, compared with Lupin6 and Control ewes, while leptin concentrations decreased by Day 17 in the Lupin6+15 group. We conclude that feeding ewes for 15 days after mating improved embryo survival, which was associated with an increase in the concentrations of metabolic hormones and lower progesterone concentrations. However, the decrease in leptin concentrations promoted by the interruption of supplementation seems be linked to increased embryo mortality up to Day 30.