Short-term methionine supplementation during the early post-partum period in primiparous rabbits improves prolificacy associated with an increase in serum concentrations of IGF-I

作者：Lopez Cedillo Z B; Rosales Torres A M; Mendoza G D; Heuze Y; Avila Espitia A E; Guzman A^*

来源：Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition, 2017, 101(5): e394-e403.

DOI：10.1111/jpn.12619

• methionine
• insulin-like growth factor-1
• negative energy balance
• reproductive performance
• post-partum does

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of methionine supplementation on energy metabolism and reproductive performance during the early post-partum period in primiparous does. Forty nulliparous New Zealand White does were used. Females were randomized in two groups at calving: the control group (n=20) was fed with the basal diet, and the methionine group (n=20) was fed the basal diet plus 1g/animal/day of methionine from the day of calving to 4days post-partum. Results showed that methionine supplementation increased (p=0.032) the concentration of insulin-like growth factor-1 with respect to control group 4days post-partum. It similarly increased the prolificacy (p=0.03), the number of kits born alive per litter (p=0.06) and the body gain weight of the litter during supplementation (p=0.035). These results were observed despite the does in the methionine group having a deeper negative energy balance than the does in the control group. Finally, methionine supplementation did not affect receptivity (p=0.23), fertility (p=0.49), the number of kits born dead per litter (p=0.86) insulin and metabolites as glucose, non-esterified fatty acids and triglycerides. In conclusion, our results show that methionine supplementation during the first 4days of the post-partum period in rabbits increases total litter size and the corporal weight of kits and is associated with an increase in blood concentration of IGF-1.

• 出版日期2017-10