Physiologic Link Between Nutrition And Reproduction In Ruminants

The link between nutrition and reproduction in West African Dwarf goats was determined with nutritional flushing at breeding. The effects of two levels of supplement feed providing 60% and 20%, respectively, of the estimated daily dry matter requirement of goats on the physical body measurements, metabolic and gonadotropin status of the does were studied. The parameters measured included body condition score (BCS), body weight, total protein, glucose, calcium, insulin, gonadotropins, fertility rate and prolificacy. In addition, the reproductive implications of interactions among these parameters were investigated. The results showed that West African Dwarf (WAD) does responded positively to luteolytic estrus synchronization with PGF2α and flushing with high energy/protein supplementation for six weeks in Ghana. The probable optimum age, BCS and body weight at mating for improved reproductive response were 4 years, 2.0 – 2.5 and 15 -17 kg, respectively. Flushing improved BCS, body weight and prolificacy of WAD does by 23.86%, 10.25% and 29.0% respectively. The study results also corroborated suggestion of insulin as a possible metabolic-reproductive hormone.

Rev. Ebenezer Yaw Blasu holds B.Sc (Agric. Hons), and M.Phil (Reproductive Physiology), degrees from University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana. He is currently senior lecturer in Animal Production in the Department of Agribusiness at Presbyterian University College,Ghana;with research interest in physiology of nutrition-reproduction axis.