Beneficial effects of a high fibre diet on oocyte maturity and embryo survival in gilts

E M Ferguson, J Slevin, M G Hunter, S A Edwards, C J Ashworth

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

The present study examined the effects of feeding gilts a high fibre diet from the third post-pubertal oestrus until either day 19 of the same cycle or insemination at the following oestrus on oocyte maturity, embryo survival and associated changes in reproductive hormone concentrations. Gilts fed with the high fibre diet had lower circulating oestradiol concentrations on days 17, 18 and 19 of the cycle and increased LH pulse frequency on day 18. More oocytes recovered on day 19 from gilts receiving the high fibre diet were at metaphase II after 46-h culture in medium containing 10% of their own follicular fluid, despite fewer large (>7 mm) follicles in these gilts when compared with control animals. There was no effect of diet on ovulation rate, corpora lutea size or progesterone concentrations on days 10-12 after insemination, but embryo survival on days 27-29 after insemination was higher in gilts that received the high fibre diet. This study demonstrates that a high fibre diet that increases embryo survival also improves oocyte maturity and provides information on endocrine correlates that may shed light on underlying mechanisms.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)433-9
Number of pages7
JournalReproduction
Volume133
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Feb 2007

Keywords / Materials (for Non-textual outputs)

  • Animals
  • Corpus Luteum Maintenance
  • Dietary Fiber
  • Embryonic Development
  • Estradiol
  • Female
  • Follicular Fluid
  • Insemination, Artificial
  • Luteinizing Hormone
  • Maternal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena
  • Oogenesis
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy Outcome
  • Pregnancy, Animal
  • Progesterone
  • Swine

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Beneficial effects of a high fibre diet on oocyte maturity and embryo survival in gilts'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this