Skip to main content
Springer Nature Link
Log in

Effect of nutritional supplementation upon pregnancy rates of goats under semiarid rangelands and exposed to the male effect

  • Original Research
  • Published:
Tropical Animal Health and Production Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate possible effects of improved protein and energy diet upon reproductive outcomes of adult goats under marginal rangeland grazing conditions and exposed to the male effect during the anoestrous–dry season. Adult goats (Nubian × Criollo, nonpregnant, nonlactating, n = 160, 22° 50′ N, 100° 59′ W, 1,653 m) were randomly divided in two experimental groups: Control (CG; n = 80) and Supplemented (SG; n = 80). Both CG and SG goats were kept together during the day for ranging a semiarid rangeland while separated accordingly at night. SG goats were individually supplemented [400 g kg−1 day−1 ; 14% CP and 2.92 Mcal DE kg−1] during a 30-day period. Thereafter, both the CG [35.5 ± 0.94 kg LW, 1.95 ± 0.06 U, body condition score (BCS)] and the SG [39.5 ± 0.94 kg LW, 2.29 ± 0.06 BCS] were exposed to adult males (Nubian, n = 4, two per group) of proven libido and fertility and kept together at night (1700–0900) during a 42-day experimental breeding period. At the beginning of the breeding period, both LW (P < 0.001) and BCS (P < 0.001) were higher in the SG, which was also reflected in higher pregnancy rate (92.5 vs. 76.3%, P < 0.01). Nonetheless, both CG and SG depicted an increased abortion rate (52.5 vs. 41.9% P > 0.05), respectively. Results suggest that nutritional supplementation and the male effect were able to successfully invoke neurophysiological pathways to increase ovarian activity and to promote a uterine milieu prone to the establishment of pregnancy during the anoestrus season. However, the increased abortion rates observed in the study occurred irrespective of the nutritional regime offered during the premating stage. Therefore, there is a need to align the last third of gestation to the onset of the grazing season in order to increase reproductive and economic efficiency in those rangeland-based marginal goat production systems.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Explore related subjects

Discover the latest articles and news from researchers in related subjects, suggested using machine learning.

References

  • Abecia, J.A., Sosa, C., Forcada, F., Meikle. A., 2006., The effect of undernutrition on the establishment of pregnancy in the ewe, Reproduction Nutrition Development, 46, 367–378.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Alvarez, L., Martin, G.B., Galindo, F., Zarco, L.A., 2003. Social dominance of female goats affects their response to the male effect, Applied Animal Behavioral Science, 84, 119–126.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Arechiga, C.F., Aguilera, J.J., Rincón, R.M., Mendez de Lara, S., Bañuelos, R., Meza-Herrera, C.A., 2008. Role and perspectives of goat production in a global world, Tropical and Subtropical Agroecosystems, 9, 1–14.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barroso, F.G., Alados, C.L., Boza, J., 2000. Social hierarchy in the domestic goat: effect on food habits and production, Applied Animal Behavioral Science, 69, 35–53.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chemineau, P., 1987. Possibilities for using bucks to stimulate ovarian and oestrous cycles in anovulatory goats. A review, Livestock Production Science, 17, 135–147.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • De Santiago-Miramontes, M.A., Luna-Orozco, J.R., Meza-Herrera, C.A., Rivas-Muñoz, R., Carrillo, E., Veliz-Deras, F.G., Mellado, M., 2011. The effect of flushing and stimulus of estrogenized does on reproductive performance of anovulatory-range goats, Tropical Animal Health and Production, In press. doi:10.1007/s11250-011-9849-6.

  • Diskin, M.G., Morris, D.G., 2008. Embryonic and early foetal losses in cattle and other ruminants, Reproduction in Domestic Animals, 43 Suppl 2, 260–267.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Diskin, M.G., Murphy, J.J., Sreenan, J.M., 2006. Embryo survival in dairy cows managed under pastoral conditions, Animal Reproduction Science, 96, 297–311.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Duarte, G., Flores, J.A., Malpaux, B., Delgadillo, J.A., 2008. Reproductive seasonality in female goats adapted to a subtropical environment persists independently of food availability, Domestic Animal Endocrinology, 35, 362–370.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Estrada-Cortés, A., Vera-Avila, H., Urrutia-Morales, J., Villagómez-Amezcua, E., Jiménez-Severiano, H., Mejía-Guadarrama, C.A., Rivera-Lozano, M.T., Gámez-Vázquez, H., 2009. Nutritional status influences reproductive seasonality in Creole goats: 1. Ovarian activity during seasonal reproductive transitions, Animal Reproduction Science, 116, 282–290.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • FASS, 1999. Guide for the care and use of agricultural animals in agricultural research and teaching. Federation Animal Science Society, Savoy, IL, USA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fitz-Rodríguez, G., De Santiago-Miramontes, M.A., Scaramuzzi, R.J., Malpaux, B., Delgadillo, J.A., 2009. Nutritional supplementation improves ovulation and pregnancy rates in female goats managed under natural grazing conditions and exposed to the male effect, Animal Reproduction Science, 116, 85–94.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Flores-Najera, M.J., Meza-Herrera, C.A., Echavarria, F.G., Villagomez, E., Iñiguez, L., Salinas, H., Gonzalez-Bulnes, A., 2010. Influence of nutritional and socio-sexual cues upon reproductive efficiency of goats exposed to the male effect under extensive conditions, Animal Production Science, 50, 897–901.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gamez-Vazquez, H.G., Rosales-Nieto, C.A., Bañuelos-Valenzuela, R., Urrutia-Morales, J., Diaz-Gomez, M.O., Silva-Ramos, J.M., Meza-Herrera, C.A., 2008. Body condition score positively influence plasma leptin concentrations in criollo goats, Journal of Animal and Veterianry Advances, 7, 1237-1240.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gelez, H., Fabre-Nys, C., 2004. “The male effect” in sheep and goats: a review of respective roles of the two olfactory system, Hormones and Behavior, 6, 257–271.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gonzalez-Bulnes, A., Meza-Herrera, C.A., Rekik, M., Ben Salem, H., Kridli, R.T., 2011. Limiting factors and strategies for improving reproductive outputs of small ruminants reared in semi-arid environments. In: Semi-arid environments: Agriculture, water supply and vegetation. Ed: K.M. Degenovine. Nova Science Publishers, Inc. Hauppauge, NY, USA., p. 41–60

    Google Scholar 

  • Guerra-García, M., Meza-Herrera, C.A., Sanchez-Torres-Esqueda, M.T., Gallegos-Sanchez, J., Torres-Hernandez, G., Pro-Martinez, A., 2009. IGF-1 and ovarian activity of goats in divergent body condition and supplemented with non-degradable ruminal protein, Agrociencia, 43, 241–247.

    Google Scholar 

  • Honhold, N., Petit, H., Halliwell, R.W., 1991. A condition scoring scheme for the Small East African Goats in Zimbabwe, Tropical Animal Health and Production, 21, 121–127.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Martin, G.B., Oldham, C.M., Cognie, Y., Pearce, D.T., 1986. The physiological responses of anovulatory ewes to the introduction of rams—a review, Livestock Production Science, 15, 219–247.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mellado, M., González-Rodríguez, H., García-Martínez, J.E., 2001. Body characteristics, number of parity and fetous as risk factors for abortion in range goats, Agrociencia, 35, 355–361.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mellado, M., Valdez, R., Lara, L.M., García, J.E., 2004. Risk factors involved in conception, abortion, and kidding rates of goats under extensive conditions, Small Ruminant Research, 55, 191–198.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Meza-Herrera, C.A., 2008. Regluatory mechanisms of puberty in female goats: Recent concepts, Tropical and Subtropical Agroecosystems, 9, 29–38.

    Google Scholar 

  • Meza-Herrera, C.A., Sanchez, S.J.M., Chavez-Perches, J.G., Salinas, H., Mellado, M., 2004. Protein supplementation, body condition and ovarian activity in goats. Preovulatory serum profile of insulin, South African Journal of Animal Science, 34(Suppl. 1), 223–226.

    Google Scholar 

  • Meza-Herrera, C.A., Ross, T., Hallford, D., Hawkins, D., Gonzalez-Bulnes, A., 2007. Effects of body condition and protein supplementation on LH secretion and luteal function in sheep, Reproduction in Domestic Animals, 42, 461–465.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Meza-Herrera, C.A., Hallford, D.M., Ortiz, J.A., Cuevas, R.A., Sanchez, J.M., Salinas, H., Mellado, M., Gonzalez-Bulnes, A., 2008. Body condition and protein supplementation positively affect periovulatory ovarian activity by non-LH mediated pathways in goats, Animal Reproduction Science, 106, 412–420.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Meza-Herrera, C.A., Veliz-Deras, F.G., Wurzinger, M., Lopez-Ariza, B., Arellano-Rodriguez, G., Rodriguez-Martinez, R., 2010. The kiss-1, kisspeptin, gpr-54 complex: A critical modulator of GnRH neurons during pubertal activation, Journal of Applied Biomedicine, 8, 1–9.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Meza-Herrera, C.A., Torres-Moreno, M., Lopez-Medrano, J.I., Gonzalez-Bulnes, A., Veliz, F.G., Mellado, M., Wurzinger, M., Soto-Sanchez, M.J., Calderon-Leyva, M.G. 2011. Glutamate supply positively affects serum release of triiodothyronine and insulin across time without increases of glucose during the onset of puberty in the female goat, Animal Reproduction Science, 125, 74–80.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Meza-Herrera, C.A., Hernandez-Valenzuela, L.C., Gonzalez-Bulnes, A., Tena-Sempere, M., Abad-Zavaleta, J., Salinas-Gonzalez, H., Mellado, M., Veliz-Deras, F. 2011b. Long term betacarotene supplementation enhances serum minsulin concentrations without effect on the onset of pubery in the female goat, Reproductive Biology, 11(3):236–249.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Meza-Herrera, C.A., Gonzalez-Bulnes, A., Kridli, R., Mellado, M., Arechiga-Flores, C.F., Salinas, H., Luginbhul, J.M., 2012. Neuroendocrine, metabolic and genomic cues signaling the onset of puberty in females, Reproduction in Domestic Animals, In press. doi: 10.1111/j.1439-0531.2009.01355.x

  • Morris, T.R., 1999. Experimental designs and analyses in animal sciences. CABI-Publishing, New York, NY. USA., p. 208.

    Google Scholar 

  • Restall, B.J., Restall, H., Norton, B.W., 1994. Effect of nutrition on sensitivity of female goats to the male effect. Proccedings of the Australian Society of Animal Production 20, 39.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rosales-Nieto, C.A., Gamez-Vazquez, H.G., Gudino-Reyes, J., Reyes-Ramirez, E.A., Eaton, M., Stanko, R.L., Meza-Herrera, C.A., Gonzalez-Bulnes, A., 2011. Nutritional and metabolic modulation of the female effect upon resumption of ovulatory activity of goats, Animal Production Science, 51, 115-112.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sosa, C., Lozano, J.M., Viñoles, C., Acuña, S., Abecia, J.A., Forcada, F., Foresberg, M., Meikle, A., 2004. Effect of plane of nutrition on endometrial sex steroid receptor expression in ewes, Animal Reproduction Science, 84, 337–348.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tanaka, T., Yamaguchi, T., Kamomae, H., Kaneda, Y., 2003. Nutritionally induced body weight loss and ovarian quiescence in Shiba goats, Journal of Reproduction and Development, 49, 113–119.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Urrutia-Morales, J., Meza-Herrera, C.A., Escobar-Medina, F.J., Gamez-Vazquez, H.G., Ramirez-Andrade, B.M., Diaz-Gomez, M.O., Gonzalez-Bulnes, A., 2009. Relative roles of photoperiodic and nutritional cues in modulating ovarian activity in goats, Reproductive Biology, 9, 283–294.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Veliz, G., Meza-Herrera, C.A., De Santiago-Miramontes, M.A., Arellano-Rodriguez, G., Leyva, C., Rivas-Muñoz, R., Mellado, M., 2009. Effect of parity and progesterone priming on induction of reproductive function in Saanen goats by buck exposure, Livestock Science, 125, 261–265.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Forestales, Agrícolas y Pecuarias, San Luis Potosí, Mexico

    Jorge Urrutia-Morales

  2. Universidad Autónoma Chapingo, Unidad Regional Universitaria de Zonas Áridas, Bermejillo, Durango, Mexico

    Cesar A. Meza-Herrera

  3. Servicios Profesionales Agropecuarios, San Luis Potosí, Mexico

    Leonardo Tello-Varela & Sergio Beltrán-López

  4. Facultad de Agronomía, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, San Luis Potosí, Mexico

    Marta O. Díaz-Gómez

  5. Galeana 585 Poniente, Colonia Centro, Lerdo, Durango, 35150, Mexico

    Cesar A. Meza-Herrera

Authors
  1. Jorge Urrutia-Morales
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Cesar A. Meza-Herrera
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Leonardo Tello-Varela
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Marta O. Díaz-Gómez
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Sergio Beltrán-López
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Cesar A. Meza-Herrera.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Urrutia-Morales, J., Meza-Herrera, C.A., Tello-Varela, L. et al. Effect of nutritional supplementation upon pregnancy rates of goats under semiarid rangelands and exposed to the male effect. Trop Anim Health Prod 44, 1473–1477 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-012-0090-8

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-012-0090-8

Keywords